Wendy Dondolo|Published
South Africans can expect a weekend of contrasting weather conditions, with hot to very hot temperatures forecast across much of the country, while isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in several provinces and rain is forecast along parts of the Western Cape coast.
The South African Weather Service said Saturday would bring fine and hot conditions to much of the interior, with a heatwave persisting in parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
Residents in areas affected by the heat have been urged to take precautions, while extremely high fire danger conditions are expected across large parts of the central interior and other regions.
Gauteng and the northern provinces brace for hot weather
On Saturday, Gauteng is expected to be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the south. The UVB sunburn index is forecast to be very high.
Mpumalanga will be fine and warm to hot, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the southern Highveld. Very hot to extremely hot conditions are expected in places across the Lowveld, while Limpopo will be fine and hot to very hot.
The North West and Free State will also experience hot to very hot conditions, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers expected as cloud cover increases. Windy conditions are forecast in the western parts of both provinces.
In the Northern Cape, conditions will be fine over the central parts, while the rest of the province will be partly cloudy, windy and hot to very hot. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the north and east.
Western Cape to experience showers and strong coastal winds
The Western Cape is forecast to be partly cloudy and cool to warm, with isolated showers and rain along the coast and adjacent interior. Scattered showers and rain are expected over the extreme south-western parts of the province.
Strong winds are also forecast along sections of the coast, particularly between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas early in the day, before fresh to strong south-westerly to southerly winds spread along the coast during the afternoon.
The western half of the Eastern Cape will be fine and warm, although it will be partly cloudy and cool along the coast. Cloudy conditions, accompanied by isolated showers and rain along the coast and adjacent interior, are expected to develop from the evening.
In the eastern half of the Eastern Cape, partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions are forecast, with cooler weather in places along the coast and adjacent interior. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected from the evening.
KwaZulu-Natal faces extreme heat as fire danger rises
KwaZulu-Natal will be fine and hot to very hot, with extremely hot conditions in places in the north-east. The province will become partly cloudy in the afternoon, with isolated showers and thundershowers expected in the south.
The UVB sunburn index is forecast to reach the extreme category, increasing the risk of sunburn with prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
The weather service has warned that extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over most of the central interior, most parts of northern KwaZulu-Natal, places in the Mpumalanga Lowveld, the Limpopo Valley and the Western Bushveld.
A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected in places over the northern parts of the Eastern Cape and northern KwaZulu-Natal until Saturday, as well as in places over the Mpumalanga Highveld and southern parts of the Mpumalanga Lowveld until Monday.
Sunday rainfall chances increase in parts of the country
Sunday is expected to bring further hot conditions across much of the country, alongside a threat of showers and thundershowers in several regions.
The rainfall outlook indicates a 30% chance of isolated showers over parts of the central and eastern interior, including areas around Kimberley, Bloemfontein and surrounding regions. A 30% chance of isolated showers is also indicated in parts of the north-eastern interior and KwaZulu-Natal.
Along parts of the southern coastline, the rainfall probability rises to 60%, with an 80% chance of rain indicated over a section of the southern coastal region. The south-western parts of the Western Cape are also expected to experience scattered showers and rain.
SAWS has urged the public to remain alert to changing weather conditions, take precautions against heat exposure and exercise caution in areas where thunderstorms, strong winds and fire danger could pose a risk.
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