Thursday weather: Heatwave persists in northern provinces, with rain for Western and Eastern Cape

South Africa is expected to experience hot to very hot conditions in several northern provinces on Thursday, while cloudy and cooler weather, accompanied by showers and rain, is forecast for parts of the Western and Eastern Cape.

The South African Weather Service has also warned of extremely high fire danger conditions in parts of Limpopo, the Free State, Northern Cape and North West.

A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected to continue in Limpopo’s Western Bushveld until Friday.

Hot weather to persist in Gauteng 

Gauteng is forecast to experience fine and warm weather on Thursday, becoming hot to very hot in the north. The UVB sunburn index is expected to be very high.

Mpumalanga will be fine and warm to hot, with very hot conditions in places, while Limpopo is expected to experience fine and hot to very hot weather.

In North West, conditions will be fine, windy and warm to hot. The Free State will be partly cloudy in the south, while the rest of the province will be fine and warm to hot.

The Northern Cape will be cloudy to partly cloudy in the west and south, while the rest of the province will be fine and warm to hot. Along the coast, light to moderate south-westerly winds are expected.

Showers and rain expected in the Western Cape

The Western Cape is expected to experience cloudy to partly cloudy conditions, with cool to warm temperatures and isolated showers and rain, except in the north-eastern parts of the province, where it will be partly cloudy.

The rainfall forecast indicates a 30% chance of showers in parts of the province, while some southern coastal areas could receive more widespread rainfall, with a 60% chance indicated on the South African Weather Service's rainfall chart.

Winds along the west and south-west coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to north-westerly in the morning, becoming fresh to strong westerly elsewhere along the coast. The UVB sunburn index is expected to be very high.

Eastern Cape to experience cool and cloudy conditions

The western half of the Eastern Cape is forecast to be partly cloudy in the north, otherwise cloudy and cool, with isolated showers and rain. Scattered showers are expected along the coast west of Gqeberha.

The eastern half of the province will be partly cloudy north of the escarpment, while the rest of the area will be cloudy and cool, with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Fresh to strong south-westerly winds are expected along parts of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape coast, although winds in some areas may be lighter during the morning.

Afternoon showers for

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is expected to experience morning fog over the eastern interior, followed by partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions.

Cloud cover is expected to increase in the afternoon, bringing isolated showers and thundershowers to parts of the province, except the north-western areas.

Winds along the coast will be light southerly to south-westerly in the morning, becoming moderate easterly to south-easterly later. The UVB sunburn index is forecast to be moderate.

Extremely high fire danger conditions forecast

The weather service has warned that extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in parts of Limpopo, the Free State, Northern Cape and North West.

Residents in affected areas are urged to remain cautious, particularly where hot, dry and windy conditions could contribute to the spread of veld fires.

IOL News