Weather: Rain, thunderstorms, fire danger threaten multiple provinces

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Tuesday, 10 October revealing relief from last week’s heatwave with rain.

The weather service has warned about disruptive rain leading to localised flooding in the Eastern Cape, severe thunderstorms with possible strong damaging winds, large amounts of small hail in two provinces, and extremely high fire danger conditions in three provinces.

Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 10 October

Along the coast of Port Alfred and Port Edward in the Eastern Cape, residents can expect disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of susceptible settlements, roads, low-lying areas, and bridges.

Residents of the eastern parts of the Free State and the central and south-eastern parts of the North-West can expect severe thunderstorms with possible strong damaging winds and large amounts of small hail.

Extremely high fire danger

SAWS issued extremely high fire danger warnings in three provinces.

The areas of concern include the north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape and the western parts of both the North-West and the Free State.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Tuesday, 10 October

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate a partly cloudy and warm day ahead.

The day will become cloudy with isolated late afternoon showers and thundershowers, scattered in the extreme south.

The expected UVB sunburn index for the region is categorised as “High.” Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect a partly cloudy and warm day, becoming cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers on the Highveld in the evening but scattered in the extreme south-west.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the north and east with drizzle and fog patches, becoming partly cloudy
and warm to hot in the north.

North-West Province:

A day of partly cloudy, windy, and hot weather awaits the residents of the North-West Province with isolated to scattered thundershowers, except in the south-western part of the province.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State can anticipate a partly cloudy and warm to hot day, with isolated to scattered thundershowers in the east of the province.

Northern Cape:

Residents of the Northern Cape can expect a fine, cool, to warm day, but hot in the east of the province. It will then become partly cloudy in the north-east by the afternoon.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents will experience a morning with fog patches in the south-east but otherwise partly cloudy and warm, except it will be fine in the west.

It will also be cool in places along the south coast.

The expected UVB sunburn index for the region is categorised as “Very High.” Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Eastern Cape (western half):

Conditions are expected to be cold in some places but otherwise cloudy and cool, with light rain south of the escarpment.

Scattered light showers and rain are expected along the coast and adjacent interior east of Oyster Bay.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

A partly cloudy and cool to warm day is anticipated, with isolated thundershowers in the north-east; otherwise, cloudy and cold with scattered showers and rain, but widespread along the coast.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog over the interior but otherwise partly cloudy and cool conditions.

It will be warm in the north of the province, with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the south-east.

The expected UVB sunburn index for the region is categorised as “High.”