Weather update: Severe thunderstorms and extreme heat continue across various provinces

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Thursday, 8 February.

The weather service has warned of severe thunderstorms, high fire danger, and a persistent heatwave expected across various regions. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 8 February

The weather service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms resulting in heavy downpours, damaging winds, large amounts of small hail, and excessive lightning, leading to localised damage to infrastructure and property in places over the highveld and escarpment areas of Mpumalanga and the extreme southern parts of Limpopo.

Fire danger

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Free State and North West, the central and northern parts of the Northern Cape, as well as the south-western bushveld of Limpopo.

Advisories

The heatwave experienced in places in Gauteng, the western bushveld of Limpopo, the western highveld of Mpumalanga, the central and eastern parts of the North West, and the north-eastern parts of the Free State is expected to continue until and including Thursday, with persistently high temperatures expected.

In light of the heatwave across various parts of the country, the South African Police Service (SAPS) urged people to never leave children unattended in or around vehicles.

“Left alone in a vehicle, a child is in danger of heat stroke, dehydration, overheating, injury, abduction, and even death,” the police said.

The South African government also urged citizens to monitor weather updates, use fans and air conditioners to cool down, and shield themselves from the sun when outdoors.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Thursday, 8 February

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate fine and hot conditions, but very hot in the north. It will become partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated evening 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 cloudy conditions along the escarpment with morning fog patches, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot weather with scattered showers and thundershowers from the afternoon but isolated in the eastern lowveld and on the extreme southwestern highveld.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the east at first, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated showers and thundershowers.

North-West province:

A day of fine weather in the east in the morning, but otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot conditions awaits the residents of the North West province, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east in the evening.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see morning fog patches in the extreme east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east from the afternoon.

Northern Cape:

There will be partly cloudy conditions in places over the south-western interior in the morning, otherwise fine and warm to hot, but partly cloudy in the extreme north and north-east. It will be very hot in places in the north.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect cloudy weather along the south coast and adjacent interior with light rain in places in the morning where it will be cool, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, while clearing from the north during the afternoon. It will be hot in places in the north.

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 at first, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm, but fine over the northern interior, where it will be hot.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Residents can look forward to fine conditions in the north, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm, with drizzle in the east and along the wild coast. It will become partly cloudy in the afternoon.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches over the interior, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers scattered in the west.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.