South Africa is set for a mixed winter weekend, with generally dry and settled conditions across much of the country, while the south and southeast face cooler weather, strong winds and a few opportunities for rain.
Saturday will be mostly fine and warm across Gauteng, with a high UVB sunburn index.
Mpumalanga and Limpopo will also be fine and warm, although morning fog is expected in the east and temperatures could become hot in the Lowveld. The North West will be fine and warm, but windy in the extreme south-west.
The Free State will be fine but windy and cool to warm, while the Northern Cape will see partly cloudy conditions in the south-west during the morning, where it will be cold. Elsewhere in the province, conditions will be fine and cool to warm, although strong winds are expected in the extreme east.
The Western Cape will feel distinctly wintry, with cloudy conditions and morning mist in places over the southern parts.
The rest of the province will be partly cloudy and cold to cool. Rain chances remain limited, with a 30% chance of isolated rain around the south-western Cape on Saturday, particularly towards the evening.
The Eastern Cape will be one of the more unsettled regions. The western half will be cloudy with morning fog in places and partly cloudy and cool conditions, although it will be warmer in the north-east.
There is a 30% chance of light rain in places along the coast west of Gqeberha at night. The eastern half will be partly cloudy and cool to warm, with morning fog south of the escarpment and windy conditions in places.
Strong winds will be a major feature along the Eastern Cape coast, with gale-force winds possible in places.
A Yellow Level 2 warning has been issued for damaging winds across parts of the province, including Joe Gqabi and Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela Bay and several coastal municipalities.
Another Yellow Level 2 warning covers damaging winds and waves from Plettenberg Bay to Port Alfred from mid-morning, spreading towards Kosi Bay during the evening.
KwaZulu-Natal will enjoy fine and warm to hot conditions before cloud increases in the east during the afternoon. Coastal winds will strengthen from the south-west during the afternoon and spread northwards. The UVB sunburn index will be very high.
Sunday is expected to remain largely dry across the interior, with fine and warm conditions dominating the northern and central parts of the country.
Temperatures will be warm to hot in parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, while cooler air remains closer to the southern coastline. Morning fog and coastal cloud will continue to feature in parts of the south and east.
The Western Cape will remain partly cloudy to cloudy at times and cold to cool, with the next opportunity for light rain developing over the south-western parts.
Along the Eastern Cape coast, windy conditions will persist, with rough seas and strong south-westerly winds making coastal activities and navigation hazardous in affected areas.
IOL News
Wendy Dondolo
iol.co.za