South Africa braces for floods, heatwaves and fire danger on Sunday

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has issued a raft of severe weather alerts for Sunday, 15 March, ranging from flooding threats in the north-east to dangerous heat in the Cape provinces and elevated fire risk in the west. Heavy rainfall is set to bear down on parts of north-eastern South Africa on Sunday, with Saws issuing a Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rain. The weather service warned that the conditions could lead to “localised flooding of susceptible roads, settlements, and low-lying areas/bridges” over north-eastern Mpumalanga and Limpopo, except the extreme south-west.

While the north-east contends with flooding, the opposite end of the country faces a different threat altogether. Saws has cautioned that extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places in the extreme west, compounding what is already shaping up to be a dangerously hot day for much of the Cape. The weather service said that “very hot to extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions” are expected over the Namakwa district in the Northern Cape and across the Western Cape, with the exception of the southern parts of the City of Cape Town, the Garden Route, and the Overberg District.

Saws further warned that a heat wave with “persistently high temperatures” is expected to grip the Eastern Cape, excluding the coast, across both 15 and 16 March. Saws warned that hot and humid weather will produce “extremely uncomfortable conditions in places along the coast and adjacent interior between Port Alfred and Port Edward,” making for a particularly oppressive day along that stretch of coastline. Gauteng residents can expect a cloudy and cool Sunday, with scattered showers and thundershowers, though the south of the province will see more isolated activity.

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It will be warm in the extreme north. Saws rated the expected UVB sunburn index for the province as moderate, and residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

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