Weather update: Severe thunderstorms, hot and uncomfortable humidity and high fire danger

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Friday, 5 January.

The weather service has warned about severe thunderstorms with possible heavy downpours, severe lightning, large hail and strong damaging winds in three provinces; extremely hot and uncomfortable humid conditions in the Western Cape and extremely high fire danger in two provinces. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 5 January

Residents of the western parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern Free State, and the eastern interior of the Eastern Cape have been warned of severe thunderstorms with possible heavy downpours, severe lightning, large hail and strong damaging winds.

Extremely hot and uncomfortable humid conditions are also expected over the Central and Little Karoo in the Western Cape.

Fire danger

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Namakwa District in the Northern Cape, as well as Cederberg Municipality, Cape Winelands and Central Karoo in the Western Cape.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Friday, 5 January

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions, with scattered showers and thundershowers.

The expected UVB sunburn index for the region is categorised as “very high.”

Therefore, residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the Lowveld.

Limpopo:

The day will start with morning fog patches along the southern escarpment and then cloudy and cool to warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers except in the extreme north-east scattered in the central to southern parts.

North-West province:

A day of partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions awaits the residents of the North West province, with isolated showers and thundershowers scattered in the east, where it will be cloudy.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State can expect morning fog patches in the east, where it will be cloudy, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the extreme east.

Northern Cape:

There will be fine conditions in the central interior and the southern parts until late morning, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north and north-east. Cloudy with morning fog along the coast.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect morning fog along the west coast, and cloudy along the south coast otherwise partly cloudy to fine and warm to hot but very hot over the eastern interior, where it will be extremely hot in some places.

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 places in the south at first, otherwise fine to partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated thundershowers in places in the northern and eastern interior. It will be warm along the coast.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will be foggy in places south of the escarpment at first, otherwise partly cloudy to cloudy and warm with isolated thundershowers over the central and northern interior but scattered along the escarpment.

KwaZulu-Natal:

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

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.