DURBAN - The South African Weather Service (Saws) says more thunderstorms are expected in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday afternoon and over the next few days, including Christmas Day.
Saws forecaster Wisani Maluleke said on Thursday there was an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
“We’ve released an alert and warning for disruptive rainfall which might lead to flooding in low-lying areas, bridges and also areas in formal and informal settlements might be affected,” Maluleke said.
“This means even driving conditions on our roads might be affected so people need to be very careful while driving on the road and consider the fact that it is busy and some people will be enjoying themselves.”
Maluleke said rain was expected to continue on Friday, with a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms.
He added that they did not have an alert as yet.
“So far for Christmas we’re still expecting thunderstorm activity mainly in the afternoon. There’s a 30% chance in the east but for the western parts of the province, the Drakensberg, Mooi River, Ladysmith, Newcastle, it’s 60%,” Malukele said.
“Along our coast, so far there is no indication of these storms being featured, but sometimes those thunderstorms which are not expected to feature can have some kind of impact.”
On Thursday morning, the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs said the thunderstorm that battered parts of Pietermaritzburg left a trail of destruction.
Maluleke said they had issued an alert for severe thunderstorms which might lead to flooding and hail, which covered Pietermaritzburg and Richards Bay.
Daily News