Very high fire danger conditions are expected in the central and northern regions of the Northern Cape, the extreme west of the North-West and the Central Karoo District of the Western Cape, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned.
A heat wave is also expected in the north-east of the Western Cape and the north of the Eastern Cape. It will remain until Thursday in KwaZulu-Natal.
Thursday’s weather forecast
Gauteng: Partly cloudy and warm. Desired UVB sunburn index: Very high.
Mpumalanga: Partly cloudy to cloudy and warm but hot in places in the Lowveld. Isolated rain and thundershows are expected in the Lowveld and along the northern escarpment.
Limpopo: Partly cloudy to cloudy and warm, but hot in places in the north. Rain and thunderstorms are expected.
Northwest: Partly cloudy and hot with isolated showers and thunderstorms except in the extreme east.
Free State: Partly cloudy and warm to hot, with scattered showers and thunderstorms except in the northeast and near the Lesotho border.
Also read: Heatwave expected in parts of Western Cape and Eastern Cape
Northern Cape: Partly cloudy and cool along the coast but warm to hot elsewhere, except in the northern interior where it is very hot to very hot. Isolated rain and thundershows are expected in the interior in the afternoon.
Winds along the coast will be moderate to fresh from south to southwest.
Western Cape: Morning fog is visible along coastal and adjacent interior areas, otherwise it will be clear and warm to hot but very hot in eastern areas. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected in the east.
Winds along the coast will be light from north to northwest in the west and southwest becoming moderate from west to southwest in the evening. Along the south coast it will be light in the south-east to south-west in the evening. Expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.
Western Half of the Eastern Cape: Fine and warm to hot, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Winds along the coast will be light from east to south-east, becoming moderate from south-west in the evening.
Also read: Heat wave remains in Eastern Cape and KZN until Thursday
Eastern Half of the Eastern Cape: Nice and warm to hot. It will be partly cloudy in places in the afternoon with isolated rain and thundershows in the evening west of Kei River.
Winds along the coast will be light from the southwest, becoming moderate in the northeast in the evening.
KwaZulu-Natal: Partly cloudy and hot. Winds along the coast will be moderate northeasterly becoming fresher in the north from the evening. Expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme