Staff Reporter
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of heatwave conditions across five provinces on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures expected to reach 38°C in parts of the country.
The warning covers north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape, North West, most of the Free State, Gauteng and parts of southern and south-western Limpopo.
Some of the highest temperatures on Thursday are expected in Kimberley, Mahikeng, Upington and Vryburg, where maximums could reach 38°C. Bloemfontein is forecast to reach 37°C.
Gauteng will also experience intense heat, with Pretoria expected to reach 34°C on Thursday and 35°C on Friday. Johannesburg’s maximum temperature is forecast to rise from 32°C to 33°C over the same period.
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SAWS has also warned of extremely high fire danger conditions across much of the Northern Cape, Free State, western North West, parts of the Joe Gqabi district in the Eastern Cape and the Matzikama municipality in the Western Cape.
While much of the country’s interior will remain hot to very hot, coastal areas are expected to experience milder conditions, with showers and rain forecast for parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers are expected in northern Gauteng and north-eastern North West on Thursday, with further thunderstorms possible over eastern parts of the country on Friday.
Temperatures across major metros
In Johannesburg, temperatures are forecast to range between 17°C and 32°C on Thursday, rising to between 19°C and 33°C on Friday.
Tshwane is expected to record a minimum of 19°C and a maximum of 34°C on Thursday, followed by 21°C and 35°C on Friday.
In Mangaung, which includes Bloemfontein, temperatures are forecast to range between 17°C and 37°C on Thursday and between 16°C and 36°C on Friday.
Coastal metros will experience considerably cooler conditions.
In eThekwini, Durban is expected to record temperatures between 20°C and 25°C on Thursday, followed by 21°C and 24°C on Friday, with showers forecast.
Cape Town will see temperatures ranging from 17°C to 24°C on Thursday, dropping to between 15°C and 20°C on Friday.
In Nelson Mandela Bay, Gqeberha is forecast to record a minimum of 17°C and a maximum of 23°C on Thursday, followed by 16°C and 21°C on Friday.
Buffalo City, which includes East London, can expect temperatures between 18°C and 23°C on Thursday and between 17°C and 20°C on Friday, with showers possible.
A separate forecast for Ekurhuleni could not be verified.
Heat poses health and fire risks
SAWS has warned that prolonged exposure to high temperatures could increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, particularly among children, older people and those working outdoors.
Residents in affected areas have been advised to drink water regularly, avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day and remain in shaded or well-ventilated areas.
The weather service has also urged residents to exercise caution in areas experiencing extreme fire danger conditions, where dry vegetation and high temperatures could allow veld fires to spread quickly.
Despite the possibility of isolated thunderstorms in some inland areas, heatwave conditions are expected to persist into Friday.
INSIDE METROS
