Weather update: Heatwave hits three provinces, get ready to sizzle until Monday

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Saturday, 16 March.

The weather service has warned of a heatwave with persistently high temperatures expected in three provinces until Monday. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 16 March

Fire danger warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the central and eastern parts of the Northern Cape, the south-western parts of the North West, in places over the Free State and the northern interior of the Eastern Cape.

Advisories

A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected in places over the Free State and North West and over the central and eastern parts of the Northern Cape until and including Monday.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Saturday, 16 March

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy conditions in the morning, otherwise it will be fine and warm to hot.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect morning fog patches along the escarpment and on the Highveld, otherwise partly cloudy and warm weather.

Limpopo:

The day will start with morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot.

North-West province:

A day of fine and hot to very hot weather awaits North West residents becoming partly cloudy in the west in the afternoon.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see fine and hot to very hot weather, becoming partly cloudy in the extreme north in the afternoon.

Northern Cape:

There will be fine and hot to very hot conditions, becoming partly cloudy over the northern parts with isolated afternoon thundershowers in the extreme north-west.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect cloudy to partly cloudy weather along the coast with isolated showers and rain along the south and south-west coasts, otherwise fine and cool to warm.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Eastern Cape (western half):

Partly cloudy and cool conditions are expected in places along the coast, otherwise fine and warm to hot. It will become cloudy and windy with isolated showers and rain in the south from late afternoon.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Residents can look forward to partly cloudy weather in places along the coast, otherwise it will be fine and warm to hot but windy in the north. It will become cloudy with light rain and drizzle in places south of the escarpment in the evening.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to fine and warm weather, but hot in places in the north, becoming partly cloudy to cloudy in the east in the afternoon with isolated showers and rain along the coast.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.