Hailstorm warning for Graaff-Reinet as rains come to some of SA's driest towns

The SA Weather Service has issued a warning of severe thunderstorms resulting in hail or damaging winds between Willowmore and Graaff-Reinet.

The warning is effective until 5pm on Wednesday for the drought-stricken area of the Eastern Cape.

Severe thunderstorms with large hail, heavy downpours and strong winds are anticipated west of Vanwyksvlei, moving towards the Northern Cape town on Wednesday afternoon, Saws said.

Since Tuesday, “a good amount of rainfall” had fallen over the central parts of SA, bringing relief to the hinterland, the service said on Twitter.

Graaff-Reinet received 26mm of rain, the Addo Elephant Park 27mm and Makhanda (Grahamstown) 40mm. Port Elizabeth, where water restrictions are also in place, received 10mm-11mm.

This is the second welcome burst of rainfall in Graaff-Reinet since the start of the year. The Karoo town has a water crisis that has dragged on for more than two years, and its main water supply, the Nqweba Dam, dried up.

In September, the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers intervened to send water trucks, tankers, a drilling machine and hydrologist Dr Gideon Groenewald to the town.