South Africans can expect mixed weather on Wednesday.
Image: FILE
South Africans are being urged to prepare for a mix of severe thunderstorms, widespread rainfall and intense heat as the South African Weather Service forecasts unsettled conditions across much of the country for Wednesday.
Forecasters have raised concern over strong thunderstorms expected to develop across the central interior, particularly affecting the Free State, North West and parts of the Northern Cape.
These storms carry a high risk of heavy downpours, with rain chances reaching around 60% in many of these regions, increasing the likelihood of localized flooding in low-lying areas and along vulnerable roads.
Further south, rain is expected to become more widespread, with chances climbing to as high as 80% over parts of the southern interior and coastal areas. Residents in these regions are likely to experience persistent showers and thundershowers through the day.
In KwaZulu-Natal, particularly the western and southern parts, storms are expected to be less intense but still disruptive, with rain chances of about 30%. Similar isolated showers are forecast for Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, where conditions will remain partly cloudy and warm.
While storms dominate much of the forecast, heat will be a major concern in the Eastern Cape. The weather service has warned of a developing heatwave, with persistently high temperatures expected across large parts of the province.
Coastal areas along the Wild Coast are also set to experience hot and humid conditions, making for particularly uncomfortable weather.
Elsewhere, the Western Cape and western parts of the Northern Cape will see fewer showers, with only isolated rainfall expected and generally warm to hot conditions prevailing.
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