The South African Weather Service has warned of possible severe thunderstorms, heavy downpours, destructive winds, and potential flooding in various regions of the country.
Residents of several provinces in South Africa are advised to prepare for an unsettled weekend. Saturday is expected to bring severe thunderstorms, torrential rain, storm winds, and flooding, while Sunday will see cooler and more changeable weather conditions across large areas of the country.
On Saturday, September 19th, the South African Weather Service issued an Orange Level 5 warning for severe thunderstorms in the northeastern parts of the Northern Cape and the far western Free State. Heavy downpours, destructive winds, excessive lightning, and hail are possible. The service warns of the risk of flooding, slippery roads, reduced visibility, injuries, and potential threat to life.
Forecast for widespread thunderstorms
Rainfall is expected across a vast area of the country on Saturday, with the highest probability concentrated in the Northern Cape and neighboring areas. According to the precipitation map, there is an 80% probability of widespread showers and thunderstorms in some parts of the Northern Cape, while the chance of scattered rain and thunderstorms in adjacent areas is 60%.
A 60% probability of rain is also forecast for some parts of the Eastern Cape and along sections of the KwaZulu-Natal coast. In other areas, including parts of the North West, Free State, central Western Cape, eastern Mpumalanga, and Limpopo, the probability of isolated showers or thunderstorms is 30%. Gauteng province is predicted to avoid the worst weather conditions on Saturday; it is expected to be cloudy and cool, followed by a transition to partly cloudy skies during the day and warmer conditions in the far north.
The most serious warning is in effect in the northeastern part of the Northern Cape and the far western Free State. According to the weather service, severe thunderstorms in these areas may be accompanied by torrential rain, strong winds, excessive lightning, and hail. A Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms has also been issued for the western Free State, far western North West, and central Northern Cape, where localized flooding is possible. The Northern Cape is expected to be cloudy, windy, and cool to warm, with scattered and widespread showers and thunderstorms in most areas.
Flooding threat along the KZN coast
KwaZulu-Natal faces a separate Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rain on Saturday morning. The rain could cause localized flooding in settlements, on roads, and low-lying bridges, and power and communication outages are also possible. Drivers were advised to account for slippery roads and limited visibility. The province will remain cloudy and cool, although isolated rains will increase to scattered precipitation along the coast and adjacent inland areas.
Destructive winds in three provinces
Strong winds add danger to the weekend conditions, as a Yellow Level 2 warning covers most of the Northern Cape, western and northern Western Cape, and far western North West. These winds are capable of damaging settlements, disrupting communication and power services, and hindering driving. Strong or near-stormy southeasterly winds are forecast along the Northern Cape coast. Despite the wet and windy weather elsewhere, an extremely high fire danger index is expected in the western Bushveld of Limpopo.
Cool, wet weather to spread across South Africa on Sunday
Conditions will remain unstable on Sunday. The weather service forecast shows that a large area of cooler and cooler weather will begin to spread across the central and southern regions of the country. In some parts of the central interior, including areas around the Northern Cape and Free State, extending towards the Eastern Cape, a 60% probability of showers and thunderstorms is forecast. There is also a 30% probability of rain or thunderstorms in the western interior, southern coast, and KwaZulu-Natal. The Western Cape is expected to become cooler in some places, and strong coastal winds are also forecast around the southwest Cape.