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Friday weather: Little bit of everything while Gauteng braces for sub-polar chill
Weather-wise, we're getting a little bit of everything on Friday: from isolated to heavy rainfall, severe winds, rough waves, a cold front, and maybe even snow.
Photo: iStock
Friday’s weather map for South Africa holds a bit of everything, from fine conditions to showers, and even substantial rainfall over the country’s southwestern region.
The South African Weather Service (Saws) issued a series of weather warnings for Friday. Here’s what you need to know.
Weather warnings, 7 July
A yellow level two warning for waves is expected to cause difficulty in sea navigation between Saldanha Bay and Cape Agulhas by the evening.
Rainfall probability forecast
The rainfall chart highlights potential isolated showers over Vredendal, Sutherland, and Oudtshoorn, each with a 30% likelihood.
Worcester, however, is forecast to face a 60% chance of scattered rainfall, while the Cape Peninsula is looking at an 80% chance of widespread rainfall.
Severe wind conditions
In addition, a yellow level two warning has been announced for heavy winds that may result in localised damage to formal and informal settlements.
This may lead to difficult driving conditions on major highways, such as the N1, Saws warns.
This wind warning spans over the central and southern parts of the Northern Cape, the Cape Winelands and Central Karoo District of the Western Cape, and the interior of the Eastern Cape.
Things are expected to escalate in the Sarah Baartman and western parts of the Chris Hani districts of the Eastern Cape, as an orange level 5 warning for wind could lead to substantial damage.
Snowfall and cold front
The northern interior of the Eastern Cape is set for an orange level 6 warning for disruptive snowfall from Sunday into Monday.
Meanwhile, a ‘powerful cold front with sub-polar air’ will also be hitting Gauteng this weekend, with the weather service warning residents to prepare for single-digit day-time temperatures.
According to Johannesburg Emergency Service (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi, personnel will be on high alert for any eventuality across seven regions of city.
“[Residents] must ensure all heating devices are well looked after and not left unattended in order to prevent fire incidents during this cold front.”
READ: Another cold front to hit Gauteng with the possibility of snow
Fire warnings
With regards to fire danger warnings, the forecast signals extremely high fire danger conditions over the Northern Cape.
This alert excludes the extreme west, as well as the Central and Little Karoo of the Western Cape, and the western and central parts of the Eastern Cape.
Regional weather forecast
For the individual provinces, the weather is expected unfold as follows on Friday:
Gauteng:
It’s going to be a fine, cool to cold day. Remember to lather on the sunscreen, as the UVB sunburn index is expected to be high.
Mpumalanga:
Fine and cool weather is expected, but the Lowveld is expected to be warm.
Limpopo:
Residents can expect a fine and cool day.
North West:
It’s going to be a fine and cool day.
Free State:
The day will be fine, windy, and cool.
Northern Cape:
Here, the day will be fine, windy, and cool to warm, with partly cloudy conditions in the west and south.
The southwest coast might see some light rain in the evening, and there can be morning fog patches along the coast.
The coastal wind will start light to moderate north-westerly, becoming fresh by the afternoon.
Western Cape:
The day will be cloudy to partly cloudy, windy, and cold to cool, but warm in the east. Rain is expected in the west from the afternoon into the evening.
The coastal wind will be light to moderate westerly to north-westerly but fresh to strong in the west. The UVB sunburn index is predicted to be low.
Western parts of the Eastern Cape:
Some places in the south will be warm. Otherwise, it will be partly cloudy, windy, and cool.
The coastal wind will be moderate to fresh north-westerly, becoming south-westerly from the evening.
Eastern parts of the Eastern Cape:
The coast and adjacent interior will be warm, but otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and cold to cool, and windy in the west and north.
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