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Christmas forecast brings thunderstorms, heat, and fire risks
Find out what the latest weather forecast from the SA Weather Service means for your region.
Picture: Canva
The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Christmas Day, Wednesday, 25 December 2024.
Severe storms and heatwaves dominate SA’s Christmas weather, with warnings of localised flooding, hail, and fire dangers across multiple provinces. Here’s what you need to know.
Weather warnings, Christmas Day, Wednesday, 25 December
Impact-based warnings
The weather service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas, and bridges, as well as large amounts of small hail over an open area are expected over the western parts of North-West, the north-eastern parts of Northern Cape, and the north-western parts of Free State.
Damaging winds leading to difficulty in navigation at sea are expected between Cape Columbine and Hermanus
Fire danger warning
Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the western and southern parts of Northern Cape, the northwestern parts of the Eastern Cape, as well as the western and northern parts of the Western Cape.
Advisories
Extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions are expected over the West Coast, Cape Winelands, Central and Little Karoo districts of the Western Cape, the Kamiesberg municipality (Northern Cape), as well as the western parts of the Eastern Cape.
ALSO READ: Wet Christmas and widespread rain expected across SA
Provincial weather forecast
Here’s what to expect in your province on Christmas Day, Wednesday, 25 December:
Gauteng:
Residents of Gauteng can expect cloudy and cool but warm weather in the north with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Mpumalanga:
Mpumalanga residents can enjoy cloudy and cool conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers with drizzle in places along the escarpment. It will be warm in the Lowveld.
Limpopo:
The day will be cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers with drizzle in places along the Escarpment.
North West:
Morning fog patches await North West residents in the east; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy, windy, and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Free State:
Residents of the Free State will see morning fog patches in the east; otherwise, the conditions will be partly cloudy, windy, and warm to hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers.
Northern Cape:
The day will be fine in the west; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy, windy, and hot to very hot, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers over the eastern parts.
Western Cape:
Western Cape residents can expect fine and hot to very hot weather.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Eastern Cape (western half):
There will be morning fog over the interior; otherwise, it will be fine and very hot to extremely hot, but warm to hot along the coast. It will become partly cloudy with isolated afternoon thunderstorms in the northeast.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
The day will be cloudy with fog and drizzle in places south of the escarpment in the morning and evening; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm with isolated afternoon thunderstorms, but hot in the west.
KwaZulu-Natal:
Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog over the interior; otherwise, it will be cloudy and warm with morning showers and rain. It will become partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the extreme west.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high.”
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
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