SAWS warns of severe thunderstorms

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms resulting in strong, damaging winds and possible large amounts of small hail.

This is expected to cause damage to infrastructure, flooding, damaging winds over the North West, Gauteng, north eastern parts of the Northern Cape, Free State and south western KwaZulu-Natal.

“This warning remains valid until 11pm tonight. In addition, a Yellow Level 1 warning for severe thunderstorms was issued with damaging winds and hail expected over the northern and eastern parts of the Eastern Cape.

“On Friday and Saturday, we expect showers and thundershowers over the central interior extending to the east,” SAWS Senior Manager: Disaster Risk Management, Tshepho Ngobeni.

He was addressing a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday.

“South Africa, like many other countries across the globe, is prone to hazardous weather events. These include heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms, droughts, floods, storms and wildfires. Consequently, the need for the people of South Africa to be WeatherSMART cannot be stressed enough.”

He said a WeatherSMART person is safe, more informed, alert, resilient, and has timely access to relevant information and services where matters of weather and climate are concerned. – SAnews.gov.za