Level 2 warning for heavy rain and severe thunderstorms in parts of Free State

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, a potential for large hail, damaging winds and excessive lightning over the southern parts of Mpumalanga and eastern parts of Free State on Friday.

The weather service has warned motorists to watch out for difficult driving conditions due to wet roads, large amounts of small hail over open areas and fallen trees which might block minor roads.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the northern and central parts of the Northern Cape, as well as the extreme south-eastern parts of North West.

“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,” warned the weather service.

Friday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Hot in the north, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Mpumalanga: Morning fog patches in the east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the south. It will be very hot in the Lowveld.

Limpopo: Partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated showers and thundershowers except in the extreme north.

North West: Fine, becoming partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Free State: Fine, becoming partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers, except west.

Northern Cape: Morning fog over the south-western parts, otherwise fine and warm to hot, but partly cloudy in the east and along the coast with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme northeast. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly, becoming south-westerly from the afternoon.

Western Cape: Cloudy along the coast and adjacent interior, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm. The wind along the coast will be light south-easterly along the south coast in the morning, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

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Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool in the south with light rain in the south-east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm. The wind along the coast will be light westerly, becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly in the afternoon.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool south of the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the north-west. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate to easterly, becoming fresh south-westerly from the west in the evening.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog in places over the interior, otherwise cloudy and warm, but hot over the northern parts. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected.

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