Weather: Brace for severe storms, heavy rain and damaging winds in KZN

Here is what the weather has in store for KZN, the Free State, and the North West on Sunday 18 October 2026.

SAWS has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms in western and southern inland KwaZulu-Natal.

Heavy rain and damaging winds could cause localised flooding and damage to infrastructure and settlements.

KWAZULU-NATAL

Morning fog patches over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot.

Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected but isolated in the north, except in the extreme north-east.

The wind along the coast will be moderate southerly to south-westerly, becoming moderate easterly to north-easterly from the south towards afternoon spreading northwards

The UVB sunburn index will be moderate.

DURBAN

Durban is going to be partly cloudy scattered showers and thundershowers in the afternoon.

Light south-westerly winds will blow before a shift to moderate easterly to north-easterly in the afternoon.

Temperatures will range from 21°C to 26°C.

The UVB sunburn index will be moderate.

FREE STATE

Fine, windy and hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated to scattered afternoon showers and thundershowers, except in the north-east.

It will be windy in the west.

BLOEMFONTEIN

Bloemfontein is going to be partly cloudy with isolated afternoon thundershowers.

Temperatures will range from a minimum of 15°C to a maximum of 34°C.

NORTH WEST

Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the west, where it will be windy

MAHIKENG

Mahikeng is going to be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon.

Temperatures will range from a minimum of 16°C. to a maximum of 35°C.

Weather forecast data provided by the South African Weather Service.