Gauteng, Mpumalanga residents warned of severe storms

Published Oct 26, 2017

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Johannesburg - The South African Weather Service on Thursday warned citizens to brace for more severe storms in upcoming days. 

This warning comes weeks after severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, strong damaging winds and large hail hit parts of North West, Gauteng, eastern Frees State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. 

The storms resulted in numerous deaths and damage to property. 

The weather service's Hannelee Doubell in a statement warned Gauteng and Mpumalanga residents to brace for severe storms over the next few days. 

"Severe storms, with a risk of heavy downpours as well as strong gusty winds are expected over the escarpment and lowveld areas of Mpumalanga later today (Thursday). 

"Tomorrow (Friday), the high risk area for further severe storms is expected to shift to Gauteng, the highveld areas of Mpumalanga as well as south-western and southern parts of Limpopo province."

Doubell also warned residents in these provinces to expect strong gusty winds as well as heavy downpours, which may result in urban flooding. 

She added that while there may be hail, it was mostly expected to be of a small, non-damaging nature.

Light snowfall meanwhile, is expected on mountain peaks of the eastern parts of Western Cape and Eastern Cape overnight, spreading to the southern Drakensberg and Lesotho on Friday and Lesotho.

"[This will result in] significantly cooler conditions over the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal on Friday. 

"The good news is that, whilst chilly conditions are expected over many parts this weekend, the South African Weather Service expects a fairly rapid recovery of daytime temperatures from Monday onwards."

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