Thunderstorm alert for Gauteng

Thunderstorms and heavy rains are expected to cause disruptions in Gauteng on Wednesday, the SA Weather Service has warned.

Forecaster Kgolofelo Mahlangu said the storms were expected to hit the province in the afternoon.

Mahlangu told TimesLIVE the expected rain could lead to flooding in low-lying areas.

“These can also be disruptive to traffic because of reduced visibility on the roads, and strong winds could cause damage to infrastructure in informal settlements,” Mahlangu said.

The storms were expected to develop between 5pm and 11pm and also affect parts of the North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Free State.

Meanwhile, an intense cold front is heading for the Western Cape.

The cold front would make landfall on Wednesday evening in the south coastal areas of the province and adjacent areas, said Mahlangu.

She warned that rains could be destructive in informal settlements, particularly in the Overberg and Garden Route areas.

As some parts of the country expected heavy downpours, Mahlangu warned those in the Free State, North West and Northern Cape not to “start unnecessary fires".

“There is extremely high fire danger for those areas, and uncontrolled fires could lead to runaway fires,” she said.

During spring, Mahlangu said afternoon thunderstorms could be expected.

Maximum temperatures forecast for Wednesday are Johannesburg 23°C, Pretoria 25°C, Bloemfontein 25°C, Cape Town 17°C, Port Elizabeth 20°C and Durban 21°C.

TimesLIVE