Weather update: Severe thunderstorms pose risks of flooding and damage in five provinces

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Wednesday, 10 January.

The weather service has warned about severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, strong winds, hail and excessive lightning in five provinces and disruptive rainfall resulting in localised flooding in the Eastern Cape. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 10 January

Saws has issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms over the southern parts of North West province (except for the extreme south-west) and the north-central parts of the Free State. These storms are expected to produce heavy downpours, strong winds, hail and excessive lightning that may result in flooding of roads, settlements and low-lying areas resulting in the closure of some bridges and roads, danger to life (fast flowing streams or deep water), danger to informal or formal houses or structures over populated areas (urban or rural villages), and structural damages (homes, car ports, etc).

The weather service also issued a yellow level 2 warning of severe thunderstorms expected to produce heavy downpours, strong winds, hail and excessive lightning that may result in localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges, localised damage to informal houses (roofs) over an open area, and localised structural damage expected over the northern parts of the North West Province (except for the north-east), Free State (except for the eastern and western extremes), the extreme east of the Northern Cape, the south-eastern parts of Mpumalanga and the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Disruptive rainfall resulting in localised flooding of susceptible formal and informal settlements, low-lying roads and bridges, as well as short-term disruptions to municipal services, is expected in places over the eastern half of the Eastern Cape.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Wednesday, 10 January

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy and warm conditions with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the north.

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

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

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect partly cloudy and cool to warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers scattered over the southern parts.

Limpopo:

The day will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme south.

North-West province:

A day of cloudy and warm to hot conditions awaits the residents of the North West province, with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers but isolated in the north-east.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State can expect cloudy and cool to warm weather, with widespread showers and thundershowers.

Northern Cape:

There will be cloudy conditions along the coast in the morning, becoming fine, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot but very hot in places in the north. It will become cloudy in the east by the afternoon, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect fine weather in the west, where it will be hot to very hot, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm but cloudy with rain along the south coast.

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 and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will be cloudy and warm with widespread showers and thundershowers.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in places in the north-east. Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected, but widespread in the extreme south.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.