The South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal, from 16:00 on Monday 2 November, valid until 21:59 on 2 November.
Yellow level 4
Severe Thunderstorms Sabie, Standerton, Piet Retief + 16 more · from 16:00 on Monday 2 November, valid until 21:59 on 2 November
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Areas
- Sabie
- Standerton
- Piet Retief
- Barberton
- Nokaneng
- Apel
- Nelspruit
- Ermelo
- Jane Furse
- Fetakgomo/Greater Tubatse – Burgersfort / Tubatse/
- Amersfoort
- Groblersdal
- Witbank
- Tweefontein
- Secunda
- Carolina
- Middelburg
- Machadodorp
- Marble Hall
Expected impacts
- Injuries and danger to life;
- Damage or loss of infrastructure, settlements (formal and informal), property, vehicles, livelihood and livestock;
- Travel disruptions (incl route obstructions) and incidents;
- Flooding of roads, settlements and low-lying areas, resulting in closure of some bridges and roads;
- Displacement of affected communities;
- Danger to life (fast flowing streams / deep water);
- Large amounts of small hail over a populated area;
- Falling trees blocking major roads;
What to do: Load WeatherSmart APP, scroll to last page and use two fingers to navigate storm tracking application
If possible stay indoors away from metal objects. Do not seek shelter under trees or tall objects. Do not go fishing or play golf as both the golf clubs and fishing rods are a good conductor of electricity. Be aware that any combination of hail, strong winds and/or heavy downpours can accompany the storms.
Yellow level 4
Severe Thunderstorms Hlabisa, Hluhluwe, Makatini + 3 more · from 12:00 on Monday 2 November, valid until 22:59 on 2 November
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Areas
- Hlabisa
- Hluhluwe
- Makatini
- Nongoma
- Mbazwana
- uPhongolo
Expected impacts
- Flooding of settlements, roads and bridges.
- Damage to property and infrastructure.
- Danger to life (fast flowing streams / deep water).
- Falling trees blocking major roads
- Poor driving conditions.
What to do: If possible stay indoors and off the roads, avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams where water is above your ankles. If trapped in a vehicle during a flood, abandon it and climb to higher ground. In buildings, move valuables to a safe place above the expected flood level. In rural areas move livestock to higher grounds. Take caution when traveling on roads which may be flooded.
How SAWS weather warning levels work
The South African Weather Service issues impact-based warnings. They say what the weather could do to people, roads and homes, not only how strong it will be. Each warning has a colour and a level from 1 to 10.
- Yellow (Levels 1 to 4): minor to moderate impact. Local disruption such as flooded streets, travel delays or damage to informal homes. Stay alert.
- Orange (Levels 5 to 8): significant impact. Major travel problems, power cuts, flooding in low-lying areas and damage to property are likely. Prepare and take action.
- Red (Levels 9 and 10): severe impact. Widespread flooding, washed-away roads, damaged buildings and danger to life. Take emergency precautions at once.
The number also reflects how likely the impact is, so two warnings of the same colour can differ in how likely they are to happen. Always follow SAWS and your local disaster management.
