What’s up with the weather? – Residents warned of severe thunderstorms and heatwaves

After a scorching weekend, residents have been warned to brace for severe thunderstorms and inclement weather across several parts of the country, while there will be heatwave conditions in other parts.

The South African Weather Services (Saws) warned of strong winds and waves for the Western Cape, while severe thunderstorms are expected in the Eastern Cape.

Warnings

“Yellow level 1 warning for winds and waves leading to difficulty in navigation at sea between Table Bay and Cape Agulhas from the afternoon.

“Yellow level 1 warning for severe thunderstorms resulting in damage to settlements, property and vehicles are expected over the central parts of the Eastern Cape,” Saws warned.

Saws also warned of fire in a few areas amid thunderstorms.

“Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in the Western Cape except the coastal areas, the extreme northwestern parts of the Eastern Cape as well as the central and western parts of the Northern Cape.”

Heatwave

While thunderstorms are forecast for the country, heatwave conditions will continue to persist in some other parts of the country.

“Extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions are expected over the central parts of the Western Cape. A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected over the northwestern parts of the Eastern Cape, lasting until Tuesday, 31 December 2024.”

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Gauteng

Gauteng will be partly cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thunderstorms.

Mpumalanga

Cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the east.

Limpopo

Saws said Limpopo will be cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the south west.

North West

The North West will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the extreme west.

Free State

Residents can anticipate morning fog patches in the extreme east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers scattered in the east.

Northern Cape

Fine in the west, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme east.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable at first, otherwise moderate to fresh northerly to northwesterly.

Western Cape

Fine in the northwest, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and rain in the southwest in the evening.

The wind along the coast will be light southeastern along the south coast, otherwise fresh to strong northwesterly.

Western half of the Eastern Cape:

Partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the east. The wind along the coast will be moderate easterly to south easterly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape

Partly cloudy and hot to very hot with scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly.

KwaZulu-Natal

Residents can expect morning fog patches in places over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme west and northern parts.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly to northeasterly.

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