South Africans in several parts of the country are in for another spell of disruptive weather on Wednesday, with severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and flooding risks forecast across parts of the interior. At the same time, extremely high fire danger persists in sections of the Western and Northern Cape.
The South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms over Gauteng, central to eastern North West and central to western Limpopo on Wednesday, 30 September.
Heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning are expected, with the weather service warning that the storms could lead to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges, as well as damage to settlements and infrastructure.
Rainfall forecasts indicate a 60% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms across much of Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Parts of North West and KwaZulu-Natal have a 30% chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms, while isolated rain is also expected along parts of the Eastern Cape coast.
Gauteng braces for cold and stormy Wednesday
Gauteng is expected to remain cloudy and cold throughout Wednesday, with scattered showers and thundershowers.
The province falls within the Yellow Level 2 severe thunderstorm warning area, placing residents at risk of heavy downpours, hail, damaging winds and excessive lightning.
Motorists have been urged to take particular care where heavy rainfall affects roads, with localised flooding possible in vulnerable areas.
Cold, wet conditions for Limpopo and Mpumalanga
Limpopo will be cloudy and cold, with scattered showers and thundershowers. The severe thunderstorm warning covers the central and western parts of the province.
Mpumalanga can expect an equally unsettled day, with cloudy and cold to very cold conditions accompanied by scattered showers and thundershowers. Rain chances are forecast at around 60% across much of the province.
North West will be cloudy, windy and cold to cool before becoming partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected, with central and eastern areas included in the Yellow Level 2 warning.
Damaging winds threaten Eastern Cape coast
A separate Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging winds has been issued for Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City, as well as the Ndlambe, Ngqushwa and Sundays River Valley municipalities.
The winds could cause localised damage to settlements, disrupt beachfront activities and create difficult navigation conditions.
The western half of the Eastern Cape will be partly cloudy in the south early in the day before becoming fine and cool to warm. The eastern half will be cloudy along the coast at first, with rain expected east of the Kei River before conditions become fine and cool elsewhere.
Free State cool with scattered storms
The Free State will be cloudy in the east at first before becoming partly cloudy, windy and cold to cool.
Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are forecast, except in the south-eastern parts of the province.
KwaZulu-Natal can expect morning fog over the interior, followed by cloudy and cool to cold conditions. Isolated showers and rain are forecast, translating to about a 30% chance across affected areas.
Fire danger and extreme heat in the west
While the north-eastern interior deals with storms and cold weather, parts of the west face a very different threat.
Extremely high fire danger conditions are forecast for Matzikama, Cederberg and Bergrivier municipalities in the Western Cape and Kamiesberg in the Northern Cape. Extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions are also expected in Kamiesberg.
The Western Cape will otherwise be fine and warm to hot, becoming very hot over the West Coast District. The province’s UVB sunburn index is expected to be very high.
The Northern Cape will be partly cloudy in the north-east, where isolated showers and thundershowers are possible, but otherwise fine, windy and cool to warm. Morning fog patches are expected along the coast.
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