Level 2 warning issued for severe thunderstorms, possible hail in Gauteng

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms, with a possibility of heavy rain, hail and damaging wind in Gauteng on Friday.

The weather service has warned Gauteng residents to watch out for localised flooding, disruption of communication services and damage to properties.

Other areas to be affected include the south-western Limpopo, western Highveld of Mpumalanga, western part of the North-West Province, western Free State, as well as the eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

Another yellow level 2 warning has been issued for severe thunderstorms with excessive lightning,
large amounts of small hail and possible heavy downpours over the eastern parts of the Free State, western KZN and the northern interior of the Eastern Cape Province, the interior of the Western Cape and south-western interior of the Northern Cape.

Friday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Cloudy and cool weather, with widespread showers and thundershowers in the south spreading towards Tshwane by the late afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: High.

Mpumalanga: Cloudy and cool with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers except over the Lowveld where it will be warm. Widespread thundershowers are likely over the western Highveld.

Limpopo: Cloudy and warm weather with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, except over the Lowveld areas where it will become partly cloudy in the afternoon.

North West: Partly cloudy at first, otherwise cloudy and warm, with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the east.

Free State: Partly cloudy at first, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm, with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the east.

Northern Cape: Cloudy along the coast with morning fog where it will be cool, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in the east and south-west. The wind along the coast will be moderate northerly to north-westerly, becoming light and variable in the evening.

Western Cape: Morning fog along the west coast in the morning and evening, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, except in the west coast. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate north-westerly to northerly north of Langebaan, but moderate to fresh southeasterly in the south becoming light to moderate southerly to south-westerly by the evening. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy along the coast with light rain, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool to warm, with widespread showers and thundershowers, but scattered along the coast. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly to north-easterly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, becoming cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh north-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate.