Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms, heavy rain in KZN and EC

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, strong, damaging winds and excessive lightning over the western parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.  

According to the weather service, this will result in localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges as well as localised damages to infrastructure and vehicles. 

“A surface trough over the western interior and a cut-off low south-west of the country are expected to result in good chances of thunderstorms across the Eastern Cape. There are better chances over the interior, where these storms may become severe and result in minor impacts due to heavy downpours, strong damaging winds and excessive lightning,” warned the weather service in a statement on Monday. 

This as extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Dawid Kruiper, Kai !Garib, !Kheis and Siyathemba Local Municipality of the Northern Cape. 

Tuesday’s weather forecast 

Gauteng: Partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme  

Mpumalanga: Cloudy in the east in the morning with fog patches, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers. but isolated in the Lowveld where it will be hot.  

Limpopo: Partly cloudy and warm to hot weather with isolated showers and thundershowers except in the north eastern parts. 

North West: Fine and warm to hot weather, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.  

Free State: Fine and warm, becoming partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.  

Northern Cape: Morning fog patches along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate north-westerly to westerly.  

Western Cape: Evening fog patches along the west coast, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot but very hot in places over the interior, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the over the interior spreading to the south coast in the evening. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate westerly to south-westerly in the south, becoming easterly to south-easterly from the afternoon, otherwise northerly to north-westerly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High  

ALSO READ: Level 2 warning for excessive lightning, severe thunderstorms in Tshwane, Limpopo

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy in the south with morning fog patches, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered afternoon showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be light easterly, becoming fresh to strong in the afternoon, but becoming light southwesterly west of Oyster Bay.  

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy south of the escarpment with morning fog patches in places at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated north of the escarpment. The wind along the coast will be Fresh to strong north easterly, but light at first.  

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in places in the north east. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected but isolated in the east. The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh easterly to north easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.