Sunday’s weather: KZN braces for severe storms and flooding as heat wave grips Gauteng

Heavy downpours, hail and flooding are expected across most of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 1 November, while a heat wave continues in parts of the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

Here is what to expect tomorrow, according to the South African Weather Service (Saws).

Weather warnings for 1 November 2026

Impact-based warnings

A yellow level 4 warning has been issued for severe thunderstorms over most parts of KwaZulu-Natal, except the north-east.

Heavy downpours, hail and excessive lightning could result in flooding and damage to settlements and infrastructure.

A yellow level 2 warning is in place for severe thunderstorms in places over the Joe Gqabi, Chris Hani, OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo district municipalities in the Eastern Cape, as well as the extreme south-eastern parts of Mpumalanga.

This could lead to localised damage to settlements and property, localised flooding of roads and bridges, and localised disruption to power supply and communications.

Fire danger warnings

Expect extremely high fire danger over the central and eastern parts of the Northern Cape, parts of the Free State, and the central and western parts of North West.

Advisories

A heat wave with persistently high temperatures is expected in places over the Chris Hani and Alfred Nzo district municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

It will also affect the Highveld and parts of the escarpment of Mpumalanga, and the northern parts of Gauteng. It will persist until Monday, 2 November.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on 1 November:

Gauteng:

It will be partly cloudy and hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers. It will be very hot in places in the north.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Expect fine conditions in the morning. Otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and hot, with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the extreme west, Lowveld and northern part of the escarpment.

It will be very hot in places on the Lowveld and escarpment.

Limpopo:

It will be fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers over the western and southern parts.

North West:

It will be partly cloudy and hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

Free State:

Expect partly cloudy and warm conditions, with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Northern Cape:

It will be cloudy along the coast in the morning, and cool in places in the south.

Otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the eastern parts.

Conditions will become fine with high-level clouds over the western parts from the afternoon.

Along the coast, the wind will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly.

Western Cape:

It will be warm in places along the West Coast. Otherwise, expect cloudy and cool conditions with light rain along the south coast and adjacent interior.

This will clear from the west, becoming partly cloudy over the western parts from the afternoon.

Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected over the north-eastern parts from the afternoon.

Along the coast, the wind will be fresh to strong south to south-easterly.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Eastern Cape (western half):

It will be cloudy and cool with scattered showers and rain, but scattered showers and thundershowers in the north.

Along the coast, the wind will be moderate to fresh south-westerly, becoming light and variable in the late evening.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Expect cloudy conditions, cool to warm, with scattered showers and rain.

These will be widespread along the coast and adjacent interior.

Scattered showers and thundershowers can be expected in the north.

Along the coast, the wind will be moderate to fresh south-westerly, becoming southerly in the afternoon and south-easterly in the evening.

KwaZulu-Natal:

There will be morning fog over the south-eastern interior.

Otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, but very hot in places in the north.

It will become cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the north-east.

Along the coast, the wind will be moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly. It will become southerly to south-westerly from the south by mid-morning, spreading to Richards Bay in the afternoon.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “moderate”.