Sun, heat and storms: What to expect from SA’s weekend weather
South Africa is heading into a mixed weather weekend, with a clear split between hot, mostly dry conditions in the west and more unsettled weather across the eastern parts of the country.
On Saturday, summer heat dominates much of the interior and western regions. Large parts of the Northern Cape, Western Cape interior, and central areas can expect dry and very warm to hot conditions, with little to no rainfall expected.
The eastern half of the country sees a greater chance of showers and thunderstorms. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the eastern Free State have a 30% chance of rain, mainly in the form of isolated afternoon thundershowers.
While rainfall is not expected to be widespread, some storms may bring brief heavy downpours and gusty winds.
By Sunday, the general pattern remains in place. The west and central interior stay hot and dry, with very hot conditions persisting in parts of the Northern Cape and adjacent interior regions.
Along the eastern escarpment and coastal belt, cloud build-up during the day leads to another 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms.
KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern Eastern Cape are likely to see passing coastal showers, while inland areas such as Mpumalanga and eastern Gauteng may again experience isolated afternoon storms.
Overall, it is a classic midsummer weekend, with heat and sunshine dominating the west and interior, while the east remains slightly cooler at times with occasional rain.
Those with outdoor plans in the eastern regions should keep an eye on the sky during the afternoons, while the rest of the country can expect mostly dry and hot conditions through the weekend.
IOL News