Heatwave conditions expected to persist until Friday

A runner cools down with water.

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Heatwave conditions in the Free State are expected to persist until Friday. The South African Weather Service says temperatures are expected to reach a scorching 41 degrees Celsius.

Residents are advised to stay hydrated during this period.

Meanwhile, in Mangaung, the water supply has been cut due to a power failure at the Maselspoort Water Treatment Plant.

With extreme heat becoming more common, many people are out and about at parks, looking for ways to cool off, and with the school holidays in full swing, some are already taking advantage of the hot weather by visiting popular hang-out spots, particularly water activities.

“Festive season what a very massive hot season. My message to parents is to take care of their kids,” says one of the residents.

A teacher says, “Learners are in the swimming pool, cooling as we speak and we gave them juices in the morning and then we as teachers, are drinking water and we are fine.”

Temperatures are soaring in the province and are expected to reach 41 degrees Celsius.

“We are expecting this heatwave to persist up until Friday as it has been issued by the South African Weather Service other than that we are just expecting some isolated showers and thundershowers mainly concentrating over the eastern parts of the Free State from today until Friday and on Saturday we are expecting the rainfall to range from isolated to scattered than the showers,” says Free State Weather Forecaster Lungile Makondo.

The weather office says residents should brace themselves for the possibility of yet another heatwave before the end of the year.