WEATHER: Severe thunderstorms and freezing temperatures to batter SA

Struggling to decide what to wear? Here’s what today’s weather has in store for South Africa’s nine provinces.

Your daily weather, UVB forecast and temperature updates around South Africa.

Weather conditions and UVB forecast

Gauteng

Temperature: Fine and warm.

The expected UVB Sunburn Index: High

DID YOU KNOW

Where does Gauteng rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

Gauteng is the smallest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 18 178 square kilometres.

Where does Gauteng rank in population among South Africa’s provinces?

Gauteng is the biggest in terms of population, with an estimated 16 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of Gauteng?

The administrative capital of the province is Johannesburg, which is situated at 25°44′46″S 28°11′17″E.

Mpumalanga

Temperature: Fine and warm but hot in places in the Lowveld.

DID YOU KNOW

Where does Mpumalanga rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

Mpumalanga is the second smallest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 76 495 square kilometres.

Where does Mpumalanga rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

Mpumalanga is the sixth most populous, with an estimated 4.7 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of Mpumalanga?

The capital and largest city in the province is Mbombela (formerly known as Nelspruit), which is situated at 25°27′57″S 30°59′07″E.

The daily weather forecast and temperature updates around South Africa.

Limpopo

Temperature: Fine and warm but hot in places in the Lowveld and Limpopo Valley.

DID YOU KNOW

Where does Limpopo rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

Limpopo is the fifth largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 125 754 square kilometres.

Where does Limpopo rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

Limpopo is the fifth most populous, with an estimated 5.9 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of Limpopo?

The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, which is situated at 23°54′00″S 29°27′00″E.

North West

Temperature: Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers except the extreme east.

DID YOU KNOW

Where does the North West rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

The North West is the sixth largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 104 882 square kilometres.

Where does the North West rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

The North West is the seventh most populous, with an estimated 4.2 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of the North West?

Its capital is Mahikeng (formerly known as Mafikeng), which is situated at 25°51′56″S 25°38′37″E.

Free State

Temperature: Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers.

DID YOU KNOW

Where does the Free State rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Free State is the third largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 129 825 square kilometres.

Where does the Free State rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Free State is the second smallest in terms of population, with an estimated 2.9 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of the Free State?

Formerly known as the Orange Free State, its capital and biggest city is Bloemfontein, South Africa’s judicial capital. It is situated at 29°07′S 26°13′E.

Northern Cape

Temperature: Partly cloudy, windy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers in the west and extreme south but isolated in the eastern and southern parts. It will be cool to cold in the west.

Wind: The wind along the coast will be moderate north-westerly, becoming fresh to strong south-easterly from mid-afternoon.

DID YOU KNOW

Where does the Northern Cape rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Northern Cape is the largest of South Africa’s nine provinces at 372 889 square kilometres.

Where does the Northern Cape rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Northern Cape is the smallest in terms of population, with an estimated 1.3 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of the Northern Cape?

Its capital is Kimberley, which is situated at 28°44′18″S 24°45′50″E.

Western Cape

Temperature: Cloudy, windy and cool to cold with scattered showers and rain but widespread along the south coast and adjacent interior. Near-gale force winds are possible along the south-west and west coastlines as well as over the Central Karoo from the afternoon.

Wind: The wind along the coast will be light to moderate easterly to north-easterly along the west and south-west coast in the morning, otherwise fresh to strong south-easterly reaching near gale force along the south-west and west coast from the afternoon.

The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Low

DID YOU KNOW

Where does the Western Cape rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Western Cape is the fourth largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 129 449 square kilometres.

Where does the Western Cape rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Western Cape is the third most populous, with an estimated 7.2 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of the Western Cape?

The capital city is Cape Town, which is situated at 33°55′31″S 18°25′26″E.

Eastern Cape

The Western half: Warm in places in the north, otherwise cloudy and cool with widespread showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the north.

The Western half – wind: The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly, but south-easterly in the afternoon.

The Eastern half: Fine and warm, becoming cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread along the coast and adjacent interior, south of Coffee Bay.

The Eastern half-wind: The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly, becoming fresh southerly in the afternoon.

DID YOU KNOW

Where does the Eastern Cape rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Eastern Cape is the second largest of South Africa’s nine provinces at 168 966 square kilometres.

Where does the Eastern Cape rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

The Eastern Cape is the fourth biggest in terms of population, with an estimated 6.7 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of the Eastern Cape?

Its capital is Bhisho, which is situated at 32°50′58″S 27°26′17″E.

KwaZulu-Natal

Temperature: Cloudy with morning fog along the south coast and adjacent interior, otherwise fine and warm to hot but very hot in places in the east. It will become partly cloudy to cloudy in the south by the evening with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme south.

Wind: The wind along the coast will be light to moderate northerly to north-easterly, reaching fresh in the north at times, becoming fresh to strong southerly to south-westerly south of Richards Bay by the evening.

The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Very High

Where does KwaZulu-Natal rank in size among South Africa’s provinces?

KwaZulu-Natal is the seventh largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, with an area of 94 361 square kilometres.

Where does KwaZulu-Natal rank in population size among South Africa’s provinces?

KwaZulu-Natal is the second most populous, with an estimated 11.5 million inhabitants as per the most recent census in 2020.

What is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal?

The capital city is Pietermaritzburg, which is situated at 29°37′S 30°23′E.

WEATHER ALERTS

IMPACT-BASED WARNINGS FOR THURSDAY – FRIDAY (3-4/09/2026)

A. Yellow Level 4 Warning: Damaging wind and waves leading to disruption of ports/harbours and danger to navigation at sea is expected between Alexander Bay and Plettenberg Bay until Friday.

B. Yellow Level 4 Warning: Damaging winds leading to interruptions to power, communication and/or other utilities and services, damage to settlement, injuries and danger to life from flying debris, problems for high-sided vehicles on prone routes due to cross winds, is expected over the Namakwa district (N. Cape), the Cape Winelands and the Central Karoo districts (W. Cape) until Friday.

C. Yellow Level 4 Warning: Disruptive rainfall leading to flooding of roads and settlements and major disruption of traffic flow is expected over the eastern parts of the Overberg district, the Garden Route, Langeberg and Laingsburg municipalities of the Western Cape.

D. Yellow Level 2 Warning: Disruptive rainfall leading to localised flooding of settlements, roads, low lying areas and bridges is expected in places along the south coast and the eastern parts of the Eastern Cape.

E. Yellow Level 2 Warning: Severe thunderstorms leading to localized wind and hail damages to structures, falling trees and local fire incidents due to excessive lightning expected over the western parts of the Free State.

F. Yellow Level 2 Warning: Damaging winds leading to damage to temporary structures, settlements, transport routes and travel services affected by wind, is expected over the western parts of Western Cape from the afternoon into Friday as well as over the northern interior of Eastern Cape.

FIRE DANGER WARNINGS

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the central parts of the country, including most parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

ADVISORIES

Cold to very cold, wet and windy conditions can be expected in places over the Namakwa District of the Northern Cape and the interior of the Western Cape on Friday (04/09/2026).

Weather forecast data provided by the South African Weather Service