Weather Warning: Gauteng + New SA Climate Records

Thunderstorms over the southern parts of Gauteng and central and eastern Free State may become severe with a risk of large hail and/or damaging winds.

Highest Daily Rain 84mm 1984-01-29 91mm 2008-01-03
Badplaas- Pol
Lowest Maximum 19.2mm 2006-01-08 18.5mm 2008-01-03
Ngqura (Coega)

Lightning was cracking and crashing aginst my windows for a large part of last night. Joburg is amazingly atmospheric weatherwise, more so than Bloem, despite having slightly milder summer and winter temperatures. The thunderstorms here are terrific.

Weather Warning: Gauteng

Heavy falls of rain are possible in some places in the eastern half of the Northwest province and southern Gauteng.

ALERT: Oil prices break through $93 mark

Oil prices have risen to fresh highs due to a combination of the weak dollar, supply concerns in Mexico and continued tensions in northern Iraq.

In early Asian trading on Monday, US light crude broke through $93 a barrel for the first time, hitting $93.20 before easing back slightly to $93.06.

London's Brent also hit a new high of $89.90 a barrel, up $1.21.
Some analysts believe oil prices will hit $100 a barrel before the end of 2007 if current pressures persist.

Taking inflation into account, prices are still below the peak of $101 a barrel seen in 1980.

The US currency has fallen to a fresh low against the euro, making oil - which is priced in dollars - attractive to buy, analysts said.
For the rest of this BBC story, here.

NVDL: At $100/bbl Gauteng drivers will pay R9/l at current exchange rates.