South Africans in several provinces are bracing for a wet and unsettled weekend, with severe thunderstorms, heavy downpours, and the threat of localised flooding expected across parts of the country. The South African Weather Service has issued Yellow Level 2 warnings for Saturday, as a significant band of rain and thunderstorms develops over parts of the Northern Cape, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape.
The South African Weather Service has warned of severe thunderstorms threatening the Northern Cape and Western Cape, with a Yellow Level 2 warning in place over the eastern parts of the central and eastern Northern Cape, as well as the Beaufort West Municipality in the Western Cape. Heavy downpours, hail, excessive lightning, and strong, gusty winds are possible, with the Weather Service warning that the storms could result in localised flooding of settlements, roads, and bridges, as well as damage to infrastructure.
The Eastern Cape faces a significant risk of heavy rain and flooding, with the western parts of the province under a Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rain. Heavy downpours are expected to cause localised flooding of settlements, roads, and bridges in places, with the warning particularly significant because the disruptive rain is expected to persist into Sunday.
The Free State and North West provinces could see thunderstorms on Saturday, with the Free State expected to be partly cloudy and cool before becoming cloudy during the afternoon. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast, except over the eastern parts, giving affected areas rain chances of between 30% and 60%.
Gauteng is expected to escape the worst of Saturday's wet weather, with fine conditions expected during the morning before skies become partly cloudy. Temperatures will remain cool. Mpumalanga will have morning fog over the southern parts before becoming mostly fine and cool, although the Lowveld will be warmer. Limpopo will be fine and cool to warm.
KwaZulu-Natal may experience thunderstorms on Saturday, with the province starting with morning fog over the interior before fine and warm conditions dominate. Clouds will increase during the afternoon, with isolated showers and thunderstorms developing outside the north-western parts. Rain chances are generally around 30%, while coastal winds are expected to strengthen in places.
Unsettled weather will continue into Sunday, October 3, with showers and thunderstorms spreading across a large portion of the country. The Eastern Cape remains one of the wettest areas, with a 60% chance of rain across extensive parts of the province. Strong coastal winds are also indicated, reaching around 45 km/h in places, and motorists and residents in warning areas should remain alert to rapidly changing conditions.
Key points
- A Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms has been issued for parts of the Northern Cape and Western Cape.
- The Eastern Cape faces a significant risk of heavy rain and flooding.
- Unsettled weather will continue into Sunday, with showers and thunderstorms spreading across a large portion of the country.
