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By Nicholas Zaal

Journalist


Weather warning: 40° and above heatwaves, and ‘damaging winds’

Here's what to expect on Thursday.


South Africans can expect “extremely uncomfortable conditions” in places in the Western Cape and Northern Cape on Thursday, as the temperature soars to 40° and above, the SA Weather Service forecasts.

These temperatures are expected in the West Coast district, Cape Winelands district of the Western Cape and Kamiesberg municipality in the Northern Cape.

Extremely uncomfortable conditions are expected in places over the Western Cape and Namakwa District of the Northern Cape, specifically.

Heatwave conditions resulting in persistently high temperatures over and above the average maximum are also expected over the eastern parts of the North-West Province from Saturday until Monday.

A yellow level 1 warning was issued for damaging winds resulting in difficulty in navigation at sea, and disruption to ports is expected between Cape St Francis and East London but between Cannon Rocks and Port Edward on Friday.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the interior of the Namakwa District and the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, West Coast district, Cape Winelands district, Central Karoo district and Kannaland Municipality of the Western Cape.

Thursday’s weather forecast

Gauteng:

Cloudy in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in places in the north.

The expected UVB sunburn Index: Very high

Mpumalanga:

Cloudy with isolated morning showers and rain in the north-east, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm.

Limpopo:

Cloudy with isolated morning showers and rain, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm.

North West Province:

Partly cloudy and hot but warm in the east.

Free State:

Fine and hot but partly cloudy in the east at in the morning where it will be warm.

Northern Cape:

Fine and warm but hot to very hot in places over the western interior. The wind along the coast will be strong southerly to south-easterly.

Western Cape:

Fine and warm to hot but very hot over the interior, and extremely hot in places over the interior of the West Coast district as well as the Cape Winelands.

The wind along the coast will be strong easterly along the south coast otherwise light to moderate southerly to south-easterly.

The expected UVB sunburn Index: Extreme

Western half of the Eastern Cape:

Cloudy in places over the interior in the morning, otherwise fine and warm to hot, but cool along the coast. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly, becoming fresh to strong easterly from late morning.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape:

Cloudy in places south of escarpment at first, otherwise fine and warm, but partly cloudy and cool along the coast.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable, becoming moderate to fresh easterly from late morning, but north-easterly in the evening.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with light morning rain in the north coast.

The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly, becoming north-easterly from the south towards afternoon.

The expected UVB sunburn index: High

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