Level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain expected in Mpumalanga

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 along the escarpment of Mpumalanga, as well as the south-eastern parts of the Highveld, on Thursday.

“Heavy downpours may lead to localised flooding of roads and low-lying bridges, while severe lightning can possibly result in localised fire incidents, injuries to humans and livestock,” warned the weather service on Wednesday.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the central and north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

Thursday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Partly cloudy and warm with isolated thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: High.

Mpumalanga: Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered along the escarpment areas.

Limpopo: Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the south-east.

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 the southern parts.

Northern Cape: Morning mist in places on the southern high ground, otherwise fine and warm to
hot, but very hot in the north-west. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly.

Western Cape: Fine in the north-west, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, but cloudy in the south with light morning showers and rain along the south-coastal areas where it will be cool. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly becoming strong north of Table Bay. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

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Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool with isolated showers and light rain in places in the south during the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm becoming fine in the north in the
afternoon. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm but cloudy in the south with isolated showers and rain south of the escarpment, but scattered along the Wild Coast and adjacent interior where it will be cool. It will become fine in the extreme north in the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Partly cloudy and warm but cool in places in the south with isolated showers and
thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be moderate north-easterly north of Richards Bay, otherwise south-westerly, becoming moderate south-easterly in the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.