A severe storm hit South Africa’s Western Cape province between 6 and 9 April 2024, with extreme winds gusting at up to 135km/h. The storm left a trail of destruction across Cape Town and surrounding areas – at least 1,500 people were left homeless after the high winds fanned fires through their communities, burning homes to the ground.
Sabina Abba Omar and Stefaan Conradie are climate researchers who have studied rainfall variability and weather extremes around Cape Town. They explain some of the factors behind the storms.
