Johannesburg: The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has forecasted very cold and wet conditions for the high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape and the south-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday. Weather warnings have been issued, indicating disruptive rain in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, along with disruptive snow in the Eastern Cape.
According to South African Government News Agency, severe thunderstorms accompanied by heavy downpours are expected in the Northern Cape, parts of the Free State, and the north-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal. The outlook for Saturday and Sunday predicts partly cloudy and cold to cool conditions, though some areas may experience warmer temperatures. Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected, with widespread conditions over the western regions anticipated on Saturday.
The weather service has issued specific warnings as follows:
- Orange level 6 warning: Disruptive rain is expected to cause flooding of roads and settlements, posing a danger to life due to fast-flowing streams and deep water. Affected communities may face displacement, and there is a risk of loss of livelihood and livestock along the coast and adjacent interior of KwaZulu-Natal up to Richards Bay.
- Orange level 5 warning: Disruptive rain is anticipated to result in flooding of settlements, roads, and bridges, as well as disruption to essential services in the Port St Johns, Ingquza Hill, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and Ntabankulu local municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
- Yellow level 4 warning: Disruptive rain is expected to affect the eastern and southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with potential flooding of roads and settlements, danger to life from fast-flowing streams, displacement of communities, and loss of livelihood and livestock.
- Yellow level 4 warning: Severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, damaging winds, excessive lightning, and hail may occur over the extreme east-central parts of the Northern Cape, leading to injuries, danger to life, and localized flooding.
- Yellow level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, damaging winds, excessive lightning, and hail are predicted over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, excluding the extreme east-central areas, the western parts of the Free State, and the north-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
- Yellow level 2 warning: Disruptive rain may cause localized flooding of settlements, roads, and low-lying bridges, along with disruptions to power supply and communications in coastal areas and the adjacent interior between KuGompo City and Port St Johns, including the extreme north-eastern interior of the Eastern Cape.
- Yellow level 2 warning: Damaging winds are expected to cause localized damage to settlements, interruptions to power and communications, and challenging driving conditions over the southern and western parts of the Northern Cape and the northern parts of the Western Cape.
- Yellow level 2 warning: Disruptive snow is forecasted to cause isolated loss of vulnerable livestock and difficult driving conditions in the Matatiele and Elundini local municipalities of the Eastern Cape.