Western Cape on high alert as rainy weekend sets in

• Rain and thunderstorms have been forecast for most of the Western Cape on Friday.
• The rain follows several days of inclement weather earlier this week.
• Disaster management teams are on high alert for flooding and other emergencies.

Western Cape residents can expect, on average, 15 to 20mm of rain on Friday as they welcome the long weekend, along with two weather warnings.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 4 weather warning for the entire province, with severe thunderstorms, flooding and small hail forecast for most parts of the province.

An orange level 6 warning has been issued for the central and southern parts of the province, with heavy rainfall expected in those areas and an increased risk of flooding. Strong wind and small hail could accompany the rain.

SAWS forecaster Kanyisa Makubalo said most parts of the province could expect 15 to 20mm of rain. The Cape Town metro will see slightly less rain, with around 10 to 15mm forecast.

However, Makubalo said that some parts of the province could see up to around 40mm of rainfall. She added that areas which experienced rainfall earlier this week were more vulnerable to flooding because the ground was water-logged.

The severe weather is expected to start clearing on Saturday, moving eastward across the province.

On Saturday, rainfall is expected over the central and southern parts of the province – between 10 and 18mm for most areas. The rainfall was not likely to exceed 30mm, Makubalo said.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde called on motorists to be careful amid heightened traffic volumes on the province's roads over the long weekend.

Western Cape transport department spokesperson Jandre Bakker said that while roads were busier than usual, there had been no major incidents at the time of publication.

The province has been bracing for the wet weather after heavy rain lashed the region earlier this week. It brought flooding to several parts of the province, including Cape Town, De Doorns and the West Coast.

Winde called an extended Cabinet meeting on Friday for various provincial departments to outline their emergency preparations for the inclement weather.

The provincial Disaster Management Centre's resources and services had been activated, personnel were on high alert and partner organisations like NGOs were on board to assist, said Winde.

Several other weather warnings have been issued for various parts of the country.

A yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms, resulting in flooding and large amounts of small hail, is expected over the southern interior of the Namakwa district in the Northern Cape until Saturday.

A yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms has been issued for the central and southern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga as well as the central and western parts of the Eastern Cape. The areas could see damaging winds and heavy downpours, leading to localised flooding of low-lying bridges, settlements and roads, as well as damage to infrastructure.