Severe thunderstorms, disruptive rain and damaging winds as an orange level 5 warning is issued for Friday

By Staff Writer
Published: 27 March 2025 [updated 28 March]

This forecast is for: Fri 28 March 2025
The maps cover: Fri 28 Mar – Sun 30 Mar

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Scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers are expected over the eastern parts of the country with possible severe thunderstorms and disruptive rain in places in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and KwaZulu-Natal according to SA Weather.

An intense cut-off low is expected to move across the Eastern Cape on Friday.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service for Friday:

A. orange level 5 warning severe thunderstorms leading to flooding, damage to settlements, property / vehicles and infrastructure are expected in places over the central and northern interior of Eastern Cape.

B. yellow level 2 warning severe thunderstorms leading to localised damage to settlements, property / vehicles and disruption to power supply are expected in parts of the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and North West.

C. yellow level 2 warning damaging winds leading to localised damage to settlements / property / vehicles, disruption of harbours and ports and difficulty in navigation at sea are expected in places along the coast between Oyster Bay and Coffee Bay, as well as over Kouga local municipality and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro of Eastern Cape.

D. yellow level 2 warning disruptive rainfall leading to localised damage to settlements, property / vehicles and disruption to power supply are expected in parts of the North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in the Khai-Ma and Hantam municipalities of the Northern Cape.

Regional forecasts from SAWS for Friday:

1. GAUTENG
Cloudy and cool to warm with widespread showers and thundershowers.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate

2. MPUMALANGA
Morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with widespread showers and thundershowers but isolated to scattered in the Lowveld and along the escarpment where it will become partly cloudy in the afternoon.

3. LIMPOPO
Morning fog patches and drizzle along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers except in the extreme north. It will become partly cloudy in the east in the afternoon.

4. NORTH-WEST PROVINCE
Morning fog patches over the eastern parts at first, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm, with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers but isolated over the western parts where it will be partly cloudy.

5. FREE STATE
Cloudy in the east and extreme south, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm, with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers, but isolated over the central and the western parts.

6. NORTHERN CAPE
Morning fog along the coast, otherwise fine and warm to hot but partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the central and the eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be moderate southerly becoming westerly to north-westerly in the afternoon.

7. WESTERN CAPE
Morning fog along the west coast, otherwise fine and warm but partly cloudy over the east and central parts with isolated showers and thundershowers. Evening fog is expected over the west and south-western parts. The wind along the coast will be strong easterly along the south coast including areas east of Cape Point, but moderate southerly to south-westerly in the west where it will become west to north-westerly from early afternoon.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

8. WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Morning fog in places in the south, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with widespread showers and thundershowers but scattered along the coast and adjacent interior west of Port Alfred. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly, reaching strong east of Oyster Bay.

9. EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Morning fog in places, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with widespread showers and thundershowers but scattered in the extreme east. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate north-easterly, becoming fresh to strong from mid-morning.

10. KWAZULU-NATAL
Morning fog patches over the interior, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread in the north-east. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly to north-easterly.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate

Travellers forecasts from SAWS for Friday:

PRETORIA
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/22°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Moderate

JOHANNESBURG
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/20°C

VEREENIGING
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/22°C

MBOMBELA
Morning fog patches, otherwise cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/26°C

POLOKWANE
Cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/24°C

MAHIKENG
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/24°C

VRYBURG
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/25°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/26°C

KIMBERLEY
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/29°C

UPINGTON
Partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 21/33°C

CAPE TOWN
Fine with evening fog.
Wind: Moderate south-easterly becoming light north-westerly in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/28°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Very High

GEORGE
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Light northerly to north-easterly becoming south-easterly in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/26°C

GQEBERHA
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Fresh to strong north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/24°C

EAST LONDON
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Fresh to strong north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/24°C

DURBAN
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Light north-westerly at first, otherwise moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/26°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Moderate

RICHARDS BAY
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Light and variable at first, otherwise moderate easterly to north-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 20/26°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog, otherwise cloudy with scattered showers and
thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/24°C

This forecast is usually updated a few times per day.

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