Find out what the latest weather forecast from the SA Weather Service means for your region.
It will be a cloudy weekend, with scattered showers and thundershowers forecast for most parts of the country.
Vox weather meteorologist Michelle du Plessis predicted a warm and windy weekend in Gauteng with mostly dry conditions.
“On Sunday there is a 30% chance of rain and thundershowers. Most of the rain this weekend will occur over the western interior (parts of the Cape provinces, southern Free State and western North West). The areas have not received much rain this summer, so the rain is very welcome, but the rain showers can also become heavy and because it is so dry it can easily lead to flooding,” she explained.
Du Plessis said between 30mm and 50mm of rainfall is possible this weekend in these areas.
On Wednesday, severe storms saw more than 100mm of rainfall in less than an hour in Johannesburg. It led to widespread flooding in the region.
South African Weather Service (SAWS) senior forecaster Lehlohnolo Thobela said no severe weather alerts have been issued for the weekend so far, with some isolated to scattered chances of showers and thundershowers expected mainly over the southwestern interior covering the Northern Cape, eastern parts of the Western Cape into the Eastern Cape as southern parts of Free state province.
“For the northeastern provinces, especially Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the escarpment of Mpumalanga can expect some morning fog as drizzle along the escarpment covering around Mbombela and parts of Ermelo,” he said.
Thobela said the northeastern parts of Limpopo are expecting a 30% chance of showers and thundershowers around Phalaborwa and around northern parts of Polokwane.
“In the Northern Cape province we expect a scattered chance of showers and thunders mainly over the south and the southern western parts covering areas of the eastern parts of Sutherland and most northeastern areas of the Western Cape with scattered chance of showers and thundershowers mainly over Graaff-Reinet and western parts of Eastern Cape province into the Western Cape on Saturday,” he added.
There is a 30 to 60 percent chance of showers and thundershowers expected for the southwestern interior covering the Northwest and Free State, while parts of the Northern Cape into the eastern areas of the Western Cape can expect a 30% chance of rain and thunderstorms by the afternoon.
Thobela said scattered showers and thundershowers will remain over the central interior all the way to Upington and De Aar on Sunday.
“Partly cloudy conditions are expected over most of the country with warm temperatures with 30% rain over parts of Limpopo into the Lowveld of Mpumalanga,” he said.
Provincial weather forecast
Here’s what to expect in your province on Saturday, 8 March:
Gauteng:
Residents of Gauteng can expect partly cloudy and warm to hot weather conditions.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high.”
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Mpumalanga:
Mpumalanga residents will wake up to cloudy weather in the east with drizzle and fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers in the northern Lowveld.
Limpopo:
The day will start off cloudy in the morning with drizzle and fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers in the Lowveld, escarpment areas and north-eastern parts.
North West:
Partly cloudy and warm to hot weather awaits North West residents with isolated showers and thundershowers in the west.
Free State:
Residents of the Free State will experience partly cloudy and warm to hot weather, with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the east, but scattered in the extreme west.
Northern Cape:
Morning mist is forecast along the coast and adjacent interior where it will be fine, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the central and south-eastern parts, where it will be very hot and windy in places.
Western Cape:
Western Cape residents can expect fine weather in the west, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, but cool along the south-west and south coast with isolated showers and thundershowers over the north-eastern parts from the afternoon.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Eastern Cape (western half):
There will be morning fog in places, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated along the coast.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
Morning fog can be expected in places, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in places along the coast.
KwaZulu-Natal:
Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can expect morning fog in places over the interior, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated morning showers and rain except in the north-east. It will become fine from the afternoon.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high.”
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
