Severe thunderstorms bringing hail, heavy rain and “excessive lightning” are expected to hit the southern part of Gauteng on Thursday afternoon.

The expected storms raised the chances of flooding, hail damage and lightning strikes, the SA Weather Service said.

While Gauteng awoke to blue skies on Thursday morning, thunderstorms were brewing in the northern part of the Free State by midmorning, according to the SAWS online storm tracking map.

The storms were expected to hit Gauteng by late afternoon.

Potential threats include heavy rain, flooding, “large amounts of small hail” and “excessive lightning”, the update warned.

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