Friday weather: Rain, thunderstorms target Cape provinces as fire danger spikes in Northern Cape - IOL

Wet weather is forecast across parts of the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape on Friday.

South Africans can expect a largely cool Friday, with showers and thunderstorms forecast across parts of the Western and Northern Cape while extremely high fire danger conditions threaten one part of the Northern Cape.

The South African Weather Service said no impact-based severe weather warnings have been issued for Friday, October, but extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Ubuntu Local Municipality in the Northern Cape.

The rainfall forecast shows a 30% chance of isolated rain or thunderstorms across much of the Western Cape, extending into parts of the Northern Cape and western Eastern Cape. The chance increases to 60% along parts of the southern coastline around the Garden Route and adjacent areas, where scattered rainfall is expected.

The Western Cape is expected to be cloudy and cool to warm, with morning fog patches in the south-west.

Isolated showers and thunderstorms are forecast across much of the province, translating to a 30% chance of rain, while the north-west should remain partly cloudy.

Conditions will be wetter in the south-east, where scattered showers and rain are expected and rainfall chances rise to around 60%.

Moderate to fresh south-westerly winds are expected along the coast, while the UVB sunburn index will be very high.

The Northern Cape will be partly cloudy, windy and cool to warm, with isolated showers and thunderstorms expected over the central parts of the province.

These areas have about a 30% chance of rain, but dry and dangerous conditions remain a concern elsewhere.

SAWS has warned of extremely high fire danger conditions over the Ubuntu Local Municipality, increasing the risk of rapidly spreading veld fires.

The western half of the Eastern Cape will see a mixture of cloudy, fine and warm conditions, with isolated showers and rain developing in places.

Rain will become scattered west of Gqeberha and along parts of the coast, with the rainfall chart indicating chances of up to 60% in some south-western coastal areas.

The eastern half of the province will be cloudy in the south-west and partly cloudy and warm elsewhere, although cooler conditions are expected in parts of the north.

Gauteng is expected to escape Friday's rain, with morning fog patches forecast in the south-west before partly cloudy and cool conditions set in.

No rain is indicated for the province, while the UVB sunburn index will be high.

North West will also remain cloudy and cool, while the Free State can expect partly cloudy and cool conditions.

Mpumalanga will be partly cloudy and cool to warm, with morning fog in places and isolated showers and rain confined mainly to the Lowveld.

Limpopo will experience morning fog patches over central areas before partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions. Isolated showers are also expected in the Lowveld, where the rainfall chart indicates a 30% chance of rain.

KwaZulu-Natal will start Friday with fog patches over the interior, while isolated morning showers and rain are expected in the north-east, with a 30% chance of rainfall in affected areas.

The remainder of the province will be partly cloudy and cool to warm.

Moderate to fresh easterly to north-easterly winds are expected along the coast, becoming strong in places south of Richards Bay. The UVB sunburn index will be very high.

Overall, Friday's wettest conditions are expected across the southern parts of the country, particularly the Western Cape and western Eastern Cape, while much of the central and north-eastern interior remains cool and largely dry.