Looking at our weather forecast, we were stunned to see two days of 38-degree weather; five provinces will be hit by a heatwave this week.
South Africa (04 October 2022) – Summer isn’t even here yet, and we are being hit with a heatwave that will affect five provinces. The South African Weather Service has issued warnings so that people can stay out of the sun and heat, and keep animals and vulnerable people protected.
Gauteng, North West, Free State, Limpopo and Mpumalanga are all set to feel the heat over the next few days.
⚠️HEAT WAVE ADVISORY- A slight drop in temperatures tomorrow (Wednesday) but the #heatwave advisory was extended until Friday (07 October 2022) for Gauteng, North West, northern Free State, and in places in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. pic.twitter.com/IMdQiHmSkU
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) October 4, 2022
This heat will feel unbearable, but there are ways to manage it to protect yourself, your loved ones, animals and people in need.
We have a few tips to help everyone get through the next few days. The most important tip of all, stay hydrated! Double up on your water intake as you will probably be sweating most of it out.
- Keep a few bottles of water in your car, inside a cooler bag with an ice brick. These can be used to stay hydrated and cool or to be given to vulnerable people on the streets.
- If your car is prone to overheating, make sure you have the relevant emergency numbers on your phone and be sure to keep additional water, sunscreen, a hat and/or umbrella in the car should you get stuck. Do this even if your car isn’t prone to overheating.
- Refresh your pet’s water regularly and make sure they have somewhere shaded and cool to hide from the heat of the day. Freezing bricks of water can be a fun and cooling treat for them.
- Refill birdbaths and other water containers so that wildlife can also have access to fresh and clean water.
- Keep the curtains of rooms that get full sun closed; this will help keep the worst of the heat out of the house.
- Plan cooling meals that do not require cooking or the use of any heat. Salads, cold meats and precooking the day before will help you avoid overheating.
- Understand the signs of heatstroke in case you encounter anyone who may be affected.
- In a jam, a wet/damp towel is a quick way to blanket someone feeling overwhelmed by the heat.
- Stay inside wherever possible and if not, stick to shady areas.
- Apply lots of sunblock and take a hat wherever you go.
- Check-in on family members who may be living alone, are pregnant, have small children, are on chronic medication, or are elderly grandparents and parents who will be more affected by the heat.
- If you have a fan or air-con, make use of them.
- If spending time in the pool, take the umbrella in with you so you can have shade in the water.
- Wear cooling clothing in light colours and fabrics.
- Make sure to give your gardens a very deep soak at the end or start of each day, so you do not lose any beloved plants. Mulching them will also help them retain water.
- If using public transport, make sure the windows near you are open.
- Save all relevant emergency contacts for either human or pet-related troubles.
- Do not walk pets if the ground is still hot to the touch, rather skip a walking day in favour of keeping them cool.
What are you planning to do to manage the heat? Let us know your tips in the comment section in case we missed any.
🥵 🥵 𝙎𝘾𝙃𝙊𝙍𝘾𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙒𝘼𝙑𝙀 𝙐𝙋𝘿𝘼𝙏𝙀 🥵 🥵
𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 – Heatwave conditions extended until 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 (07 October 2022) for Gauteng, North West, northern Free State, over the Bushveld of Limpopo and Highveld of Mpumalanga#voxweather #heatwave pic.twitter.com/cuoG9Wwjbz
— Vox Weather (@VoxWeatherZa) October 4, 2022
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