WEDNESDAY WEATHER: High fire risk in four provinces and rain in the east

By Staff Writer
Published: 18 August 2026

This forecast is for: Wed 19 August 2026
The maps cover: Wed 19 Aug – Thu 20 Aug


Fine and warm to cool but partly cloudy along the east coast and the adjacent interior with isolated rain and showers possible in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service:

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the Walter Sisulu, Senqu, Inxuba Yethu, Enoch Mgijima and Emalahleni local municipalities of the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape, and south-western parts of both Free State and North West, as per the map.

Regional forecasts from the SA Weather Service:

GAUTENG
Fine and warm.

MPUMALANGA
Cloudy in the east in the morning with fog patches and drizzle along the escarpment, where it will be cool in places, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but fine in the west.

LIMPOPO
Cloudy in the east with morning fog in places along the escarpment, otherwise fine and warm but partly cloudy in the east.

NORTH WEST
Fine and warm.

THE FREE STATE
Fine and cool to warm.

THE NORTHERN CAPE
Fine and cool to warm but hot in places. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly.

THE WESTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy in the south, otherwise fine and cool, but warm in places over the Central Karoo. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly to south-easterly.

THE WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy in places at first, otherwise fine and warm to hot, but cool along the coast where it will become partly cloudy in the evening. It will be windy in places over the northern interior in the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

THE EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy with morning fog in the south, becoming fine and cool but warm and windy in places. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-easterly.

KWAZULU-NATAL
Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and rain along the coast. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly.

Travellers forecasts from the SA Weather Service:

PRETORIA
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 09/27°C

JOHANNESBURG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 08/27°C

VEREENIGING
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 04/25°C

MBOMBELA
Morning fog patches and drizzle, otherwise partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 10/23°C

POLOKWANE
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 07/26°C

MAHIKENG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/27°C

VRYBURG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 07/29°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 07/28°C

KIMBERLEY
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/29°C

UPINGTON
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 09/32°C

CAPE TOWN
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Light to moderate south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/18°C

GEORGE
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Light to moderate southerly to south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 09/18°C

GQEBERHA
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Light northerly, becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/25°C

KuGOMPO CITY
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Light south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/27°C

DURBAN
Party cloudy with isolated morning showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate to fresh north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/25°C

RICHARDS BAY
Party cloudy with isolated morning showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate to fresh north-easterly
Minimum/Maximum: 13/28°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog, otherwise partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 08/29°C

This forecast is usually updated a few times per day.



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