Weekend weather alert: Heavy rain expected to hit Western Cape and KZN

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of yet another episode of significant rainfall over the Western Cape and Eastern Cape this weekend.

“A cut-off low-pressure system is in the process of developing over the southern Atlantic Ocean, to the south-west of the Western Cape. This fast-moving system is evolving rapidly and is expected to be encroaching on the west coast of Western Cape as early as Friday evening,” warned the weather service.

Cut-off lows have a reputation for causing widespread severe weather such as flooding, heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms.

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Widespread showers and thundershowers can be expected over parts of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape on Saturday.

Disruptive rainfall may occur over parts of Eastern Cape on Saturday, resulting in possible flooding.

Severe weather alerts

Orange level 6 warning: Disruptive rain with impacts including flooding, danger to life and damage to property is expected over the south-eastern parts of the Eastern Cape.

Yellow level 2 warning: Disruptive rain with impacts including flooding, danger to life and damage to property is expected over the Eastern Cape, except in the extreme north-eastern parts.

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Yellow level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, large amounts of small hail and heavy down pours leading to leading to localised flash flooding are expected over the central and eastern parts of the Western Cape, the southern parts of the Northern Cape as well as the western parts and Midlands of the Kwazulu-Natal.

Provincial breakdown

Gauteng:

Weather: Fine and warm.

UVB Sunburn Index: Extreme (indicating a very high risk of sunburn).

Mpumalanga:

Weather: Fine and hot to very hot.

Limpopo:

Weather: Fine and hot to very hot.

North-West Province:

Weather: Partly cloudy, windy, and hot with isolated showers and thunderstorms, except in the western parts.

Free State:

Weather: Partly cloudy, windy, and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered over the southern parts.

Northern Cape:

Weather: Cloudy with morning fog patches over the southern parts initially. Otherwise, it will be partly cloudy, windy, and cool to warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, except over the central and northern parts. The wind along the coast will change from light to moderate north-westerly to southerly to south-easterly in the afternoon.

Western Cape:

Weather: Cloudy and cool to warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, especially widespread in the south-east. Along the coast, there will be a fresh to strong south-easterly wind reaching gale force between Cape Columbine and Robin Island late morning until mid-afternoon.

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UVB Sunburn Index: High (indicating a high risk of sunburn).

Western Half of the Eastern Cape:

Weather: Cloudy and cool with widespread showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-easterly.

Eastern Half of the Eastern Cape:

Weather: Cloudy and cool with widespread showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the extreme north. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-easterly, while it will be moderate to fresh southerly along the wild coast.

Kwazulu-Natal:

Weather: Partly cloudy and warm, but hot in places in the north. It will become cloudy with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, especially widespread in the extreme south.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly north of Durban, transitioning to light to moderate southerly to south-westerly winds, becoming fresh at times.

UVB Sunburn Index: Very high (indicating an extremely high risk of sunburn).