Weather update: Severe thunderstorms, ‘hot and uncomfortable’ weather coming up

South Africans can expect thunderstorms throughout most of the country on Friday, while “extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions” will be felt in the Western and Eastern Capes, the SA Weather Service says.

The service issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with strong damaging winds, and heavy downpours leading to localised damage and flooding of roads, settlements, low-lying areas and/or bridges in places over the northern and eastern interior of the Eastern Cape, south-eastern parts of the Northern Cape, south-western part of Free state, western parts of KwaZulu-Natal, and the Mpumalanga highveld.

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It issued a yellow level 2 warning for damaging winds resulting in difficult driving conditions over the southern part of the Northern Cape.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the interior of the Northern Cape, Central Karoo and Little Karoo in Western Cape, as well as the south-western parts of the Free State.

Extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions are expected over Central Karoo and Little Karoo in the Western Cape as well as the western interior of the Eastern Cape, as the heatwave continues there.

Friday’s weather forecast

Gauteng:

Cloudy in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in the extreme north with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

Mpumalanga:

Cloudy in the east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated thundershowers, except in the Lowveld where it will be hot.

Limpopo:

Partly cloudy and warm to hot, becoming cloudy along the southern escarpment where isolated thundershowers can be expected.

North West Province:

Partly cloudy, windy and hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers except over the north-eastern parts.

Free State:

Cloudy with morning fog patches over the extreme east at first, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and warm to hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers.

Northern Cape:

Cloudy and cool along the coast in the morning, otherwise Fine, windy and warm to hot but very hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers except over the south-western parts.

The wind along the coast will be light north-westerly in the early morning, otherwise moderate to fresh south-westerly to southerly.

Western Cape:

Cloudy along the west coast and adjacent interior at first, otherwise fine and warm to hot, but very hot to extremely hot over the eastern interior.

It will become cloudy in the south-west from evening with light rain overnight.

The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh northerly to north-westerly north of Table Bay in the morning otherwise moderate to fresh south-westerly to westerly.

It will be fresh to strong easterly along the south coast in the morning. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

Western half of the Eastern Cape:

Morning fog in places in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and very hot to extremely hot with isolated showers and thundershowers over the interior, but scattered in the north-east.

It will be warm to hot along the coast. The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh north-easterly, becoming strong to near gale force easterly in the afternoon.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape:

Morning fog and drizzle in places south of the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot, but very hot in the west.

It will become cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers from midday. The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh north-easterly, becoming strong in the afternoon, reaching gale force in places from late afternoon.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the west.

The wind along the coast will be Gentle westerly to south-westerly in the south at first, otherwise moderate to fresh north-easterly.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme