Storms ahead for parts of eastern SA, extreme heat in west

The South African Weather Service (Saws) says thunderstorms and rain are expected to continue in parts of eastern South Africa, particularly during the afternoons.

Saws forecaster Lehlogonolo Thobela said weather warnings will be issued as conditions develop throughout the week.

For Tuesday, Thobela said, cloud is expected in the central and eastern parts of the country, with an isolated to scattered chance of showers and thundershowers.

A 60% chance of thunderstorms is expected for the eastern parts of the Free State into Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the eastern parts of the North West.

Saws has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms and a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms expected over:

• Gauteng;
• the highveld of Mpumalanga into the southwestern parts of Limpopo which would include Thabazimbi;
• the eastern areas of the North West into Klerksdorp; as well as
• the extreme eastern parts of the Free State — just east of Bethlehem and the northern parts of Welkom.

Thobela said these conditions are expected to result in heavy downpours that may lead to localised flooding, a possibility of damaging winds, possible hail and excessive lightning into the afternoon.

For the extreme western parts, extreme heat is expected to result in uncomfortable conditions — especially over the central and western parts of the Northern Cape, with a heatwave expected across the Witzenberg municipality of the Western Cape until Wednesday.

“For Wednesday we are expecting partly cloudy conditions, especially for the eastern and central parts of the country, with just a 30% chance of showers and thundershowers covering the North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape,” he said.

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