The Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rainfall expected to affect parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday and Friday has been upgraded to an Orange Level 6 and Yellow Level for disruptive rain and severe thunderstorms respectively.
SA Weather Services (SAWS) forecaster Ayanda Nsele said they are expecting significant rain from Thursday evening into Friday because of a frontal system moving through.
“We currently have an 80% chance of showers and thundershowers for the south-eastern parts of KZN. That will be Ugu, eThekwini, and Ilembe districts,” Nsele said.
“Over those municipalities, we have an Orange Level 6 warning for disruptive rain, starting from tomorrow, late afternoon to evening, and then persisting the whole day on Friday.
“And then for the rest of the province, except for the extreme north-eastern parts - uMkhanyakude, uPhongolo - for other parts of the province, we have a Yellow Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms, and it also persists up until Friday.”
Nsele said tropical cyclone Jude would not affect South Africa, and the rain warnings are not due to Jude.
About the Orange Level 6 for disruptive rain, SAWS said disruptive rainfall is expected over the south-eastern parts of KZN from Thursday into Friday, which may lead to flooding of roads and settlements and damage to infrastructure and mud-based houses.
Areas that could be affected include eThekwini, KwaDukuza, Mkhambathini, Ndwedwe, Ray Nkonyeni, Umdoni, uMuziwabantu, and uMzumbe.
“A cold front is expected to pass through the eastern parts tomorrow (Thursday) accompanied by a ridging high, resulting in persistent widespread showers and thundershowers over the south-eastern parts until Friday evening. Significant rainfall amounts are expected, which may lead to flooding of roads and settlements, damage to infrastructure and mud-based houses,” SAWS said.
Impacts include flooding of roads, bridges, and settlements (formal and informal); danger to life (fast-flowing streams/deep waters); major disruption of traffic flow due to major roads being flooded; disruption of essential services (water, electricity, communication, etc); and damage to mud-based houses.
SAWS urged that if possible, 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; switch off electricity at the supply point to the building; and in rural areas, protect/relocate animals to a safe place on higher ground.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday morning depression on Earth, Jude, was operating on Malawi’s southern border with Mozambique at a weakened stage, with no significant movement.
Weather service Météo-France said: “Jude continues to generate heavy rains over southern Malawi and central Mozambique, particularly along the coasts of Zambezia and Sofala provinces, as well as locally strong winds. Conditions are expected to improve on Wednesday night as the system clears.”
Météo-France said Jude is expected to begin moving south-eastward toward the coast in the coming hours. It is expected to re-emerge over the sea overnight.
“On Thursday and Friday, as it approaches southwest Madagascar, Jude could intensify again. This weekend, Jude is expected to weaken and then lose its tropical characteristics as it crosses the large island,” Météo-France said.
“A deterioration in the weather in Madagascar, particularly in the province of Toliara, is expected from Friday, with very heavy rains as well as strong winds and dangerous seas.”