Strong winds, severe thunderstorms and high fire danger

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Thursday, 1 August 2024.

The weather service has warned of strong winds, severe thunderstorms, and high fire danger in parts of South Africa. Here’s what you need to know.

Starting August with our first possible thunderstorms over the central interior tomorrow where strong damaging winds and possible hail can be expected#SAWS#weatherforecast #Weather pic.twitter.com/gDXxnJmwtt

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) July 31, 2024

Weather warnings, 1 August

Impact-based warnings

The weather service has issued a yellow level 1 warning of strong damaging winds resulting in difficult driving conditions, moving around of loss debris, and possible damage to informal structures over the western part of the North-West province and the north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

Severe thunderstorms with strong damaging winds and hail are expected over Pixley Ka-Seme District Municipality of the Northern Cape, as well as Xhariep District Municipality in the Free State province.

Fire danger warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape and the extreme western parts of the North West.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Thursday, 1 August:

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy and cool conditions, but cold in the south, where morning fog patches are expected.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect partly cloudy and cool weather with morning fog along the escarpment and over the highveld. It will be warm in the lowveld.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy in the east with morning fog along the escarpment; otherwise, it will be fine and cool to warm.

North-West province:

Partly cloudy, windy, and cool conditions await North West residents with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the north-east.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see partly cloudy and cool weather with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the north-east.

Northern Cape:

Partly cloudy, windy, and cool conditions are expected, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in the east.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect morning fog over the south-western parts; otherwise, it will be fine and cold to cool, becoming partly cloudy over the south-eastern parts in the evening.

Eastern Cape (western half):

The day will be partly cloudy and cool, with isolated showers scattered in the northeast. It will be fine along the coast and in the extreme west.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

It will be partly cloudy and cool with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme south-west but scattered in the north.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to partly cloudy weather with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme south-west.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.