Hot in Durban, with a little bit of relief to come says weather service
Durban is set for a week of warm to hot weather, similar to last week but the South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecasts that the high temperatures will be mitigated by expected rainfall, which will bring cooler conditions.
SAWS forecaster Thandiwe Gumede shared that conditions will remain warm to hot for most of the week.
“However, we are looking at a possibility of a bit of cooling because in the previous days, we were having maximum temperatures in the lower 30s,” Gumede said.
“But from about Friday going towards Sunday, we are expecting cloudy conditions to come through, and we’re expecting our temperatures or rather the maximum temperature, to be in the range of the higher 20s.”
Gumede said there is a possibility of rain throughout the week.
“For today (Monday), we have a 60% chance for Durban,” Gumede said.
“Chances tomorrow (Tuesday) decrease to about a 30% chance. Similarly, for Wednesday, we decrease to a 30% chance. And then our chances start increasing again, only from about Friday going into Sunday, where we increase to a 60% chance of showers and thundershowers.”
Gumede said a heatwave advisory was issued last week, confirming that there was a point when they were reaching heatwave thresholds, and there was a heatwave, but it was not necessarily for Durban.
“The heatwave thresholds were met for areas over the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal,” Gumede said.
She explained that those conditions were caused by a surface high-pressure system.
“A surface high pressure is associated with descending air, and hence the clear conditions that we were experiencing and the increase in the maximum temperature,” Gumede said.
She further explained that if there are high temperatures which do not reach a heatwave threshold, they usually issue a high discomfort advisory.
“A high discomfort looks at the maximum temperatures that are expected and also incorporates the humidity factor because humidity plays a role in making the heat that we feel so much more than what is actually the temperature at that point,” Gumede said.
“So, for last week, most of the areas, particularly over the eastern parts of the province, including Durban, had that advisory for high discomfort conditions.”
Gumede added that the health implications associated with excessive heat would include dehydration, heatstroke, and heat exhaustion.
Meanwhile, the SAWS issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms leading to flooding are expected over the Overberg District Municipality and Langeberg Local Municipality in the Western Cape, and the southern parts of KZN on Monday.
This comes after an Orange Level 5 warning for severe thunderstorms in KZN for Sunday.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za