Weather service warns of severe thunderstorms in two provinces on Friday

The South African Weather Service (Saws) said partly cloudy and warm conditions are expected in most parts of South Africa on Friday, but warned of severe thunderstorms in the Western Cape and Northern Cape.

It said a cut-off low-pressure system will hit the western parts of South Africa on Friday and into the weekend.

Weather warnings: Friday, 25 September 2026

Severe thunderstorms are expected in the higher areas of Namakwa in the Northern Cape as well as the Central Karoo in the Western Cape.

Saws said the thunderstorms will come with significant hail, lightning and strong winds.

It also warned of dangerous conditions that could lead to fire in the north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Friday, 25 September 2026:

Gauteng:

Partly cloudy and warm.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Very high.

Mpumalanga:

Morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme south-western parts.

Limpopo:

Cloudy in the east at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers expected over places in the east, as well as the south-western parts.

North West:

Fine and warm becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east.

Free State:

Fine and warm, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon.

Northern Cape:

Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers over the south-eastern and central parts, but widespread over the western parts and southern high-ground.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable in the morning, otherwise fresh to strong easterly to north-easterly, but strong northerly along the northern coastline.

Western Cape:

Partly cloudy over the Little and Central Karoo in the morning, with widespread showers and thundershowers in the afternoon. Otherwise, the province will be cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable along the west until the afternoon, otherwise moderate north-westerly, becoming fresh easterly to south-easterly from the afternoon.

The expected UVB sunburn index: Very high.

Eastern Cape (western half):

Morning fog in places in the south, otherwise fine and cool to warm, becoming cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.

The wind along the coast will be moderate north-easterly at first, otherwise moderate to fresh south-westerly.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

Cloudy with fog patches in places south of the escarpment, otherwise fine and warm to hot, becoming cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme east, but scattered in the north-west.

The wind along the coast will be moderate north-easterly, becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly in the south by the afternoon, spreading to the rest of the coast by late evening.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme south-west and north-east.

The wind along the coast will be light to moderate northerly to north-easterly, becoming fresh in the afternoon.

The expected UVB sunburn index: High.