The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned citizens of ‘a spell of stormy weather,’ that is expected for the days ahead.
The Weather Service said that an upper-air cut-off to the west of the Northern Cape, combined with colder air, abundant moisture and significant instability, is expected to be the main cause of the spell of rainy and thundery weather throughout most of South Africa.
SAWS said that tropically sourced moist air that has been moving southward through Botswana throughout last night and today, 4 November, will promote scattered showers and thundershowers over Gauteng, the North West province, Free State and Eastern Cape.
These storms will likely result in localised flooding, which could have an unfavourable impact on road infrastructure, low-water bridges, farmlands and informal settlements. “Some of these storms may become severe, with a chance of large, damaging hail and/ or strong, destructive surface winds over some areas,” said the statement.
The rain is expected to persist throughout Thursday, and while it clears up in some areas on Friday, the SAWS said that some showers may linger during the early hours of Friday morning over Gauteng and the eastern areas of the North West province and Free State.
SAWS predicts that much of the coming weekend will remain rain-free.
Updated weather information will regularly be available at www.weathersa.co.za as well as via the SA Weather Service Twitter account @SAWeatherServic and Facebook page @WeatherServic.
