Weather alert: Here’s what to expect across South Africa on Sunday

South Africa faces a mix of weather conditions on Sunday, 8 November 2026, with fire danger warnings, severe thunderstorms and potentially life-threatening flooding expected across several provinces.

Fire danger warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over parts of the Northern Cape, Western Cape and Limpopo.

According to the South African Weather Service (Saws), the affected areas in the Northern Cape include the Nama Khoi, Kamiesberg and Hantam municipalities.

In the Western Cape, the warning applies to the Matzikama Local Municipality and Laingsburg Local Municipality.

Impact-based warnings

A. Orange level five warning

Heavy rainfall is expected to cause significant flooding across the central and southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

The impacts may include flooding of roads and residential areas, including formal and informal settlements, posing a serious threat to human life due to fast-flowing streams and deep water.

Damage to vulnerable structures, particularly mud-based and makeshift dwellings, as well as property, infrastructure, agricultural activities, livestock and crops, is also anticipated.

B. Yellow level four warning

Severe thunderstorms are expected over northern KZN, the Mpumalanga highveld and the south-central parts of Limpopo.

These storms may produce intense rainfall, hail, strong damaging winds and excessive lightning, potentially resulting in flooding and damage to infrastructure.

C. Yellow level two warning – Severe Thunderstorms

Severe thunderstorms are forecast over the eastern parts of North West and the Free State, the Mpumalanga lowveld and escarpment, most parts of Limpopo, as well as Gauteng.

Heavy downpours may result in localised flooding of settlements and damage to property.

Strong winds, hail and excessive lightning could also cause temporary disruptions to electricity supply and communication services.

D. Yellow level two warning

In the south-eastern parts of the Eastern Cape, a yellow level two warning has been issued for disruptive rainfall, which may lead to localised flooding of settlements, roads and bridges, affecting transport and daily activities.

Provincial weather forecast:

Across the provinces, weather conditions will vary. Here’s what to expect in your province on Sunday, 8 November 2026.

Gauteng:

Cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers, but hot in the north. The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate

Mpumalanga:

In Mpumalanga, cloudy and cool to warm are expected, with scattered showers and thundershowers.

Limpopo:

Cloudy and warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers.

North West:

North West will partly cloudy, windy and warm to hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in the east.

It will be fine in the west.

Free State:

Fine in the west, otherwise cloudy to partly cloudy, and cool to warm, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in east.

It will be windy in places, and cold in places in the east.

Northern Cape:

Fine, windy and cool to warm. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly

Western Cape:

Fine and cool to warm but hot over Matzikama municipality. It will be partly cloudy in the east with isolated showers and rain in the south-east.

The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-easterly to easterly, but moderate along the south-west at times during the morning.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

Eastern Cape (western half):

Partly cloudy and cool, with isolated showers and rain, except in the north. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Cloudy to partly cloudy and cool to cold with isolated to scattered showers and rain, but widespread south of the escarpment.

The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-easterly, becoming easterly.

KZN

Across KZN, morning fog is expected in the interior.

Elsewhere, it will be cloudy and cold to cool with widespread showers and rain.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly, reaching strong in the north in the afternoon but becoming light to moderate south-westerly south of Richards Bay from late afternoon.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate