More maps below the forecast

Warnings issued for disruptive rain and flooding on Wednesday, and heavy rain for the next week

17 December 2024 [updated 18 December]
By Staff Writer


A newer forecast is available by clicking here but the various warnings for Wednesday still apply too.

Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected over the central and eastern areas, but will be widespread over KwaZulu-Natal, with severe thunderstorms over the eastern and central provinces according to the SA Weather Service.

The dry trend is expected to continue over the central interior for the next week with only isolated thunderstorms possible, but the eastern provinces are likely to see a significant improvement in rainfall over the coming week, as tropical moisture and favourable synoptic conditions are expected to bring more rainfall to the area.

According to the SA Weather Service, the eastern part of South Africa is expected to experience increased rainfall over the next week, with numerical models predicting between 70mm - 150 mm of accumulated rainfall in parts of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern Free State, eastern parts of North West, and the western and southern areas of Limpopo

By Friday isolated showers and thundershowers are possible over the north-eastern areas of the country, but scattered over Gauteng, Mpumalanga as well as the eastern parts of North West with light rain expected along the south coast.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service for Wednesday:

A. orange level 5 warning for disruptive rain leading to flooding of roads and settlements, damage to infrastructure and displacement of affected communities is expected along the coast and adjacent interior of KwaZulu-Natal, as per the updated map below.

B. yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain leading to localised flooding and damage to infrastructure is expected over most parts of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as the northern parts of Limpopo, as per the updated map below.

C. yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms, as per the map below.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the northern and eastern parts of the Northern Cape and the western parts of the Free State.

Regional forecasts from SAWS for Wednesday:

1. GAUTENG
Partly cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers.
The expected UVB sunburn index: High

2. MPUMALANGA
Partly cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the eastern Lowveld where it will be very hot.

3. LIMPOPO
Partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the extreme east.

4. NORTH WEST
Partly cloudy, windy and hot with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the west.

5. FREE STATE
Partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the west.

6. NORTHERN CAPE
Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy in the north and east in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north-east. It will be cool to warm in the west. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly but strong in the afternoon.

7. WESTERN CAPE
Fine and warm to hot but cool along the south-western and southern coast where it will be partly cloudy. The wind along the coast will be light south-westerly to westerly along the south coast in the morning, otherwise fresh to strong southerly, becoming moderate to fresh south-easterly to easterly along the south-western and southern coast from the evening.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

8. WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and warm but cloudy with isolated showers and rain in the east. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly, becoming southerly to south-easterly in the evening.

9. EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cool with scattered showers and rain but partly cloudy with isolated thundershowers in the north. The wind along the coast will be moderate southerly.

10. KWAZULU-NATAL
Morning fog over the central interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot, becoming cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate easterly to north-easterly, becoming south-easterly in the south.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate

Travellers forecasts from SAWS for Wednesday:

PRETORIA
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/31°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: High

JOHANNESBURG
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/28°C

VEREENIGING
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/28°C

MBOMBELA
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/28°C

POLOKWANE
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/27°C

MAHIKENG
Partly cloudy and windy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 20/33°C

VRYBURG
Partly cloudy and windy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/36°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/35°C

KIMBERLEY
Fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/37°C

UPINGTON
Fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/37°C

CAPE TOWN
Partly cloudy in the morning, otherwise fine.
Wind: Moderate to fresh south-easterly, but strong in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/24°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Extreme

GEORGE
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Light and variable in the early morning, otherwise light to moderate southerly to south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/22°C

GQEBERHA
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Moderate southerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/25°C

EAST LONDON
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/24°C

DURBAN
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Light to moderate north-easterly, becoming easterly to south-easterly in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 22/28°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Moderate

RICHARDS BAY
Partly cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Moderate to fresh north-easterly, becoming easterly from late afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 23/33°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog patches, otherwise cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/29°C


This forecast may change and updates issued more than once a day.


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