South Africa weather: Heat waves and fire warnings issued

South Africa is facing a period of extreme weather, characterized by high temperatures and unsettled conditions across several provinces. The South African Weather Service has issued warnings for extremely high fire-danger conditions in much of the central interior, northern KwaZulu-Natal, the Mpumalanga Lowveld, the Limpopo Valley, and the Western Bushveld.

Heat waves and high discomfort advisories are in effect for parts of the northern Eastern Cape, northern KwaZulu-Natal, and the Mpumalanga Highveld and Lowveld. In the Northern Cape, temperatures are expected to peak around 35°C to 36°C in areas like Upington and Kimberley on Saturday, before cooling down on Sunday with possible rain in the west and south.

Other regional forecasts include thundershowers for Gauteng, the Free State, and the Northern Cape. While the interior experiences heat, coastal areas like Cape Town are expected to remain cooler with slight rain. Specific weather advisories have been issued for several towns in the Eastern Cape, including Queenstown, Matatiele, and Mount Ayliff.