Weather update: Disruptive rain and flooding along the coast for New Year’s Day

The South African Weather Service (Saws) released its latest weather forecast for Monday, 1 January.

The weather service has warned about disruptive rain leading to flooding in two provinces along the coast this New Year’s Day. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, 1 January

Residents along coast and adjacent interior between Port St Johns and Richards Bay have been warned of disruptive rain leading to flooding of roads, low-lying bridges, and formal and informal settlements.

The Saws also warned of disruptive rain leading to flooding of roads, low-lying bridges, and formal and informal settlements over the central interior of KwaZulu-Natal and over the Eastern Cape between Port Alfred and Mbizana.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Monday, 1 January

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can anticipate partly cloudy and warm conditions with isolated thundershowers.

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

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

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect morning fog along the escarpment and otherwise cloudy and warm weather with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers.

Limpopo:

The day will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, except in the south-west. It will become cloudy in the east in the evening.

North-West province:

A day of fine and warm to hot conditions, becoming partly cloudy, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, except in places in the extreme north, and north-western parts.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State can anticipate cloudy conditions in the east and along the Lesotho border, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers, scattered in the extreme east.

Northern Cape:

There will be morning fog patches over the extreme north-west, otherwise fine and warm to hot but very hot in places over the interior but cloudy to partly cloudy in the southern interior with isolated showers in the south-east and the northeast.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect fine and hot to very hot in the west, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with rain and isolated showers, but scattered along the eastern parts of 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 with scattered showers and rain, but isolated in the north.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will be cloudy and cool with isolated to scattered showers and rain, but widespread along the coast. Thundershowers may be possible along the Wild Coast.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to cloudy and cool to warm conditions. Widespread showers and thundershowers are expected in the east, otherwise scattered.