SATURDAY WEATHER: Widespread rainfall and a LEVEL 5 thunderstorm warning in the east, and strong coastal winds

By Staff Writer
Published: 6 March 2026 [updated 7 March]

This forecast is for: Sat 07 March 2026
The maps cover: Sat 07 Mar – Sat 07 Mar


The latest forecast is available by clicking here.

A sustained spell of tropically sourced rainfall is on the cards for a large part of southern Africa, especially over the central and eastern interior in the coming days and extending through the weekend. Thunderstorms are also expected to accompany the rain, with some of these storms expected to become severe, associated with heavy downpours and a distinct risk of localised flooding according to the SA Weather Service.

A cold front is expected to move eastwards along the south coast from Friday evening, with a strong high-pressure system ridging in behind it from the south-west. Consequently, strong to near gale-force south-westerly winds of 50-60 km/h, gusting 62-70 km/h are expected between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay until Saturday evening. Wave heights are expected to reach 4-4.5m.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service for Saturday:

A. level 5 warning for severe thunderstorms over the Lowveld of Limpopo as well as the northern Lowveld of Mpumalanga. These storms may result in flooding of low-lying areas (including bridges and roads) and damage to infrastructure and settlements due to a combination of heavy downpours and strong damaging winds.

B. level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, settlements, low-lying bridges/areas and possible strong damaging winds over Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the extreme north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal as well as the northern parts of Gauteng.

C. level 2 warning for damaging winds and waves resulting in localised damage to settlements and temporary structures, localised disruption to power and communications, as well as disruptions of beach/port activity, are expected in places along the coast between Plettenberg Bay and Durban.

Regional forecasts from the SA Weather Service for Saturday:

GAUTENG
Cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers, but partly cloudy in the south-west.

MPUMALANGA
Cloudy with morning fog in places, otherwise cool to warm with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers, but hot in places in the Lowveld.

LIMPOPO
Cloudy with morning fog in places, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers.

NORTH-WEST
Cloudy with morning fog patches in places, otherwise partly cloudy and warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the central and eastern parts, but scattered in the extreme north-east.

THE FREE STATE
Cloudy with morning fog patches in places in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the central and eastern parts.

THE NORTHERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and rain in the extreme south-west at first. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly becoming strong in the afternoon.

THE WESTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cool to warm with light rain at times except in the north-eastern parts while clearing from the west mid-morning but persisting along the south coast and adjacent interior. The wind along the coast will be strong to near-gale west to south-westerly between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay until mid-morning, otherwise fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly but light to moderate south to south-westerly along the south coast.

THE WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and cool but cold in places over the interior. Light showers are likely in the morning in the extreme south. The wind along the coast will be strong south-westerly moderating in the afternoon.

THE EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy and cool with light showers in places south of the escarpment. The wind along the coast will be strong south-westerly, moderating in the evening.

KWAZULU-NATAL
Cloudy and warm in the north-east with scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread in the extreme north-east where it will be hot. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly north of Durban, otherwise moderate south-westerly. It will become strong to near-gale south-westerly from the south towards afternoon spreading northwards.

Travellers forecasts from the SA Weather Service for Saturday:

PRETORIA
Cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/30°C

JOHANNESBURG
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/26°C

VEREENIGING
Partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/28°C

MBOMBELA
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 20/25°C

POLOKWANE
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/26°C

MAHIKENG
Cloudy with morning fog patches, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/29°C

VRYBURG
Cloudy with morning fog patches, otherwise fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/27°C

BLOEMFONTEIN
Cloudy with morning fog patches, otherwise partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 14/23°C

KIMBERLEY
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/27°C

UPINGTON
Partly cloudy.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/26°C

CAPE TOWN
Cloudy with light rain at times, clearing mid-morning.
Wind: Fresh southerly becoming strong south-easterly from late morning.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/22°C

GEORGE
Cloudy with light rain at times.
Wind: Fresh to strong westerly to south-westerly becoming light south-east in the late afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 13/20°C

GQEBERHA
Partly cloudy with light morning showers.
Wind: Strong south-westerly moderating in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/20°C

EAST LONDON
Cloudy with isolated showers and rain.
Wind: Strong south-westerly, moderating in the evening.
Minimum/Maximum: 19/22°C

DURBAN
Partly cloudy becoming cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Moderate south-westerly, becoming strong to near-gale south-westerly towards afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 23/28°C

RICHARDS BAY
Partly cloudy becoming cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Moderate to fresh north-easterly in the early morning, becoming strong to near gale south-westerly from mid-morning.
Minimum/Maximum: 25/32°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog otherwise partly cloudy becoming cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Minimum/Maximum: 18/26°C

This forecast is usually updated a few times per day.



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