Pretoria – The South African Weather Services (SAWS) says the heat wave conditions that are currently being experienced in the north-eastern parts of the country are expected to persist until Thursday.
However, places in the Free State and North West provinces will continue to experience high temperatures until Friday.
Gauteng, the Northern and eastern parts of Northern Cape, North West, Free State, Lowveld of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as the Western Bushveld and southern parts of Limpopo have been experiencing heat wave conditions.
Maximum temperatures in these places are expected to be in the mid to high 30°C’s and low 40 °C’s in the Northern Cape Province and the Western Bushveld and Limpopo valley of the Limpopo province.
The weather service said a heat wave is a prolonged period of excessive heat.
“Technically, a heat wave occurs when temperatures for a specific place/town are 5°C or more above the average of the hottest month of that place, and that carries on for three days or more,” said SAWS.
The cause of the current heatwave is a strong upper-air high pressure system which is currently over the northern and north-eastern parts of the country, resulting in sunny, dry and hot weather.
“We are expecting temperatures to start cooling on Thursday evening into Friday as the surface high pressure ridges in the east behind the cold front, advecting cooler air and moister in the country.
“Showers and rain are expected over the eastern and north eastern parts of the country this weekend, providing a slight relief from the heat,” said SAWS.
The weather service advised members of the public to stay indoors in a well-ventilated or air conditioned room; wear protective clothing and take regular breaks if working outside, avoid playing excessive sports or doing hard labour, dress in light clothes and drink plenty of liquids.
It advised that outside playtime for children must be limited of prohibited between 9am and 4pm and extra care should be paid to the elderly and infirm. – SAnews.gov.za
