04 Oct 2022

Members of the public have been warned that the extremely high temperatures experienced since Monday will continue until Friday.

  From Saturday to next week Wednesday,  temperatures will be dropping to between 33 and 35 Degrees Celsius over the southern, south east, Kgatleng, north east and central districts.

   However,  36-37 Degrees Celsius temperatures are still expected over Kgalagadi, Ngamiland and Chobe districts, states a Department of Meteorological Services media release.

  The department advises  members of the public to take precautionary measures to protect themselves from the current temperatures ranging between 36 and 41 Degrees Celsius.

 It further advises drinking of more water regardless of activity level and avoiding prolonged stay in the sun. 

  The release says if possible people should stay under the shade and  wear wide-brimmed hats or carry umbrellas.

“Some of the impacts of the heat wave are occurrences of veldt fires, crop wilting and heat related diseases,” says the press release.

The release explains that a heat wave occurs when a system of high atmospheric pressure moves into an area.

 “In such a high pressure system, air from upper levels of our atmosphere is pulled towards the ground, where it becomes compressed and increases in temperature,” it says.  

It further explains that  the high concentration of pressure makes it difficult for other weather systems to move into the area, which is why a heat wave can last for several days or weeks.

“The longer the system stays in an area, the hotter the area becomes. The high pressure inhibits winds, making them fade to non-existent,” says the release.

In addition,  it says because the high pressure system also prevents clouds from entering the region, sunlight can heat up the system even more.

“The combination of all these factors creates the exceptionally hot temperatures we call a heat wave,” it says. Ends