The South African Weather Service (Saws) confirmed that a tornado ripped through Heilbron, Free State, on Monday, November 24.
This comes after a yellow level 2 warning was issued for severe thunderstorms, with heavy rain, hail, high winds and severe lightning.
Many videos and photos were shared on social media. Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela said that based on the findings, Saws classified the tornado as an EF0, the weakest on the Enhanced Fujita scale. However, it is still considered one dangerous weather phenomenon.
An EF0 is estimated to have a wind speed of 105–137 km/h. The agency said such tornadoes typically result in minor damage, including broken branches, downed trees with shallow roots and minor damage to roofs.
Thobela said it was likely the tornado occurred in an open field between 3pm and 4pm and caused minor or no damage in the area.
“Research has shown that moist, converging air, low shear and unstable environments colliding with cooler triggers are typical conditions conducive to tornadic and severe convective activity in parts of South Africa such as the Highveld, the Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal,” says Thobela.
MORE SEVERE WEATHER
The weather service calls on citizens to always do this be careful during heavy thunderstorms. More unfavorable weather is expected in the Free State. Saws says Wednesday, November 26 will be cloudy with patches of morning fog in some places in the central and eastern parts. Otherwise, the province will be partly cloudy, breezy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thunderstorms, except in the west.
In Bloemfontein, conditions will be partly cloudy, with isolated showers and thunderstorms, a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 29.
Devastating weather conditions also hit KwaZulu-Natal. Emergency management teams are searching for two missing people in New Hanover who were swept away by flooding on Sunday. A woman’s body was recovered from a river and hundreds of residents have been displaced.
Bianca Lalbahadur
www.thesouthafrican.com