What, MORE rain? ‘Yellow weather warnings’ in place for four provinces

Storm Eloise just won’t leave us in peace: The remnants of the former cyclone will cause more issues in South Africa this week, after four provinces were given a serious ‘yellow weather warning’ on Tuesday.

• ALSO READ: Storm Eloise’s deadly path of destruction in South Africa

South Africa weather warnings for Tuesday 26 January and Wednesday 27 January

According to the SA Weather Service (SAWS), this weather warning is in place from today, right through until Friday morning. The worst of the rain is expected over the next 24 to 36 hours, with downpours intensifying on Wednesday. The ‘Level 4 alert’ is in place for the following locations:

• Western parts of North West Province.
• The extreme north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape.
• Western and central parts of Free State.
• The eastern interior of the Eastern Cape.
• Flooding, disruption to traffic, and damage to crops and livestock are all expected.
• All warnings are in place for four days, from Tuesday 26 January right through to Friday 29 January.

Another weather warning for South Africa: Storm Eloise ‘hangover’ causes ‘yellow alert’ for four provinces

SAWS has explained that Storm Eloise – though significantly weakened – is interacting with a milder cold front while looming over Botswana. This is causing a greater deal of moisture to channel forward into South Africa. The experts now believe a deluge of heavy rainfall is on the cards, along with a ‘broad band of thundershowers’.

“Storm Eloise is now a much-weakened extra-tropical low-pressure system and is currently situated over the south-western parts of Botswana. Given the position of this low-pressure system, and taking into account its clockwise rotation, a broad stream of tropically-sourced moisture is now being channeled southwards into the central parts of South Africa.”

“The arrival of the cold front will herald a linkage of weather systems, between the tropics and the extra-tropical regions. Such a juxtaposition of weather systems can typically be expected to contribute towards heavy rainfall over the central interior – This rainfall is associated with a broad band of thundershowers in the region.”

SAWS statement

⚠️Yellow level 4 Warning for Disruptive Rain is expected over the western half of the North West, Western and Central parts of the Free State, north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape and the eastern interior of the Eastern Cape tomorrow (Wednesday, 27 January 2021).

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 26, 2021

‘Flash-flooding, possible evacuations, and life-threatening conditions’: Storm Eloise to mix with significant cold front

Over the weekend, South Africa was issued with a rare Level 10 weather warning. Although this new alert is less severe, a yellow Level 4 advisory is still serious business. The following impacts associated with disruptive rainfall can be expected over the coming days:

1. Flash flooding of low-lying areas, informal and formal settlements.
2. Impaired agricultural production due to flooding and damage to crops.
3. Difficult driving conditions due to reduced visibility and flooding of roads.
4. Disruption to essential services, such as power cuts, network issues, or the interruption of water supply to small towns.
5. Displacement or evacuations can be expected in vulnerable communities adjacent to floodplains and riverbeds. These regions should be on high alert if river levels rise, as informal communities and settlements are liable to flood.
6. Danger to life: The public is strongly urged to refrain from crossing flooded streams or rivers by vehicle or on foot.

⚠️ Media Release: Disruptive Rainfall expected over the central interior this week. pic.twitter.com/ewRD7DwR6T

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 26, 2021