THURSDAY WEATHER: Widespread and disruptive rain, flooding, thunderstorms, strong wind, snow and very cold

By Staff Writer
Published: 16 September 2026

This forecast is for: Thu 17 September 2026
The maps cover: Thu 17 Sep – Fri 18 Sep


Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected over the south-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal, southern parts of the Northern Cape as well as Cape Winelands, Central Karoo and Little Karoo districts of the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape, and the eastern and southern parts of the Free State until Friday.

Strong to near gale force south-easterly winds of 50-62 km/h, and gusts of 65-85km/h, are expected over the southern parts of the Northern Cape and Western Cape, except the Garden Route and Overberg Districts from Thursday until Saturday morning.

SEE ALSO: Snow indicated for Lesotho and SA from Wednesday until the weekend – heavy in places.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service:

A. level 6 warning for disruptive rainfall resulting in flooding of roads and settlements (formal and informal), danger to life (fast flowing streams/ deep water), displacement of affected communities, loss of livelihood and livestock along the south coast and adjacent interior of KwaZulu-Natal until Friday.

B. level 4 warning for disruptive rainfall resulting in flooding of roads and settlements (formal and informal), danger to life (fast flowing streams/ deep water) displacement of affected communities, loss of livelihood and livestock over the eastern and southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal until Friday.

C. level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms accompanied by heavy downpours and with a possibility of damaging winds, excessive lightning and hail, leading to injuries and danger to life, as well as localised flooding over eastern and northern Free State, north-western KwaZulu-Natal, and the southern Highveld of Mpumalanga.

D. level 2 warning for disruptive rainfall resulting in localised flooding of settlements, roads and low-lying bridges, localised disruptions to power supply and communications over the southern and extreme eastern parts of the Eastern Cape until Friday.

E. level 2 warning for damaging winds resulting in localised damage to settlements, localised interruption to power and communications and difficult driving conditions over the southern parts of the Northern Cape and the northern parts of the Western Cape.

Extremely high fire danger is expected over the western Bushveld of Limpopo.

Regional forecasts from the SA Weather Service:

GAUTENG
Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers.

MPUMALANGA
Cloudy in the east, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers over the Highveld.

LIMPOPO
Partly cloudy and warm.

NORTH WEST
Partly cloudy, windy and warm with isolated thundershowers.

THE FREE STATE
Cloudy, windy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the west where it will be partly cloudy.

THE NORTHERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and cool to warm but cloudy, windy and cold in the south Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the east, and south-east. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-easterly.

THE WESTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy the west and south-west, otherwise cloudy and cool to cold with isolated showers and rain over the central and eastern parts but scattered along the eastern parts of the south-coast. It will be windy in places from afternoon. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-easterly, but strong in the south-west.

THE WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cold to very cold with widespread showers and rain but scattered in the north and the extreme west. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-easterly.

THE EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cold to very cold with widespread showers and rain, but scattered in the north-west. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-easterly.

KWAZULU-NATAL
Morning fog patches over the western parts, otherwise cloudy and cold to cool but very cold in the south-west. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected over the extreme northern parts, otherwise widespread. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly, becoming moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly in the south in the afternoon.

Travellers forecasts from the SA Weather Service:

PRETORIA
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/29°C

JOHANNESBURG
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 09/26°C

VEREENIGING
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 10/26°C

MBOMBELA
Cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/27°C

POLOKWANE
Partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/28°C

MAHIKENG
Partly cloudy and windy with isolated thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/30°C

VRYBURG
Partly cloudy with isolated thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/29°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 08/22°C

KIMBERLEY
Partly cloudy with isolated thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 06/22°C

UPINGTON
Partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 10/23°C

CAPE TOWN
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Moderate south-easterly, becoming strong in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/19°C

GEORGE
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate to fresh south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/16°C

GQEBERHA
Cloudy with widespread showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate to fresh south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/15°C

KuGOMPO CITY
Cloudy with widespread showers and rain.
Wind: Light and variable, becoming moderate to fresh south-easterly in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/15°C

DURBAN
Cloudy with widespread showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate to fresh south-westerly, becoming fresh southerly to south-easterly from late afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/18°C

RICHARDS BAY
Cloudy with widespread showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate to fresh south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/20°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Cloudy with widespread showers and rain.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/14°C

This forecast is usually updated a few times per day.



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