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The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Saturday, 11 January 2025.
South Africa braces for extreme weather, with heatwaves in the Eastern Cape, thunderstorms across provinces, and fire dangers in Northern Cape and beyond. Here’s what you need to know.
The weather service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours and damaging winds, large hail, and flooding of roads and settlements; the displacement of affected communities and damage to formal and informal structures are expected over the Highveld of Mpumalanga, Gauteng, eastern parts of the North West, the eastern parts of Free State, and the western and central parts of Kwa-Zulu Natal, as well as eastern parts of Eastern Cape.
Disruptive rainfall leading to localised flooding and localised damages to infrastructure and low-lying areas and bridges is also expected over Limpopo, except in the northeast and the escarpment area of Mpumalanga.
Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over most parts of Northern Cape, in places in the western parts and the Beaufort West municipality of the Western Cape, as well as places in the northwestern parts of Eastern Cape and western Free State.
A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected over the central and northern parts of the Eastern Cape.
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Here’s what to expect in your province on Saturday, 11 January:
Gauteng:
Residents of Gauteng can expect cloudy and warm weather with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Mpumalanga:
Mpumalanga residents can enjoy morning fog over the escarpment; otherwise, conditions will be cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers except in the Highveld, where it will be widespread.
Limpopo:
The day will start with morning fog over the escarpment; otherwise, it will be cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the west. It will be hot in the Lowveld.
North West:
Cloudy weather awaits North West residents in the morning; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the east.
Free State:
Residents of the Free State will see cloudy conditions over the central and eastern areas in the morning; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme west but scattered in the east.
Northern Cape:
The day will be partly cloudy and hot to very hot over the east; otherwise, it will be fine.
Western Cape:
Western Cape residents can expect cloudy and cool to warm weather along the southern coastal areas, with isolated rainfall over the extreme southwest from the late evening, but partly cloudy and warm to hot over the central and northeastern.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Eastern Cape (western half):
There will be partly cloudy and warm weather, but hot over the interior. It will become cloudy in the south during the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be moderate and southwesterly.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
The day will be partly cloudy and warm, but hot in places with isolated showers and thundershowers over the interior; otherwise, it will be cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers.
KwaZulu-Natal:
Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog over the interior; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm, but hot in the northeast. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high.”
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
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