Extremely high fire danger conditions expected in parts of Western Cape 

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a watch for extremely high fire danger conditions over the Kamiesberg Municipality in Northern Cape and the Laingsburg Municipality in Western Cape on Friday. 

“Conditions are such that the FDI index is above 75. Under these conditions, fires may develop and spread rapidly, resulting in damage to property and possible loss of human and/or animal life,” said the weather service on Thursday.  

Friday’s weather forecast 

Gauteng: Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme 

Mpumalanga: Cloudy in the east with morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in the Lowveld with isolated late afternoon showers. 

Limpopo: Cloudy with morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot. 

North West: Cloudy and warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers. 

Free State: Cloudy and warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east. 

Northern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm to hot becoming cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly. 

Western Cape: Cloudy to partly cloudy and hot, but very hot over the north-western and eastern interior. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected over the north-western and central interior from afternoon spreading south-eastwards to the south coast from evening. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly along the south coast, otherwise moderate southerly to south-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High 

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy in places south of escarpment at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north and west. The wind along the coast will be Light northeasterly in the east at first, otherwise moderate to fresh easterly, reaching strong in places from late morning. 

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy in places south of escarpment at first, otherwise fine to partly cloudy and warm with isolated thunderstorms in the northeast. The wind along the coast will be light north-westerly at first, otherwise light to moderate northeasterly, freshening in the afternoon. 

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and rain in the north-east. The wind along the coast will be Moderate easterly to south-easterly north of Durban, otherwise north-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High