South Africa Faces Patchy Rain and High Fire Risks

Coastal areas brace for continued showers, while inland regions battle extreme fire danger.

Residents across South Africa are advised to prepare for varied weather conditions this weekend, with the South African Weather Service forecasting lingering rain along the east coast and high fire danger in specific inland areas.

Coastal Forecast: Showers and Wind

Patchy rainfall is expected to persist along the eastern seaboard on Sunday, accompanied by the possibility of strong winds. This trend is set to continue into Monday, with rain and showers likely to affect the southwestern regions of the country.

Inland Conditions: Fog and Cool Air

Most other parts of the nation will experience partly cloudy skies, with cool to warm temperatures. Morning fog patches are anticipated in several provinces, including Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal, particularly in their southern and central areas.

Fire Warnings Issued

Extreme fire danger conditions have been flagged for Sunday in the Central Karoo District of the Western Cape. Similar warnings are in effect for parts of the Dr Beyers Naude, Blue Crane, and Raymond Mhlaba local municipalities in the Eastern Cape, highlighting the risk of uncontrolled fires.

Provincial Breakdown for Saturday, 2 August

Gauteng:

The province can expect morning fog in its southern areas, with the rest of the region being fine and cool. The UVB sunburn index is rated as high.

Mpumalanga:

Similar to Gauteng, Mpumalanga anticipates morning fog in some central Highveld locations, with fine and cool conditions prevailing elsewhere.

Limpopo:

Morning fog patches are forecast for the central and southwestern parts of Limpopo. The remainder of the province is expected to be fine and cool.

North West:

Windy conditions are predicted for the western parts of North West, while the rest of the province will experience fine and cool weather.

Free State:

The western Free State will also be windy, with fine and cool conditions expected across the rest of the province.

Northern Cape:

Fine and cool conditions are forecast, warming up in the west. Windy weather is expected in the central districts. Coastal winds will be moderate to fresh north-westerly.

Western Cape:

The Western Cape will be partly cloudy and warm, becoming cooler in the southwest. The region is expected to become cloudy by the afternoon. Coastal winds will vary, becoming strong to gale force south of Cape Point from the evening. The UVB sunburn index is moderate.

Eastern Cape (Western Half):

This region will experience fine, warm to hot conditions, though it will be cool in the north. Coastal winds will be light to moderate north-westerly.

Eastern Cape (Eastern Half):

Expect fine and cool to warm weather, with some northern areas being cold. Coastal winds will be moderate to fresh north-easterly, shifting to north-westerly in the south by evening.

KwaZulu-Natal:

KwaZulu-Natal will see partly cloudy skies with morning fog in the interior, otherwise fine and cool to warm. Coastal winds will be moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly, with strong gusts possible in the south. The UVB sunburn index is high.

Upcoming Cold Front

Looking ahead, a cold front is set to impact the Western Cape on Monday, bringing rain. This weather system is predicted to move eastwards, affecting the Eastern Cape with rainfall by Tuesday.

As an example of weather preparedness, South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre actively monitors such forecasts to coordinate responses, with recent reports indicating that extreme weather events globally have increased by 50% between 2000 and 2019, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO 2023).