South Africa braces for a weekend of extreme weather as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issues multiple alerts for dangerous conditions, beginning Friday.
Severe thunderstorms, localised flooding, and damaging winds threaten much of the country's central and eastern regions, with an Orange Level 5 warning in effect for parts of the Eastern Cape.
Friday kicks off with intense weather in central and eastern parts of the country. The Free State, Eastern Cape, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal are under an 80% chance of widespread rainfall.
This includes severe thunderstorms with the potential for localized flooding, strong winds, and excessive lightning.
An Orange Level 5 alert has been issued for the southern parts of the Eastern Cape, warning of heavy downpours and potentially damaging winds.
Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo are also in for scattered storms, with a Yellow Level 2 alert in place for disruptive rainfall in parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape and western Northern Cape will remain dry and warm under mostly clear skies.
Saturday maintains isolated showers over much of the interior, with a 30% chance of rain stretching from the Northern Cape through to KwaZulu-Natal.
Cooler conditions creep in behind the storms, and strong coastal winds are expected along both coasts, particularly the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal shoreline.
Sunday sees a renewed push of scattered showers, especially in the central and northeastern regions.
The Free State and Gauteng are likely to experience moderate thunderstorms, with a 60% probability of rainfall. Limpopo and Mpumalanga will also see continued showers, keeping the weekend soggy.
The Western Cape enjoys a calm, sunny weekend, with no significant rainfall expected.
It’s a weekend to stay indoors, keep an umbrella handy, and drive cautiously as the heavens open over much of the country.
IOL News