The South African Weather Service (SAWS) said on Tuesday that Gauteng citizens should not expect another tornado anytime soon, but warned that severe thunderstorms and hail would hit Gauteng.
"We are not expecting tornados today [Tuesday]... but what we are heavily concerned about are the severe thunderstorms and hail which is expected," weather forecaster Victoria Nurse told HuffPost SA.
Nurse also spoke about the "tornado" that hit the Vaal Marina area where approximately 300 people have been displaced and 50 others injured.
"It does look like a tornado from the damage it caused, but it was not clear the images and videos. We are not expecting tornados today as the [conditions] that occur today are different to that of yesterday.
The SAWS has a warning report on its website in which it indicates "severe weather conditions". Here is the terminology that the SAWS uses to describe weather warnings:
1. Severe weather is an extreme meteorological event or phenomenon, which represents a real hazard to human life and property and has the potential to cause damage, serious social disruption, or loss of human life.
2. Special weather advisory: An alert raising awareness up to five days in advance to either expected large-scale potential disruptive weather systems that could later lead to specific watches/warnings with time, or to less urgent alerts of uncommon conditions.
3. Severe weather watch: An alert calling for preparedness to weather hazards that most likely will occur within one to three days and that could lead to disruptive and disastrous conditions.
4. Severe weather warning: An alert calling for reaction due to a very high certainty of a severe weather hazard that is already occurring or imminent within 24 hours and that could lead to disruptive and disastrous conditions.
