Weather update: High fire danger and extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions because of heatwave

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Tuesday, 20 February.

The weather service has warned of very hot to extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions over Western Cape and western parts of Northern Cape until tomorrow extremely high fire danger in five provinces. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 20 February

Fire danger

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the central and western parts of the Eastern Cape, Central and Little Karoo, south of Cape Winelands and Swellendam Municipality of the Western Cape, vast parts of the Northern Cape, west of the North-West, as well as west of the Free State.

Advisories

The heatwave being experienced over the Free State, the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, and the south and west of the North-West will continue until Thursday, but persist for the entire North-West from Wednesday until Saturday, with persistently high temperatures expected.

Extremely hot conditions are also expected in places over the Central and Little Karoo of the Western Cape, the central parts of the Northern Cape, as well as over the central and western parts of the Eastern Cape.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Tuesday, 20 February

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate fine weather in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to 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 with morning fog and drizzle patches along the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm over the Highveld up to the escarpment with isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be hot in the Lowveld.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the morning with drizzle and fog patches along the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers over the central and southwestern parts.

North-West province:

A day of partly cloudy and hot to very hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the north-western parts.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see partly cloudy weather in the extreme east, otherwise fine and hot to very hot.

Northern Cape:

There will be morning fog along the coast and adjacent interior, otherwise fine and hot to very hot but extremely hot in places over the central interior. Isolated showers and thundershowers can be expected over the extreme north-eastern parts in the afternoon.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect cloudy conditions with morning fog along the coastal areas and the adjacent south-western interior, otherwise fine and warm to hot but very hot to extremely hot over the eastern interior.

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 cloudy with fog in the morning, otherwise fine and very hot to extremely hot but warm along the coast.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Residents can look forward to cloudy weather with morning fog over the interior, otherwise fine and hot to very hot but warm along the coast. It will become partly cloudy in the east by the afternoon.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to cloudy conditions with morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with morning light rain in the east. Isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers are expected in the west.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.