Level 2 warning: Heavy rain, severe thunderstorms expected in two provinces

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms over the eastern parts of the North West Province and south-western Bushveld of Limpopo on Friday.

Residents in these areas should expect heavy rains, large amounts of small hail, damaging
winds and excessive lightning and flooding.

This as extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over Namakwa interior of the Northern Cape and northern interior of Western Cape.

ALSO READ: Weather update: Warning issued for severe thunderstorms and flooding

Furthermore, extremely hot conditions are expected over the Sarah Baartman District Municipality and Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality of the Eastern Cape.

Friday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Morning fog in the south-east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: high.

Mpumalanga: Cloudy and cool to warm with drizzle and fog patches along the escarpment. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the afternoon, except for the Bushbuckridge area.

Limpopo: Cloudy and warm to hot weather with morning fog and drizzle along the escarpment. Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected in the south-western Bushveld.

North West: Morning fog in the east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the east.

Free State: Morning fog in the east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Northern Cape: Morning fog along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Western Cape: Morning fog along the coast, otherwise fine and very hot to extremely hot in places over the eastern interior. It will become partly cloudy from the afternoon with isolated evening showers and thundershowers over the extreme north-east.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable along the south coast becoming fresh to strong westerly to south-westerly from late morning, otherwise fresh to strong southerly to south-
easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Extremely hot weather in places over the central interior, otherwise
partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme south-east. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Morning fog in places along the coast and adjacent interior,
otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, except along the coast. It will be extremely hot in places over the central interior.

The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong north-easterly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior, otherwise cloudy and warm weather, with isolated showers and thundershowers. Light rain is expected in the north-east.

The wind along the coast will be the wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly to north-easterly becoming strong in the extreme south by afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.