Weather update: Heatwave to persist until Saturday, and expect more thundershowers

The hot weather gripping most of the country – and especially the heatwave in the North West, Free State and Northern Cape – is expected to last until Saturday.

Recent thunderstorms have also caused havoc, as a man died after being struck by lightning in Sithembile, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday night, while six people were injured when roofs and walls collapsed on them during a serious thunderstorm.

ALSO READ: Man dies after being struck by lightning as thunderstorm causes havoc in KZN

The SA Weather Service warned that heatwave conditions resulting in persistently high temperatures over and above the average maximum are expected over the western parts of the North West, west and central parts of the Free State, as well as the eastern parts of the Northern Cape today until Saturday.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over Northern Cape, the western parts of the North West and the Free State on Thursday.

Thursday’s weather forecast

Gauteng:

Partly cloudy and warm but hot in the extreme north with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

The expected UVB sunburn index: High

Mpumalanga:

Partly cloudy and warm to hot, becoming cloudy in the east in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Limpopo:

Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the south-west in the evening.

North West Province:

Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Free State:

Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershower in the north-east.

Northern Cape:

Fine and warm to hot but very in the south-east, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north-east where it will be extremely hot.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to southeasterly, strong in the afternoon.

Western Cape:

Partly cloudy in the south, otherwise fine and cool to warm but hot to very hot over the interior.

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

The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme 8.

Western half of the Eastern Cape:

Cloudy with morning fog in places, becoming partly cloudy and warm but fine in the north-east.

The wind along the coast will be light south-westerly, becoming moderate south-easterly by afternoon.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape:

Cloudy and cool to warm with rain south of the escarpment. It will be partly cloudy north of the escarpment with isolated thunderstorms along the Lesotho border.

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

KwaZulu-Natal:

Cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the west.

The wind along the coast will be moderate northerly to north- easterly north of Durban, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly to southwesterly.

The expected UVB sunburn index: High