The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says it is aware of a message circulating on social media warning of a so-called ‘Storm Baron’.

According to social media posts, the storm is allegedly expected to affect Southern Africa from January 10 and possibly lasting until after January 18.

SAWS released a media statement explaining the actual expected weather scenario in the coming days.

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“The SAWS would like to categorically state that this information is false and should be regarded as a hoax. However, an intense low-pressure system is expected to develop over the southern parts of Mozambique in the coming days. We will be monitoring the situation,” said the statement.

“This system is forecast to then move further south and is expected to bring widespread showers and thundershowers to the north-east of the country until Thursday, January 15.”

SAWS stated that the areas most likely to be affected include the escarpment and the Lowveld areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, as well as KZN.

It further says while several numerical weather prediction models place the storm system’s eye to the east of South Africa, over Mozambique, there are those models that indicate it could track much closer to the country.

It explained that the first scenario would bring lower rainfall, while the second could result in several hundred millimetres in some places.

SAWS urged the public and stakeholders to continue monitoring its official forecasts and warnings, remain cautious of unauthorised or unverified information sources, and refrain from sharing such information.