More maps below the forecast

Another cut-off low bringing disruptive rainfall, wind and wave warnings and possible snow

25 October 2024
By Staff Writer


A newer forecast is available by clicking here.

A well-defined upper-air system (cut-off low) is expected to pass over the western parts of the country on Saturday, propagating eastwards and eventually exiting South Africa on Tuesday. This weather system is expected to be accompanied by strong to near gale force winds (55-65km/h) over the Cape provinces, but fresh to strong (30-50km/h) over North West, Gauteng, the Free State and western parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, ceasing by Monday.

Scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers can be expected over the western parts of the country, while spreading over the central and eastern parts on Sunday and Monday but are expected to cease from the west by Tuesday. Heavy downpours with rainfall accumulations exceeding 60 mm can be expected in the south-west parts of the country on Sunday, while it will advance along the south coast of the Western Cape and adjacent interior on Monday. This can be coupled with flooding of roads and settlements, damage or loss of infrastructure, property, vehicles, livelihoods and livestock, with the possibility hail.

Along the coastal regions strong winds, coupled with very rough seas with wave heights of 4-5m can be expected from Saturday, reaching 5-6m along the extreme south-western coastline by Monday. The waves are expected to subside on Tuesday.

A significant drop in temperatures can be expected from the west on Sunday, spreading to the central part of the country by Monday.

Some snowfall is possible in three South African provinces and in Lesotho from this weekend. We have posted a separate snow forecast for it but the map is also available below.

ALSO READ: More snowfall possible as another cut-off low causes temperatures to drop from this weekend.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service (SAWS) for Saturday:

A. yellow level 1 warning for severe thunderstorms resulting in large amount of small hail, localised flooding to susceptible roads can be expected over south-eastern parts of Mpumalanga.

B. yellow level 1 warning for damaging winds resulting in some transport routes and travel services affected by fallen trees with localised disruptions of harbours and/or ports are expected along the coast between Plettenberg Bay and East London.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Northern Cape, North West, the western part of the Free State as well Western Bushveld of Limpopo.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service (SAWS) for Sunday and Monday:

A. yellow level 4 warning for disruptive rain leading to flooding of roads and settlements as well as damage to infrastructure over the Cape Winelands, City of Cape Town, Overberg and southern parts of West Coast Districts of the Western Cape on Sunday into Monday.

B. yellow level 3 warning for damaging wind and waves leading to danger to navigation and disruptions to ports and small harbours are expected between Lambert's Bay and Plettenberg Bay on Sunday into Monday.

C. yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of susceptible settlements or roads, low lying areas and bridges are expected over the southern Namakwa of the Northern Cape, northern parts of the West Coast, the western parts of the Central Karoo as well as over most parts of the Garden Route district of the Western Cape on Sunday into Monday.

D. yellow level 2 warning for damaging winds leading to difficult driving conditions and localised damage to settlements are expected over the City of Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Overberg, Garden Route and Central Karoo municipalities of the Western Cape as well as over the Karoo Hoogland municipality of the Northern Cape on Sunday.

Regional forecasts from SAWS for Saturday:

1. GAUTENG
Partly cloudy and warm but hot in the north. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

2. MPUMALANGA
Morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the in the western Highveld where it will be partly cloudy.

3. LIMPOPO
Cloudy in the east with morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers over the central and south-eastern parts. It will be very hot in places over the Western Bushveld.

4. NORTH-WEST PROVINCE
Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy in the east.

5. FREE STATE
Cloudy in the east at first where it will become partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the afternoon, otherwise fine warm to hot.

6. NORTHERN CAPE
Cloudy with early morning fog patches along the northern coastline where it will be cool, otherwise fine, windy and warm to hot but very hot in places in the east and central. It will become cloudy over the extreme western parts with a chance of light rain from late evening. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south to south-easterly, becoming west to south-westerly from the afternoon, but north-westerly from late evening.

7. WESTERN CAPE
Morning fog patches in the Breede Valley and Little Karoo, otherwise fine and warm to hot becoming cloudy over the extreme western parts with a chance of light rain from late evening. It will be cool in places along the south coast. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly to south-easterly along the west coast, where it will become moderate to fresh westerly to north-westerly by the afternoon otherwise moderate to fresh north-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme

8. WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy in places along the coast, otherwise fine and warm, but cool along the coast. The wind along the coast will be light north-westerly, becoming fresh to strong easterly from late morning, but north-easterly at night.

9. EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy with fog in places south of the escarpment in the morning and again at night, otherwise fine and cool to warm, but partly cloudy along the coast and adjacent interior in the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate westerly, becoming fresh to strong north-easterly from the afternoon.

10. KWAZULU-NATAL
Morning fog over interior, otherwise cloudy and cool with isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be warm in the west. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly, becoming north-easterly by late afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low

Travellers forecasts from SAWS for Saturday:

PRETORIA
Partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/33°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Extreme

JOHANNESBURG
Partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/30°C

VEREENIGING
Fine in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy
Minimum/Maximum: 14/32°C

MBOMBELA
Cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/24°C

POLOKWANE
Cloudy in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/30°C

MAHIKENG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/34°C

VRYBURG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/36°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/31°C

KIMBERLEY
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/34°C

UPINGTON
Fine and windy.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/37°C

CAPE TOWN
Fine, becoming cloudy from the evening.
Wind: Light and variable, becoming moderate to fresh westerly to north-westerly
Minimum/Maximum: 14/28°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Extreme

GEORGE
Fine.
Wind: Light to moderate north-easterly at first, otherwise fresh to strong east to south-easterly, becoming west to north-westerly from late evening.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/23°C

GQEBERHA
Fine in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy.
Wind: Light north-westerly, becoming fresh to strong easterly in the afternoon, but north-easterly at night.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/23°C

EAST LONDON
Fine in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy.
Wind: Light north-westerly, becoming moderate to fresh north-easterly in the afternoon, reaching strong at night.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/22°C

DURBAN
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and rain.
Wind: Light south-westerly at first, otherwise moderate to fresh south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/22°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Low

RICHARDS BAY
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and rain.
Wind: Light north-westerly at first, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly south-westerly.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/22°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/20°C

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


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