Weather update: Heatwave hell now to extend until Tuesday

The heatwave gripping most of the country – thought to conclude on Friday – will last until Tuesday in most provinces, the SA Weather Service has now said.

The service also forecasts severe thunderstorms with possible strong damaging winds, heavy downpours and a large amount of hail that may result in damage to vehicles and structures over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape and southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the eastern parts of Northern Cape, western parts of the Free State, eastern parts of the North-West Province, north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, north-eastern parts of Mpumalanga as well as in places over Limpopo.

Heatwave conditions with persistently high temperatures are expected over the eastern parts of Eastern Cape and western parts of KwaZulu-Natal until Friday and in places over Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, North-West Province and north-eastern parts of Northern Cape until Tuesday, 28 November.

Friday’s weather forecast

Gauteng:

Partly cloudy and hot, but very hot in the north.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

Mpumalanga:

Fine and hot to very hot but warm along the escarpment, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated evening showers and thundershowers in the extreme south.

Limpopo:

Fine and hot to very hot but extremely hot in places in the Lowveld.

North West Province:

Partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the west.

Free State:

Partly cloudy and hot to very hot in the north, with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme north but scattered over the southern and central parts.

Northern Cape:

Cool along the coast where it will be cloudy at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east where it will be very hot.

The wind along the coast will be moderate south-easterly becoming fresh to strong in the afternoon.

Western Cape:

Cloudy and cool along the south coast with a chance of light rain in the east at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot.

The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly, becoming fresh in the south-west in the afternoon.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

Western half of the Eastern Cape:

Cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered along the coast. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly to south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape:

Warm along the coast, otherwise cloudy and hot to very hot with scattered showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Fine and hot to very hot, but extremely hot in places in the north, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the south.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly, becoming south-westerly from the south in the afternoon spreading northwards.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High