Severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and heavy rain to hit parts of Eastern Cape

A yellow level 1 warning has been issued for severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and heavy rain over the north-eastern parts of the Eastern Cape on Friday, said the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on Thursday.

Residents in these areas have been urged to watch out for localised flooding of susceptible formal/informal settlements or roads, low-lying areas and bridges, localised damage to property and livelihood and minor vehicle accidents.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are also expected over the eastern and northern parts of the Northern Cape on Friday.

“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: Partly cloudy and cool to warm. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Mpumalanga: Hot in places in the Lowveld, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers over the Highveld and escarpment areas.

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Limpopo: Partly cloudy and warm weather.

North West: Partly cloudy and warm to hot.

Free State: Partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the south and along the Lesotho border.

Northern Cape: Morning fog along the coast, where it will be cool, otherwise fine and warm to hot but very hot in the extreme north-east, becoming partly cloudy in the east with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

The wind along the coast will be light north-westerly becoming light to moderate south-westerly by the afternoon.

Western Cape: Cloudy along the coastal areas in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm, but hot over the north-eastern interior. It will become cloudy along the south-coast from the evening.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable in the early morning along the west and south-west coast, otherwise moderate to fresh westerly to north-westerly becoming moderate south-westerly along the south-coast in the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

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Western half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm to hot, becoming cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north-east from the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm, becoming cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Fine and warm becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers in the west and the south. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly becoming strong at times. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.