New Year’s Eve: Here’s your weather update ahead of 2025

With just a few hours left before 2024 draws to a close, Mother Nature has prepared a mixed bag of weather conditions for different parts of the country with warnings of severe thunderstorms and heatwaves.

South Africans will be hoping for good weather as they welcome 2025

However, depending on where you are in the country, the South African Weather Services (Saws) warned of adverse weather conditions including localised flooding in some parts.

Warnings

Saws issued three yellow-level warnings for inclement weather.

Yellow level 2 warnings for severe thunderstorms leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads and bridges as well as damage to settlements, property and vehicles are expected over the central and western parts of the North West.

Yellow level 1 warning for severe thunderstorms resulting in damage to settlements, property and vehicles are expected over the western parts of KwaZulu Natal.

Yellow level 1 warning: Damaging winds and waves leading to difficulty in navigation at sea are expected between Cape Agulhas and Plettenberg Bay.

Saws also warned of fire in a few areas amid thunderstorms.

“Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in  places over the central parts of the Northern Cape and north-eastern parts of the Western Cape.”

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Heatwave

While thunderstorms are forecast for the country, heatwave conditions will continue to persist in some other parts of the country.

“A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected over the north-western parts of the Eastern Cape.

“Extremely uncomfortable conditions are expected along the north coast and adjacent interior of KwaZulu Natal,” Saws said.

Gauteng

Gauteng will be partly cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers.

Mpumalanga

Cloudy in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered on the Highveld. It will be hot in the Lowveld.

Limpopo

Saws said Limpopo will be cloudy in places in the morning, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the south-western Bushveld.

It will be hot in the Limpopo Valley and the Lowveld.

North West

The North West will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated over the extreme south-west.

Free State

Residents can anticipate partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers scattered over the east.

Northern Cape

“Morning fog patches in the west where it will be warm, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the northeast, becoming fine in the west and central parts from late morning but windy over the southern parts.

The wind along the coast will be light and variable at first, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly to southwesterly.

Western Cape

Partly cloudy and cool to warm weather with morning showers and rain in places over the southwestern parts. It will become fine in the west from the afternoon.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to south-westerly, reaching strong along the south coast.

Western half of the Eastern Cape

Partly cloudy and warm, but fine and hot over the interior. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape

Partly cloudy and hot weather with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the east. It will be warm along the coast. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly

KwaZulu-Natal

Residents can expect morning fog in places over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot weather with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the extreme northeast. It will be very hot in places in the northern parts.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly, but southerly to south-westerly in the south, reaching strong at times.

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