Heat warning: Temperature could reach 40°C in the Western Cape

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has warned of extremely hot conditions in the Western Cape this weekend.

Saws said maximum temperatures are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius.

Extreme heat advisory: W and N Cape: 12/02/2022 pic.twitter.com/tTjkbQ98MW

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) February 11, 2022

These weather conditions are expected over the Beaufort West, Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn municipalities on Saturday, said the weather service.

Impacts

The weather service warns that heat stroke is the most serious health and safety concern in such extremely hot conditions. It also said fires could occur.

“Heat stroke can be fatal if medical treatment is not available immediately. If a heat wave occurs during a drought, which dries out vegetation; it can contribute to veld fires,” the weather service said.

ALSO READ: Heatwave alert: How to stay cool

Hiker airlifted from Lion’s Head

At the end of January, a 61-year-old man had to be airlifted from Lion’s Head, in Cape Town, after suffering what paramedics suspected to be seizures while hiking. The seizures were thought to be caused by heat stroke.

By the time paramedics arrived just after 10:30am, rescuers were already trying to treat the man near the first ladder at the mountain in Cape Town.

“They found rescuers already attending to the man and assisted with treatment. He was in a serious condition. It is suspected that the man suffered heat stroke and started having seizures,” ER24 said in a statement.

An emergency medical helicopter airlifted the man to hospital. 

Weather advisory for other provinces:

Gauteng: Partly cloudy and warm weather. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

Mpumalanga: Partly cloudy along the escarpment and in the Lowveld at first, otherwise fine and warm but hot in the Lowveld.

Limpopo: Partly cloudy in the Lowveld and Limpopo Valley, otherwise fine and warm to hot.

North West: Fine and warm to hot weather.

Free State: Fine and warm to hot.

Northern Cape: Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be cool along the coast The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong, southerly to south-easterly.

Western Cape: Cloudy and misty along the south coast in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot but very hot to extremely hot in places over the interior, with isolated showers in the evening over the extreme west and south-western parts.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly but light easterly along the south coast

becoming moderate south-easterly in the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy with morning fog patches in places over the interior in the morning, otherwise fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers over the interior.

The wind along the coast will be Light to moderate south-easterly, becoming south-westerly west of Cannon Rocks in the evening.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy with morning fog south of the escarpment, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers, except along the coast. The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh
north-easterly, reaching strong in the east.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog patches in places over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in the north. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the south-west. The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh easterly to north-easterly.