South Africans can expect a weekend of mixed weather conditions, with severe thunderstorms, strong winds and scattered showers dominating much of the central and eastern parts of the country, while the west remains mostly dry and warm.

The South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms over parts of the Northern Cape, Free State and North West on Saturday, October 18, bringing the likelihood of strong damaging winds, large hail, heavy downpours and localised flooding of low-lying areas.

Rainfall probabilities on Saturday point to scattered 60% chance of rain showers and thundershowers over the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho and parts of the eastern Northern Cape, with isolated 30% chance activity extending into Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Coastal areas along the Eastern Cape and southern parts of the Western Cape could also see light, isolated rainfall 30%, though most of the Western Cape and Northern Cape interior will remain dry under warm to hot conditions.

A Yellow Level 1 warning has also been issued for damaging winds along the KZN coast near Port Shepstone, where small vessels could face difficulty navigating due to choppy seas and gusty conditions.

By Sunday, October 19, rainfall will persist mainly in the eastern half of the country, with scattered 60% chance showers and thunderstorms  expected over KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern Free State and Mpumalanga, and isolated 30% chance of rainfall across Limpopo, the North West and the southern coastline.

Warm to hot weather will continue in the interior, particularly over the Northern Cape, while cooler, breezier conditions settle along the eastern coastal regions.

The weekend’s contrast between stormy east and dry west highlights the country’s seasonal transition, as summer rainfall regions begin to experience more active thunderstorm systems while western areas remain under dry, warm influence from inland highs.

IOL News

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