Weather update: Severe thunderstorms and hail for Free State while heatwave continues in three provinces

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Saturday, 24 February.

The weather service has warned of severe thunderstorms resulting in strong gusting winds, large amounts of small hail, and heavy downpours in the southern parts of the Free State. The heatwave being experienced in places east of the Northern Cape, the North-West Province, and the Free State will continue until Saturday. Here’s what you need to know.

🌧️⛈️Weather outlook for Tomorrow, 24 February 2024:

Fine and warm in the north-west, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms over the central and eastern parts, but extremely hot in places in the south-east. pic.twitter.com/b5WL04OWLG

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) February 23, 2024

Weather warnings, 24 February

Weather warnings

The weather service issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms resulting in strong gusting winds, large amounts of small hail, and heavy downpours leading to damage to infrastructure, formal and informal settlements, localised flooding in low-lying areas, and flooding on roads over the southern parts of the Free State and the northern interior of the Eastern Cape.

Fire danger

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the central parts of the Northern Cape, the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, and the eastern parts of the Western Cape.

Advisories

The heatwave being experienced in places east of the Northern Cape, the North-West Province, and the Free State will continue until Saturday, with persistently high temperatures expected.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Saturday, 24 February

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme north, where it will be hot.

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 over the Highveld in the morning and evening; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and hot with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers over the Highveld.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the east in the morning; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot.

North-West province:

A day of fine weather in the east at first, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot conditions awaits North West residents with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the south-west.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see fine weather in the east at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers scattered in the central and western parts. It will be windy in the extreme south.

Northern Cape:

There will be partly cloudy, windy, and hot to very hot conditions, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers scattered in the extreme north-east. It will be warm in places over the central parts.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions in the west, with isolated to scattered rain and showers over the south-western parts from the afternoon, where it will be cloudy, otherwise fine and warm to hot over the interior. It will become cloudy along the south coast by the evening.

Eastern Cape (western half):

Conditions are expected to be cloudy with morning fog in places along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy and very hot to extremely hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers scattered in the north.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Residents can look forward to partly cloudy and hot to very hot weather with scattered afternoon showers and thundershowers, but isolated in places south-west.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to partly cloudy and hot to very hot conditions with scattered afternoon showers and thundershowers in the west, otherwise isolated, except in the north-east.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.