Weather alert: Thunderstorms, heavy rains for Gauteng over weekend

Weather alert: Thunderstorms and heavy rains are predicted for Gauteng, as well as parts of Free State, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo over the weekend. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA)

Weather alert: Thunderstorms and heavy rains are predicted for Gauteng, as well as parts of Free State, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo over the weekend. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Feb 3, 2022

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Pretoria – The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning for thundershowers expected on this weekend in parts of Gauteng.

The wet weather conditions could cause major disruptions to traffic flow on roads in parts of Gauteng.

According to SAWS forecaster, Mbavhi Maliage, on Saturday, Gauteng will experience scattered to widespread thunderstorms.

SAWS says disruptive rainfalls are also expected in places in Free State, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

“The rainfall is expected to continue up until Saturday and it will clear up in the afternoon,” Maliage said.

She said that on Sunday, the southern parts of Gauteng there was a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.

The weather service has also warned of possible flooding of roads, in settlements, as well as damage to roads and bridges that may lead to major disruption of traffic flow.

The weather service also warned on the possible damage of mud-based or makeshift structures.

Earlier this week, the weather service advised that the country was in no immediate danger from tropical cyclone Batsirai currently affecting the southern Indian Ocean.

Batsirai is the second named system of the 2021/2022 season for the South-West Indian Ocean domain.

The weather service said Batsirai has sustained winds of about 140km/h and is moving slowly south-west at 18.5km/h. It says Madagascar is likely to be affected by the tropical cyclone.

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