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Severe thunderstorms, disruptive rain and a heat wave for Thursday

1 January 2025 [updated 2 January]
By Staff Writer


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

Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers over the central and eastern areas of the country on Thursday, according to the SA Weather Service (SAWS).

A heat wave with persistently high temperatures in places over the northern parts of the Eastern Cape will continue on Thursday until Saturday.

Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected over the central and eastern areas of the country on Friday, and including the south coast of the Western Cape on Saturday.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service for Thursday:

A. yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms leading to localised damage to infrastructure, settlements (informal), property, vehicles livelihood and livestock over Mpumalanga, western and northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal as well as the south-western parts of Limpopo.

B. yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of susceptible formal/informal settlements or roads, low-lying areas and bridges over Gauteng, eastern parts of the North West and south-western Bushveld of Limpopo.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over most of the Northern Cape, in places over the south-eastern parts of the Free State as well as the northern parts of the Eastern Cape.

Regional forecasts from SAWS for Thursday:

1. GAUTENG
Warm in the north, otherwise cloudy and cool with scattered showers and thundershowers.
The expected UVB sunburn index: High

2. MPUMALANGA
Cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the east where it will be hot in the Lowveld.

3. LIMPOPO
Cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers.

4. NORTH WEST
Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the east.

5. FREE STATE
Morning fog patches in the east, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the north-east but scattered over the extreme east.

6. NORTHERN CAPE
Fine and hot to very hot but partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme north-east. The wind along the coast will be Fresh to strong southerly.

7. WESTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy in the southern parts of the Overberg District with a chance of light morning rain, otherwise fine and warm to hot but cool over parts of the City of Cape Town as well as the southern parts Garden Route. The wind along the coast will be fresh southerly.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Low

8. WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and warm to hot but cloudy with a chance of light rain in the extreme south-east. The wind along the coast will be Light to moderate south-westerly, becoming moderate easterly in the afternoon.

9. EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy south of the escarpment with a chance of light rain, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm, but hot in the north with isolated thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly in the south at first, otherwise moderate easterly.

10. KWAZULU-NATAL
Morning fog patches over the interior, otherwise cloudy at times and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be variable becoming light easterly to north-easterly from the afternoon.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

Travellers forecasts from SAWS for Thursday:

PRETORIA
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/25°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: High

JOHANNESBURG
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/22°C

VEREENIGING
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/22°C

MBOMBELA
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 20/29°C

POLOKWANE
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 20/29°C

MAHIKENG
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/27°C

VRYBURG
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/30°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/35°C

KIMBERLEY
Fine becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 20/37°C

UPINGTON
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 21/39°C

CAPE TOWN
Partly cloudy becoming fine in the afternoon.
Wind: Moderate to fresh southerly, but light in the morning.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/26°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Low

GEORGE
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Light and variable in the morning, becoming moderate easterly to south-easterly towards the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/25°C

GQEBERHA
Fine becoming cloudy in the evening.
Wind: Light to moderate south-westerly becoming moderate easterly in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/26°C

EAST LONDON
Cloudy with a chance of light rain at times.
Wind: Light to moderate south-westerly at first, otherwise moderate easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/26°C

DURBAN
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain.
Wind: Light and variable becoming easterly to north-easterly from the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 22/28°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Very High

RICHARDS BAY
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Light and variable becoming easterly to north-easterly from the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 23/30°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog patches, otherwise cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/28°C

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


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