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

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms in parts of Free State, central and western parts of the Eastern Cape and the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, on Friday.

Residents in these areas should expect strong winds, heavy downpours and hail that will result in localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are also expected over the central parts of the Northern Cape, as well as the central and north-eastern interior of the Western Cape on Friday.

Friday’s weather forecast

1. Gauteng:

• Partly cloudy and warm

• UVB sunburn index is expected to be high

2. Mpumalanga:

• Cloudy in the east with morning fog patches and drizzle along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and cool, but warm in the Lowveld.

3. Limpopo:

• Cloudy in the east with morning fog patches and drizzle along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm.

4. North-West Province:

• Fine in the central and eastern parts at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the northern and western parts.

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5. Free State:

• Morning fog in places in the extreme east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the west, as well in the extreme east. It will be windy in the west.

6. Northern Cape:

• Cloudy and cool in the west with morning fog in the extreme northwest, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in the east where it will be windy.
• The wind along the coast will be light to moderate westerly to north-westerly, becoming fresh southerly to south-westerly in the evening.

7. Western Cape:

• Cloudy and cool along the coast with light rain in the south-west by the evening, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot over the eastern interior. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected over the extreme north- eastern interior from the afternoon.

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• The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh north- westerly along the West coast, spread to the south coast in the afternoon whilst reaching strong along the south- west coast. It will become southerly to south-westerly along the south-west coast from the evening.
• The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

8. Western half of the Eastern Cape:

• Cool along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot, becoming cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers in the afternoon, into the evening.
• The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly reaching strong east of St Francis, becoming moderate to fresh westerly west of Oyster Bay in the afternoon, spreading east in the evening.

9. Eastern half of the Eastern Cape:

• Cloudy at first with morning fog in places south of the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot, becoming cloudy with scattered thundershowers in the evening, but isolated in the extreme east.
• The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north- easterly, becoming strong in the afternoon.

10. KwaZulu-Natal:

• Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in the south-west and Midlands.
• The wind along the coast will be Moderate easterly to north- easterly freshening in the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High