Weather update: Ongoing heatwave in Eastern Cape and extreme fire risk in Northern Cape and Western Cape

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Friday, 2 February.

The weather service has warned of extreme fire risks in the Northern Cape and Western Cape, plus an ongoing heatwave in the Eastern Cape. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 2 February

There are no weather warnings for Friday, 2 February 2024.

Fire danger

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Kamiesberg Local Municipality in the Northern Cape, in places over the West Coast district, and the Cape Winelands in the Western Cape.

Advisories

Saws has issued a warning of extremely uncomfortable and very hot conditions expected in places over the Western Cape until Friday.

The heatwave experienced over the Sarah Baartman and Chris Hani District Municipalities and the Raymond Mhlaba and Amahlathi local municipalities in the Eastern Cape is expected to continue until Sunday, with persistently high temperatures expected.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Friday, 2 February

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate fine and warm conditions, becoming partly cloudy with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the south.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect morning fog over the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and cool to warm with drizzle over the escarpment.

Limpopo:

The day will start with morning fog patches over the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm with drizzle over the escarpment.

North-West province:

A day of fine weather and warm to hot weather awaits the residents of the North West province at first, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will see fine weather over the central part at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the west.

Northern Cape:

There will be morning fog along the coast, but otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, becoming cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers over the interior but scattered in the east.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect morning fog along the west and south coasts, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot conditions but extremely hot in places over the central interior. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the north from late afternoon on.

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 patches in places in the south-east in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated showers and thundershowers over the interior, but warm along the coast.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Residents can look forward to morning fog patches in places south of the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot weather with isolated thunderstorms, but scattered in the north.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches along the escarpment, which will otherwise be partly cloudy and warm, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the extreme west and in the north-east.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.