Level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain expected in KZN on Saturday

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms, with heavy rain over the south-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the extreme eastern parts of the Eastern Cape on Saturday.

“Localised damage to infrastructure, settlements, property and vehicles can be expected due to the combination of downpours and strong winds. Showers and thundershowers are expected to result in localised flooding of susceptible roads and low-lying areas,” warned the weather service.

Saturday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Fine and warm weather, becoming partly cloudy from the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Mpumalanga: Fine and warm to hot but very hot over the Lowveld. It will become partly cloudy from afternoon with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers over the southern parts.

Limpopo: Fine and warm to hot but very hot in places over the Limpopo Valley, Lowveld and the Western Bushveld.

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North West: Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the west.

Free State: Partly cloudy and warm to hot weather, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

Northern Cape: Partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east. The wind along the coast will be light and variable in the morning, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly but strong south of Hondeklip Bay by the evening.

Western Cape: Partly cloudy and cool to warm with a chance of light rain along the south-western coast, spreading to the south coast.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to south-westerly but strong between Betty’s Bay and Still Bay by the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool to warm with isolated rain and showers south of the escarpment. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers from the afternoon but scattered in the south-east. The wind along the coast will be moderate north-easterly, becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly by the afternoon.

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KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog patches in places over the interior, otherwise fine and warm but hot in places. It will become partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, except in the north-east.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly, becoming moderate south-westerly in the south by evening. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.