WEATHER TODAY: Severe storms for Eastern Cape, 36°C in Pietermaritzburg

A Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms covers much of the Eastern Cape from 15:00 to 23:59, with localised damage and power disruption possible, and a 60% chance of rain in Gqeberha, East London and Queenstown. Pietermaritzburg is the hottest at 36°C, while a Level 10 veld fire warning runs from 08:00 to 18:59 for Beaufort West, Sutherland and nearby towns. The rest of the interior stays dry and partly cloudy, with highs of about 30°C.

Weather warnings for Monday 12 October

SAWS has 3 weather warnings in force for Monday, the highest warning level 10 for veld fire conditions. Tap a warning to see the areas and what to do.

Red level 10

Veld Fire Conditions

Where

Prince Albert, Ladismith, Beaufort West, Sutherland + 14 more

When

Mon 08:00 to 18:59

Areas:

Prince Albert, Ladismith, Beaufort West, Sutherland, Laingsburg, Victoria West, Noupoort, Vryburg, Barkly West, Jan Kempdorp, Molteno, Queenstown, Lady Frere, Tarkastad, Jamesto, Graaff – Reinet, Burgersdorp, Cradock.

• Conditions are such that the FDI index is above 75. Under these conditions fires may develop and spread rapidly resulting in damage to property and possible loss of human and/or animal life.

What to do:

All personnel and equipment should be removed from the field. Fire teams, labour and equipment are to be placed on full stand-by. At first sign of smoke, every possible measure should be taken in order to bring the fire under control in the shortest possible time. All available aircraft are to be called for without delay.

Yellow level 2

Severe Thunderstorms

Where

Molteno, Queenstown, Grahamstown, Libode + 25 more

When

Mon 15:00 to 23:59

Areas:

Molteno, Queenstown, Grahamstown, Libode, Lady Frere, Tsolo, Elliot, Peddie, Somerset East, Tarkastad, Mthatha, Adelaide, Fort, Jamesto, Jansenville, Stutterheim, Barkly East, Cofimvaba, East london, Graaff – Reinet, Komga, Burgersdorp, Dutywa, Maclear, Butterworth, Addo, Ngcobo, Port Alfred, Cradock.

• Localised damage to settlements, property, temporary structures.
• Localised disruption to power and communication supply.
• Localised flooding.
• Loss of livestock and crops.
• Danger to life.

What to do:

If possible avoid traveling, stay indoors away from metal objects. Secure lose objects before thunderstorms start. Do not seek shelter under trees or tall objects. Do not cross flooded areas. Keep listening for updates.

Warning Advisory

Weather Advisory

Where

Willowmore, Grahamstown, Peddie, Mthatha + 13 more

When

valid until 21:59 on 12 October

Areas:

Willowmore, Grahamstown, Peddie, Mthatha, Patensie, Port Elizabeth, East london, Joubertina, Komga, Dutywa, Butterworth, Bizana, Addo, Port Alfred, Libode, Lusikisiki, Port St Johns.

• High discomfort
• Heat exhaustion
• Dehydration.

What to do:

Drink lots of liquids and stay in shaded areas with lots of ventilation. Do not keep elderly and children inside the cars.

SAWS advisory

Impact-Based Warnings

What

1 item, tap to read

• Yellow level 2 Warning for Severe Thunderstorms resulting in localised damage to settlements, property and localised disruption to communication and power supply are expected over the Eastern Cape (except in the extreme north-east).

SAWS advisory

Fire Danger Warnings

What

1 item, tap to read

• Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the Northern Cap, Naledi municipality of North-West, in places over the Eastern Cape as well as the in places over King Cetshwayo District of KwaZulu Natal.

SAWS advisory

Advisories

What

2 items, tap to read

• A heat wave with persistently high temperatures is expected in places in the north-western parts of KwaZulu Natal until Tuesday (11-13/10/2026).
• Extremely uncomfortable conditions are expected in places over the southern parts of the Eastern Cape.

Moon tonightWaxing Crescent5% lit

The moon tonight is a waxing crescent, about 5% lit, and the next full moon is on Monday 26 October.

Weather today by province, Monday 12 October

View 5-Day Weather Forecast

Each province lists its main towns with today’s sky, low and high, rain chance and wind; every province starts closed, tap one to open it. Tide times are inside Western Cape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Today Johannesburg peaks at 30°C.

Gauteng

Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto, VereenigingA dry, partly cloudy day with highs of 31°C in Pretoria and 30°C in Johannesburg, Soweto and Vereeniging, after a morning low of 13°C to 15°C.Johannesburg today

Partly cloudy

30°

14°0%

NNE 5 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close Gauteng

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Johannesburg

Partly cloudy14°30°0%

NNE 5

Pretoria

Partly cloudy15°31°0%

ENE 5

Soweto

Partly cloudy13°30°0%

NNE 5

Vereeniging

Partly cloudy15°30°0%

N 5

Western Cape

Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Paarl, George · tidesSlight rain is possible in Cape Town (19°C), Stellenbosch and Paarl, with showers in George, all at 30%. A Level 10 veld fire warning covers Prince Albert, Beaufort West, Laingsburg and Ladismith, 08:00 to 18:59.Cape Town today

Slight rain

19°

14°30%

NNW 15 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close Western Cape

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Cape Town

Slight rain14°19°30%

NNW 15

Stellenbosch

Slight rain10°20°30%

NW 15

Paarl

Slight rain12°22°30%

NW 10

George

Rain showers12°21°30%

WSW 5

Tides: Cape Town

DayLow tideHigh tideMon 12 Oct09:53, 22:1503:55, 16:05

Mpumalanga and Limpopo next today: Mbombela reaches 27°C and Polokwane reaches 30°C.

