Weather Report: a tale of two extremes today

Wednesday, 30 September’s Weather Report shows a genuine split across the country.

The north-east faces cold, rainy conditions, while the west turns hot and dry, driven by berg winds.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms today.

It covers Gauteng, the central to eastern parts of North West, and the central to western parts of Limpopo.

The warning is capable of producing heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning.

Gauteng faces rain showers today. 

Johannesburg can expect a high of 23°C and a low of 8°C. 

Pretoria and Soweto should also brace for rain showers.

WHERE TODAY’S THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN FORCE

North West sees showers and thundershowers today, with Mahikeng reaching 20°C.

The central to western parts of Limpopo fall under the same thunderstorm warning. 

Polokwane and Mbombela are also seeing rain showers today.

The Free State stays cloudy, windy and cold to cool, becoming partly cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.

Bloemfontein can expect showers and thundershowers, reaching 13°C.

Mpumalanga also falls within the general pattern of scattered showers and thundershowers moving through the central and eastern parts of the country.

WHY THE WEST IS SEEING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DAY

The Northern Cape stays partly cloudy in the south at first, otherwise fine and cool to warm. 

Kimberley can expect showers and thundershowers, reaching 21°C.

The Western Cape is today’s standout. 

Cape Town climbs from a low of 16°C to a hot 36°C under clear skies, driven by the same berg winds affecting the west.

The Eastern Cape faces its own specific risk today. 

SAWS has warned of damaging winds across Nelson Mandela Bay, Sundays River Valley and Ngqushwa, with Gqeberha facing a brisk 25 km/h wind from the east-north-east.

KwaZulu-Natal sees slight rain in Durban today, with only the southern and western coasts staying mostly dry.

According to SAWS, a surface trough is dominating the central and western interior this week.

A surface high-pressure system, meanwhile, sits over eastern South Africa.

Together, these two systems are driving exactly this kind of split, contrasting weather pattern.

It’s a genuinely striking day to compare notes with someone on the other side of the country.

Think snow jacket weather in Johannesburg, shorts weather in Cape Town.

It’s worth keeping a close eye on local updates if you’re anywhere near Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, or the Eastern Cape’s coast today.

Are you in one of today’s warning areas, and how are you preparing?