Extremely high fire danger conditions expected in three provinces

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued an alert for extremely high fire danger conditions over the Free State, North West and the central and eastern parts of the Northern Cape on Sunday.

“Conditions are such that the FDI index is above 75. Under these conditions, fires may develop and spread rapidly, resulting in damage to property and possible loss of human and animal life,” warned the weather service.

The northern parts of Gauteng and Limpopo should expect hot weather, with temperatures expected to reach 35 degrees in some areas.

This as the southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal will experience isolated showers.

Sunday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Fine and warm weather, becoming partly cloudy from the afternoon. It will be hot in the north. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Mpumalanga: Morning fog over the southern escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot weather, but very hot in the Lowveld.

Limpopo: Fine in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot weather.

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North West: Fine and hot weather, becoming partly cloudy in the east from the afternoon.

Free State: Morning fog patches over the eastern parts where it will be partly cloudy from the afternoon, otherwise fine and warm to hot.

Coastal provinces

Northern Cape: Cloudy along the coast in the morning, otherwise fine and warm to hot but very hot in the north. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly becoming strong in the afternoon.

Western Cape: Partly cloudy and cool weather along the south coast where it will be cloudy in the morning and evening, otherwise fine and warm but hot in places over western interior. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly along the south coast, otherwise fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cool weather along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy and warm. It will become cloudy from late afternoon with light evening rain in the south-east. The wind along the coast will be light north-westerly, becoming moderate south-westerly from late morning.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm in the north-west, otherwise cloudy and cool weather with isolated showers and rain but scattered along the Wild Coast and adjacent interior. Isolated thunderstorms are expected in the north-east. The wind along the coast will be light and variable in places, otherwise light to moderate north-easterly, but south-easterly in the south during the afternoon.

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KwaZulu-Natal: Cloudy in the south, otherwise partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers except in the extreme north. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly to north-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: High.