The residents of Midrand witnessed a dramatic shift in weather as a hailstorm, complete with heavy downpours, descended upon the area.
‘Unseasonal’ Midrand hailstorm stuns residents
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The storm, part of an unseasonal weather pattern affecting the region, led to significant disruptions across the city.
Gauteng Weather had issued an early warning of the hailstorm, cautioning about the severe weather conditions moving towards the Johannesburg CBD.
However, the intensity of the storm, as it hit Midrand, took many by surprise.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) had earlier warned of a Yellow Level 2 alert for severe thunderstorms.
This alert predicted heavy downpours leading to localised flooding over Gauteng, the Highveld and the escarpment of Mpumalanga, the extreme southern parts of Limpopo, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Adding to the unpredictability, South Africa is currently experiencing an El Niño state, which typically brings drier and warmer conditions.
However, contrary to the usual El Niño effects, the northeastern regions of South Africa, including Midrand, have been forecasted to receive above-normal rainfall in the coming months.
This paradoxical situation stems from global forecasts presenting uncertainty, particularly for the eastern regions of the country.
