The South African Weather Service has warned that severe thunderstorms are possible in most parts of the country for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
The weather service has also issued a level 2 warning for a high likelihood of minor impact from heavy downpours that may lead to flooding, a possibility of damaging winds, as well as a possibility of hail and excessive lightning for parts of Mpumalanga and Polokwane.
According to Saws forecaster Lehlogonolo Thobela, this is expected over the highveld of Mpumalanga into the northern parts covering Mbombela and the extreme southeastern parts of Limpopo, also pushing into Polokwane.
“If you’ll be in the Eastern Cape, you can expect a high chance of severe thunderstorms later in the afternoon [Wednesday]. This will cover the eastern parts of the province in Mthatha as well as the southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal. It is a yellow level 4 warning of significant impacts of severe thunderstorms later in the afternoon for today [Wednesday].”
Partly cloudy conditions are expected to persist on Wednesday over the central and eastern parts of the country into the south coast of the Western Cape.
Thobela said a 30% to 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms is expected by the afternoon.
“This is expected to cover most parts of the central interior, mainly a 60% chance covering the North West, Gauteng, the Free State, Mpumalanga, and into the eastern half of the Eastern Cape,” he said.
An 80% chance of showers is expected over most parts of the central and western parts of KwaZulu-Natal into the highveld of Mpumalanga.
On New Year’s Day, a 60% to 80% chance of showers and thundershowers is expected over Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as into KwaZulu-Natal and the east coast.
An 80% chance of showers and thundershowers is expected over the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal into the lowveld of Mpumalanga.
“In Gauteng on Thursday, you can expect a partly cloudy day with warm temperatures. A 30% chance of showers and thundershowers, but 60% over most parts of the northern areas of Gauteng. This will also cover the south coast of the Western Cape. There is a 30% chance of showers and rain into the afternoon for tomorrow [Thursday],” Thobela said.
The weather service has issued a warning for Thursday of severe thunderstorms, which are expected over the eastern parts of Limpopo into Mpumalanga, especially over the lowveld of Mpumalanga.
This will also cover parts of Mbombela and the eastern parts of Ermelo.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, there is a yellow level 2 warning of severe thunderstorms expected by the afternoon [and] for the northern parts, a level 4. It is a yellow level 4 warning [with] a low likelihood of significant impact of heavy downpours that may lead to localised flooding, damaging winds, a possibility of hail, and a possibility of excessive lightning into the afternoon,” he said.
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