Weather

Weather alert: Extreme fire danger and damaging wind warnings

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By Chulumanco Mahamba

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Wednesday, 11 September 2024.

The weather service has warned of damaging winds leading to difficulty in navigation at sea and extremely high fire danger in three provinces. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 11 September

Impact-based warnings

The weather service has warned of damaging winds leading to difficulty in navigation at sea between Table Bay and Cape Agulhas in the morning and Cape Agulhas and Plettenberg Bay from the late afternoon.

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Fire danger warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the Free State, the north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape, and the west and central parts of the North West.

On Saturday, extremely dry weather and the last of rainfall around the Deneysville areas in Free State resulted in widespread fires, with major damages to trees planted around the Groenpunt Prison grounds.

Two more cases were reported over the weekend, with 19 cars catching fire at the Bethlehem Airshow on Saturday and a fire that destroyed 100 shacks in the Mahlangu informal
settlement in Olievenhoutbosch, Centurion.

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“It is important that the public takes note that the “very dangerous” index value warning is as significant as the “extremely dangerous” warning issued by the SAWS because a relatively innocent activity such as the burning of garden refuse can easily get out of control if the wind is strong, resulting in the fire to be harmful,” the weather service said in a statement on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Snow blankets parts of Eastern Cape, Lesotho while adverse weather continues [VIDEOS]

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Wednesday, 11 September:

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Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy and warm conditions.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”

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Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect cloudy weather in the morning; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and cool to warm.

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Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the morning; otherwise, it will be fine and cool to warm.

North-West province:

Fine conditions await North West residents in the west; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy, windy and warm to hot.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see fine weather in the west; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy, windy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers along the Lesotho border and the extreme north-eastern parts.

Northern Cape:

Morning fog patches are expected along the coast and southern interior; otherwise, it will be fine, windy and warm to hot.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect morning fog patches in places over the interior; otherwise, it will be fine and cool to warm becoming partly cloudy along the south coast from the afternoon.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high.”

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Eastern Cape (western half):

There will be morning fog in places over the interior; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and cold to cool, but cloudy with isolated rain and showers in the south.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

There will be morning fog in places over the interior; otherwise, it will be cloudy and cold to cool, with isolated rain and showers scattered along the coast.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches over the interior; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in the southern parts.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high.”

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

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Published by
By Chulumanco Mahamba