Weather update: Gauteng faces isolated showers, while three provinces cope with extreme heat

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Wednesday, 31 January.

The weather service has warned of fire dangers persisting in specific Western Cape and Northern Cape regions, while other provinces anticipate varied conditions. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 31 January

There are no weather warnings for Wednesday, 31 January 2024.

Fire danger

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over Central Karoo, Little Karoo, Cape Winelands, Cederberg, and Swellendam municipalities of the Western Cape, as well as Kamiesberg and Hantam Districts in the Northern Cape.

Advisories

Saws has issued a warning of extremely uncomfortable and very hot conditions expected in places over the Western Cape, mainly the interior, from Wednesday until Friday.

The heatwave experienced over the Sarah Baartman and Chris Hani District Municipalities and the Raymond Mhlaba and Amahlathi local municipalities in the Eastern Cape is expected to continue until Saturday, with persistently high temperatures expected.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Wednesday, 31 January

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy and warm conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect partly cloudy and warm weather, but cloudy in the east with isolated light showers and rain, but drizzle on the lowveld and escarpment areas.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the east with isolated light showers and rain on the lowveld and escarpment areas at times; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot.

North-West province:

A day of fine conditions in the east awaits the residents of the North West province at first, but otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot weather will prevail, with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the far east.

Free State:

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

Northern Cape:

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

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect cloudy weather along the south coast in the morning; otherwise, partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions, but very hot in places. It will be extremely hot over the Central and Little Karoo, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the afternoon over the extreme north-eastern parts.

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 warm to hot along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy to cloudy and hot to very hot, with isolated afternoon thundershowers scattered in the north. Extremely hot conditions are expected in places over the interior.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Residents can look forward to fine to partly cloudy and hot to very hot weather, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the extreme west and along the eastern escarpment.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog over the interior, but otherwise partly cloudy and warm weather. Isolated showers and rain are expected in the north-east.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.