Mpumalanga

Mbombela, eMalahleni, ErmeloFog in Mbombela and Ermelo, where highs reach 27°C and 28°C. eMalahleni is partly cloudy at 30°C, and no rain is expected.Mbombela today

Fog

27°

18°0%

NE 10 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close Mpumalanga

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Mbombela

Fog18°27°0%

NE 10

eMalahleni

Partly cloudy16°30°0%

NNW 10

Ermelo

Fog10°28°0%

ENE 5

Limpopo

Polokwane, Tzaneen, Thohoyandou, MusinaDry, with Polokwane and Musina partly cloudy at 30°C and cloud over Tzaneen and Thohoyandou, both reaching 29°C.Polokwane today

Partly cloudy

30°

15°0%

NE 10 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close Limpopo

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Polokwane

Partly cloudy15°30°0%

NE 10

Tzaneen

Cloudy17°29°0%

ENE 10

Thohoyandou

Cloudy14°29°0%

SE 5

Musina

Partly cloudy17°30°0%

ESE 10

North West and Free State follow today: Mahikeng reaches 30°C and Bloemfontein reaches 28°C.

North West

Mahikeng, Rustenburg, Potchefstroom, KlerksdorpRustenburg is the warmest at 32°C, with Potchefstroom at 31°C and Mahikeng and Klerksdorp at 30°C, all dry. Fire danger is extremely high in the Naledi municipality.Mahikeng today

Partly cloudy

30°

19°0%

NNE 15 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close North West

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Mahikeng

Partly cloudy19°30°0%

NNE 15

Rustenburg

Partly cloudy19°32°0%

NE 10

Potchefstroom

Partly cloudy18°31°0%

N 10

Klerksdorp

Partly cloudy19°30°0%

N 10

Free State

Bloemfontein, Bethlehem, KroonstadDry and partly cloudy: Kroonstad reaches 31°C, Bethlehem 29°C and Bloemfontein 28°C, after lows of 15°C to 18°C.Bloemfontein today

Partly cloudy

28°

18°0%

NNE 15 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close Free State

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Bloemfontein

Partly cloudy18°28°0%

NNE 15

Bethlehem

Partly cloudy15°29°0%

N 5

Kroonstad

Partly cloudy18°31°0%

N 10

Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal close the list today: Kimberley reaches 31°C, Gqeberha reaches 28°C and Durban reaches 30°C.

Northern Cape

Kimberley, Upington, Springbok, De Aar · tidesUpington reaches 34°C, Kimberley 31°C and De Aar 30°C, with a 30% chance of thundershowers. A Level 10 veld fire warning covers Sutherland and Victoria West from 08:00 to 18:59.Kimberley today

Rain, storms

31°

20°30%

NNW 15 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close Northern Cape

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Kimberley

Rain, storms20°31°30%

NNW 15

Upington

Rain, storms23°34°30%

NW 15

Springbok

Cloudy16°24°0%

W 10

De Aar

Rain, storms20°30°30%

NW 15

Tides: Port Nolloth (modelled)

DayLow tideHigh tideMon 12 Oct09:09, 21:3303:15, 15:24

Eastern Cape

Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha, Queenstown · tidesA Level 2 severe thunderstorm warning for Queenstown, Molteno, Grahamstown, Lady Frere, Libode and Tsolo runs from 15:00 to 23:59. Mthatha hits 35°C and East London 34°C, with 60% rain chance in Gqeberha.Gqeberha today

Rain, storms

28°

16°60%

SW 15 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close Eastern Cape

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Gqeberha

Rain, storms16°28°60%

SW 15

East London

Rain, storms19°34°60%

SW 10

Mthatha

Rain, storms18°35°30%

NNW 5

Queenstown

Rain, storms15°31°60%

NW 15

Tides: Gqeberha

DayLow tideHigh tideMon 12 Oct10:07, 22:3004:11, 16:23

Tides: East London

DayLow tideHigh tideMon 12 Oct10:09, 22:3104:11, 16:24

KwaZulu-Natal

Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay, Newcastle · tidesNewcastle and Richards Bay reach 35°C, Durban 30°C, and Pietermaritzburg has a 30% chance of thundershowers. A heat wave grips the north-west, with extremely high fire danger in King Cetshwayo.Durban today

Partly cloudy

30°

22°0%

NNE 15 km/h

Tap for every town today

Tap to close KwaZulu-Natal

Towns today

TownWeatherLoHiRainWind km/h

Durban

Partly cloudy22°30°0%

NNE 15

Pietermaritzburg

Rain, storms18°36°30%

NNW 5

Richards Bay

Partly cloudy17°35°0%

NE 10

Newcastle

Partly cloudy15°35°0%

NE 5

Tides: Durban

DayLow tideHigh tideMon 12 Oct10:14, 22:3604:12, 16:25

View the 5-Day Weather Forecast

Forecast data: the South African Weather Service and other third-party sources and providers, brought together with the latest AI tools. We take great care to get every figure right, but mistakes are possible.

More weather news, warnings and forecasts are on The South African’s weather page.