weather

The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms. Image: Pixabay.

WEATHER WARNING: Severe thunderstorms leading to flooding

The South African Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning, resulting in localised flooding, as well as a fire warning

weather

The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms. Image: Pixabay.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has released several weather warnings for Friday, 30 December 2022.

Weather warnings issued for Friday

A yellow level 2 weather warning has been issued  for Gauteng, the eastern parts of the North West Province, northern and eastern parts of Free State, as well as the interior of Mpumalanga.

The warning is for severe thunderstorms leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas, and bridges as well as minor vehicle accidents.

A second level 2 warning was issued for strong winds leading to difficulty in navigation at sea along the coast between Dassen Island and Hermanus. 

Fire and heat advisories

Fire danger levels are expected to be extremely high over following areas:

  • The interior of Namakwa in the Northern Cape
  • Cape Metropole Districts
  • Matzikama Municipality in the Western Cape.

Until Sunday, 1 January 2023, the Nama Khoi, Kamiesberg, and Matzikama municipalities in the Northern Cape will experience a heat wave with persistently high temperatures.

Safety while driving in the rain

Arrive Alive has issued some tips when driving in heavy rain.

  • To keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you, increase the three-second rule to five-six seconds.
  • Slow down if it is raining and the roads are wet. Remove your foot from the accelerator and gradually reduce your speed.
  • Never apply the brakes abruptly as this may cause the car to skid.
  • Slow down and be prepared to move to the left shoulder if an oncoming vehicle is overtaking from the opposite direction and will not be able to do so safely.
  • Only move towards the shoulder if you can see 150m ahead of you clearly. Keep in mind that pedestrians may be walking on the shoulder to avoid mud on the road’s surface.
  • Be cautious of oil patches. Do not slam on the brakes; instead, steer through. Patches will be small in most cases.
  • Before taking a bend, especially a sharp bend, always shift into a lower gear. As you approach the bend, your speed should be at its slowest, and both hands should be on the steering wheel. When driving around a bend, this slow in/fast out technique gives you the most control.
  • Double your normal following distance from 3 seconds to 6 seconds to increase your space cushion.
  • Switch on your headlights.
  • Other vehicles in the rear and in blind spots should be avoided because they are difficult to see through rain-splattered windows.

ALSO READ: Weather warning: Thunderstorms, hail, heavy downpours TODAY