Severe thunderstorms are expected across the central interior on Saturday, with the Northern Cape, North West and Free State among the areas facing the greatest risk of heavy rain, hail and damaging winds.
Image: AP Photo / The Gleaner, Mike Lawrence
South Africa is in for a rather unsettled weekend, with widespread thunderstorms, pockets of heavy rain, strong winds and locally damaging hail expected across the central and eastern parts of the country on Saturday.
Conditions will remain changeable on Sunday, although some areas will begin to see a gradual improvement as cooler air spreads across the interior.
Saturday is expected to be the most active day, particularly across the Northern Cape, North West and Free State. The central parts of the Northern Cape face the greatest concern, with an Orange Level 5 warning in place for severe thunderstorms.
Rainfall coverage is expected to be widespread to scattered in the central and eastern parts of the province, with an around 80% chance of rain in the core of the storm area and about 60% in surrounding regions.
Severe storms could bring flooding of vulnerable settlements and roads, damaging hail, strong gusty winds, falling trees and frequent lightning.
The eastern and central Northern Cape, as well as the far western parts of North West, are also under a Yellow Level 4 warning, with rain chances generally around 60 to 80% in the most affected areas.
North West will be cloudy, windy and cool to warm, with scattered showers and thunderstorms and widespread storms in the west. Free State will similarly experience cloudy, windy and cool to warm conditions, with scattered showers and thunderstorms and rain chances around 60% in many areas.
Gauteng will have a cloudy and cool Saturday, with scattered showers and thunderstorms and a rain chance of around 60% in places.
The storms could produce locally strong winds, hail and frequent lightning. Mpumalanga and Limpopo will be somewhat less wet, with isolated showers and thunderstorms in many areas, although the southwest of Limpopo could see scattered storms. Morning fog is expected along the escarpment, while eastern areas remain cloudy.
Along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, Saturday will be cloudy and cold to cool with isolated showers and rain. Rain chances will generally be around 30%, although locally higher rainfall is possible.
Strong winds are expected along parts of the coast, with rough seas and dangerous conditions for smaller vessels. A Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging wind and waves is in effect from Richards Bay to Kosi Bay.
The Eastern Cape will also remain cloudy and cool, with light rain and showers. Rain chances will generally sit near 30%, increasing to around 60% in some eastern and southern areas. Coastal winds will be mostly light to moderate easterly to north-easterly.
The Western Cape will offer a calmer contrast for much of Saturday, with fine to partly cloudy and cool to warm weather. The northeast will remain cloudy into the afternoon, while drizzle could develop over the south-eastern parts during the evening.
Strong coastal winds are expected, with gale-force conditions possible along the south-west coast. A Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging wind is in place from Cape Town to Cape Agulhas, creating hazardous conditions for boats and other marine activities.
By Sunday, the weather pattern remains unsettled over much of the interior, although the focus of the storms shifts. The Northern Cape, North West and Free State can expect cool conditions with scattered thunderstorms, with rain chances of around 60% in several areas and 30% in others. Some thunderstorms may still be accompanied by lightning, gusty winds and heavy downpours.
Gauteng will remain cool and cloudy with a roughly 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mpumalanga and Limpopo will generally see isolated to scattered storms, with rain chances around 30% in the northeast and locally higher chances farther west. Cooler air will spread across much of the interior, while warmer conditions linger over parts of Limpopo.
KwaZulu-Natal will remain mostly cool to cold with scattered cloud and isolated showers or thunderstorms. Rain chances will generally be around 30%, increasing to about 60% in some coastal and southern areas. Strong coastal winds and rough seas will continue to be a feature, particularly along exposed sections of the coastline.
The Western Cape should remain largely fine to partly cloudy and cool to warm on Sunday, although cloud and occasional drizzle may affect parts of the south and southeast.
Strong coastal winds will continue in places. The Eastern Cape will stay cloudy and cool, with light rain and showers and rain chances generally between 30 and 60%.
Saturday looks to be the stormier and more hazardous day, especially across the Northern Cape, North West and Free State, where severe thunderstorms could cause flooding, hail and wind damage.
Sunday should remain cool and unsettled across much of the interior, with scattered thunderstorms still possible, while the southern and western parts of the country experience a quieter but windy weekend.
IOL News
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