High fire danger conditions expected in parts of Western Cape

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the eastern parts of Namakwa District and central parts of the Northern Cape as well as over the Witzenberg Municipality and the central Karoo of the Western Cape, on Friday, warned the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

“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 animal life,” warned the weather service.

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 at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, but hot in the Lowveld. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the west.

Limpopo: Cloudy in the east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme south-west from the evening.

North West: Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers.

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Free State: Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the south-west.

Northern Cape: Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy from the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north-east.

The wind along the coast will be strong southerly to south-easterly.

Western Cape: Cloudy with morning fog along the coast where it will be cool to warm, otherwise fine and hot to very hot. It will become partly cloudy in the north-east in the afternoon.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable in the south in the morning, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy along the coast with fog, otherwise fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Fine and warm to hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in places along escapement.

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

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KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior and rain in the extreme northeast, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in the west but scattered in the extreme south-west.

The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-easterly north of Durban, otherwise moderate north-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.