THURSDAY WEATHER: High fire danger conditions across a wide area and warnings for rain, thunderstorms and wind

By Staff Writer
Published: 21 January 2026 [updated 22 January]

This forecast is for: Thu 22 January 2026
The maps cover: Thu 22 Jan – Fri 23 Jan


The latest forecast is available by clicking here.

From Thursday a gradual decrease in the chances of rainfall is indicated for the eastern parts of South Africa following the widespread and heavy rainfall across parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. While isolated showers may still occur, conditions are expected to become relatively drier, allowing catchment areas some relief after the prolonged wet conditions.

Morning fog can be expected in a few provinces.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service for Thursday:

A. level 2 warning for disruptive rainfall with heavy downpours leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, settlements, low-lying bridges/areas, major roads affected but can be used, increased travel times over the north-western parts of Limpopo.

B. level 1 warning for severe thunderstorms over parts of KwaZulu-Natal, as per the map.

C. level 1 warning for damaging coastal winds off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, as per the map.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the central parts of Northern Cape, northern parts of Western Cape, western and extreme north-eastern parts of Eastern Cape as well as the southern parts of Free State.

Regional forecasts from the SA Weather Service for Thursday:

GAUTENG
Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers.

MPUMALANGA
Morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the Lowveld. It will be cloudy in the extreme north-east.

LIMPOPO
Morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme south-east.

NORTH-WEST
Partly cloudy and warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.

THE FREE STATE
Partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be windy in the south.

THE NORTHERN CAPE
Fine in the west with morning fog along the coast, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and hot with isolated showers and thundershowers over the north-eastern parts. It will be very hot over the north-central parts. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly.

THE WESTERN CAPE
Very hot in the north-eastern parts, otherwise fine and warm to hot but partly cloudy and cool along the south coast and adjacent interior, where it will become cloudy with a 30% chance of light rain in the evening. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate easterly to south-easterly but fresh to strong along the west coastin the morning, otherwise moderate to fresh south-westerly.

THE WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and warm with a 30% chance of light rain in the extreme south-west. It will be hot over the interior. The wind along the coast will be light south-westerly, becoming strong south-westerly in the afternoon.

THE EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers along the escarpment. The wind along the coast will be light southeasterly becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly from late afternoon.

KWAZULU-NATAL
Morning fog patches over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the north-east. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly becoming strong in places by afternoon. It will become fresh to strong south-westerly in the south by evening.

Travellers forecasts from the SA Weather Service for Thursday:

PRETORIA
Partly cloudy with isolated afternoon thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/26°C

JOHANNESBURG
Partly cloudy with isolated afternoon thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/25°C

VEREENIGING
Partly cloudy with isolated afternoon thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/28°C

MBOMBELA
Morning fog, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/24°C

POLOKWANE
Cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/23°C

MAHIKENG
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/29°C

VRYBURG
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/31°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/31°C

KIMBERLEY
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/34°C

UPINGTON
Fine to partly cloudy and windy.
Minimum/Maximum: 22/38°C

CAPE TOWN
Partly cloudy.
Wind: moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/27°C

GEORGE
Partly cloudy.
Wind: moderate to fresh south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/24°C

GQEBERHA
Partly cloudy.
Wind: moderate to fresh south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/26°C

EAST LONDON
Partly cloudy.
Wind: moderate to fresh south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/29°C

DURBAN
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and rain.
Wind: Moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 20/31°C

RICHARDS BAY
Partly cloudy.
Wind: Moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/32°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/33°C

This forecast is usually updated a few times per day.



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