Spring Kicks Off With Highs Above 30°C in Parts of SA

• Spring arrived with warm, sunny conditions across Gauteng and the interior, with Pretoria reaching 28°C on 1 September
• The South African Weather Service issued Yellow Level 4 warnings for several provinces as a cut-off low-pressure system approaches later this week
• Severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, disruptive rainfall and snowfall are expected to affect large parts of South Africa from 3 to 6 September

South Africa's first day of spring will bring warm, sunny conditions to much of the country on 1 September, but the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued Yellow Level 4 warnings as a dangerous cut-off low-pressure system tracks towards the coast later this week.

Johannesburg will record highs of 27°C while Pretoria reaches 28°C, with fine conditions across the central Highveld. KwaZulu-Natal will see morning fog clear to warm, partly cloudy skies, with isolated afternoon thundershowers expected in southern regions. The southern and western coastline will remain cool and windy, while the Free State experiences strong afternoon winds strong enough to trigger a high fire danger warning for the province.

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Yellow level 4 warnings: What's coming

According to reports, the more serious weather story begins on Thursday. SAWS has flagged disruptive rainfall for the Western Cape's Overberg and Garden Route regions on 3 September, with a risk of localised road and settlement flooding.

Damaging winds are forecast for the Northern Cape's Namakwa district, as well as the Cape Winelands and Karoo areas, from Thursday through to Friday. Coastal waters stretching from Alexander Bay to Plettenberg Bay face particularly hazardous conditions, with wave heights of between 4.5 and 5.5 metres expected to disrupt port operations and make sea navigation dangerous.

By Friday morning, snowfall and freezing temperatures are forecast for the high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape, including the Drakensberg and Lesotho border regions. Drivers using mountain passes in those areas are urged to exercise extreme caution, with temperatures expected to remain below 10°C.

Severe thunderstorms expected

From Friday afternoon through to Sunday, 4 to 6 September, SAWS warns of severe thunderstorms across a wide belt of provinces including Gauteng, North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. The storms carry risks of localised flooding, hail, excessive lightning and damaging wind bursts.

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South Africa's winter ends as thunderstorms expected to hit 4 provinces

Residents across all affected areas are advised to stay informed through official SAWS updates and to take precautions ahead of the incoming system.

More on South African weather

• Briefly News recently reported on South Africa's winter coming to an end as thunderstorms began sweeping across four provinces.
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Source: Briefly News