Weather update: Partly cloudy, hot with severe thunderstorms over central and eastern parts but fine elsewhere

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Thursday, 22 February.

The weather service has warned of severe thunderstorms with possible damaging winds and heavy downpours leading to localised flooding in four provinces, and the heatwaves experienced in five different provinces will continue until Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, respectively. Here’s what you need to know.

🌦️Weather outlook for Thursday, 22 February 2024. Partly cloudy and hot to warm with scattered to isolated showers and thunderstorms over the central and eastern parts. Otherwise, fine.
⚠️Weather warning: Yellow level 2 for severe thunderstorms. #saws#southafricanweather pic.twitter.com/168Ool9KXI

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) February 21, 2024

Weather warnings, 22 February

Weather warnings

The weather service issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with a possibility of large amounts of small hail, heavy downpours leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas, and bridges, strong damaging winds, and excessive lightning leading to structural damages over the escarpment areas in Mpumalanga, south-central parts of Limpopo, the north-western interior in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as over the northern parts of the Free State and central parts of the North West.

Fire danger

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the central and eastern parts of the Northern Cape, the western parts of the Free State, and the North West provinces.

Advisories

The heatwave being experienced over the Free State, the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, and the southern and western parts of the North-West will continue until Thursday; it will continue until Friday for the Joe Gqabi District in the Eastern Cape and until Saturday for the entire North West, with persistently high temperatures expected.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Thursday, 22 February

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate fine and warm weather becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers by the late afternoon.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect cloudy conditions in the east in the morning with a chance of drizzle and fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered over the eastern Highveld.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the central and eastern parts in the morning with fog patches on the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers scattered in the south-east, except in the extreme north-east.

North-West province:

A day of partly cloudy and hot to very hot weather awaits North West residents with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see partly cloudy and hot to very hot weather with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, except in the west.

Northern Cape:

There will be morning fog patches along the coast, otherwise fine and hot to very hot but partly cloudy in the east, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the extreme north-east.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect cloudy to partly cloudy conditions over the east and southern parts clearing from the northeast from late morning, otherwise fine and cool to warm but hot over the northeastern interior.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Eastern Cape (western half):

Conditions are expected to be fine and warm, becoming cloudy in the evening.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Residents can look forward to fine and hot weather north of the escarpment; otherwise, it will be cloudy and cool with a chance of light rain and drizzle.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated along the coast and in the north-east.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.