Cut-off low arrives from Wednesday with low temperatures, four thunderstorm warnings and snow

By Staff Writer
Published: 22 April 2025 [updated 23 April]

This forecast is for: Wed 23 April 2025
The maps cover: Wed 23 Apr – Fri 25 Apr

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The SA Weather Service has confirmed that a cut-off low (COL) system is expected to make landfall over the western interior of South Africa on Wednesday and is expected to move slowly eastwards, exiting the country by Saturday.

Scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers are expected over the central and eastern parts of the country, with rainfall accumulations exceeding 50mm in the eastern regions on Wednesday and Thursday (some data indicates much more that in some areas).

Cold and wet conditions can be expected over the central and western parts of KwaZulu-Natal until Thursday, but very cold over the south-western high grounds where light snowfall is possible (see our latest snow forecast for more details).

SA Weather says snowfalls are also likely over the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape during this period.

SEE ALSO: Heavy snow looking more likely for Lesotho from Tuesday and Wednesday.

This would now be the third snowfall of 2025 in Southern Africa, with snow falling on the Swartberg mountains near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape in late March and in Lesotho in the week leading up to Easter.

Daytime temperatures are also expected to drop significantly across most parts of the country from Wednesday onwards, with a gradual recovery from Friday onwards.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service for Wednesday:

A. orange level 5 warning severe thunderstorms resulting in heavy downpours leading to flooding of roads and bridges, damage to property and infrastructure as well as agricultural activities are expected over the eastern parts of Free State.

B. yellow level 4 warning severe thunderstorms resulting in heavy downpours leading to localised flooding of roads and bridges, large amounts of small hail and excessive lightning are expected over parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

C. yellow level 2 warning severe thunderstorms leading to localised damage to settlements, localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges are expected over parts of the Northern Cape, Free State, North West, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

D. yellow level 1 warning severe thunderstorms over parts of the Eastern Cape.

Regional forecasts from SAWS for Wednesday:

1. GAUTENG
Warm in the north, othwerwise cloudy and cool with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the south-west.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate

2. MPUMALANGA
Morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and cool with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the south-west, except in the Lowveld where it will be warm.

3. LIMPOPO
Cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in western and southern parts but scattered in the extreme south-west.

4. NORTH WEST PROVINCE
Cloudy and warm to cool with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread over the central and southern parts.

5. FREE STATE
Cloudy and cool to cold with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the east.

6. NORTHERN CAPE
Morning fog patches along the coast, otherwise cool to cold with isolated showers and thundershowers in the central parts but scattered in the east. It will be warm in the north. The wind along the coast will be light and variable, becoming moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly from the afternoon.

7. WESTERN CAPE
Morning fog patches along the west coast, otherwise cloudy to partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers over the north-eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be light and variable in the morning along the west coast, otherwise fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly.
The expected UVB sunburn index: High

8. WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cold to cool with scattered showers and rain, but isolated in the extreme west. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate easterly, becoming south-westerly from the west in the evening.

9. EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cold with scattered showers and rain. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate north-easterly, reaching fresh in places.

10. KWAZULU-NATAL
Cool in the north-east and along the coast, otherwise cloudy and cold but very cold in the extreme south-west. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected but widespread in the west and isolated again in the north-east. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly to south-easterly but fresh in the north.
The expected UVB sunburn index: High

Travellers forecasts from SAWS for Wednesday:

PRETORIA
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/23°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Moderate

JOHANNESBURG
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/21°C

VEREENIGING
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/19°C

MBOMBELA
Cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/23°C

POLOKWANE
Cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/26°C

MAHIKENG
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/23°C

VRYBURG
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/19°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/18°C

KIMBERLEY
Cloudy and windy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/20°C

UPINGTON
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/25°C

CAPE TOWN
Partly cloudy in the morning, otherwise fine.
Wind: Moderate south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/23°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: High

GEORGE
Cloudy.
Wind: Light and variable.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/18°C

GQEBERHA
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain.
Wind: Light easterly, but light and variable at times.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/19°C

EAST LONDON
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain.
Wind: Light northerly at first, otherwise moderate to north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/20°C

DURBAN
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain.
Wind: Light southerly, becoming light and variable from the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/21°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: High

RICHARDS BAY
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain.
Wind: Light to moderate southerly, becoming light and variable from late afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/21°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/16°C

This forecast is usually updated a few times per day.

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