Level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain expected in four provinces

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms on Monday.

The areas affected are the southern parts of the Free State, south-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the extreme north-eastern parts of Eastern Cape as well as over the Mpumalanga escarpment.

Residents in these areas should watch out for strong damaging winds, large amounts of small hail and heavy rain.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are also expected over the eastern parts of Northern Cape, southern parts of Free State, central parts of the Eastern Cape as well as Themtzikama Local Municipality of Western Cape on Monday.

Monday’s weather forecast

Gauteng weather: Partly cloudy and warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: High.

Mpumalanga: Cloudy in the east with morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the east and along the escarpment.

Limpopo: Morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be partly cloudy in the south-west.

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North West: Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

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

Northern Cape: Cool along the coast, otherwise fine and warm to hot, but very hot in the extreme east. It will be partly cloudy in the north -east with isolated showers and thundershowers in the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly.

Western Cape: Partly cloudy in the south and extreme east, otherwise fine and warm to hot but cool along the coastal areas where a chance of light rain expected.

The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly to south-easterly becoming fresh to strong along the southwest coast by the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and cool, but cloudy along the coast with isolated evening showers and rain. It will be warm over the interior. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly.

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Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy along the coast with scattered showers and rain, otherwise partly cloudy and cool with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers. It will be warm over the interior. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southwesterly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered showers and rain along the coast. It will be very hot in the north-west.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh northeasterly, but moderate to fresh south-westerly south of Durban, spreading to Richards Bay by evening. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.