Weather alert: Severe thunderstorms, extreme heat and fire risks across multiple provinces

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Friday, 31 January 2025.

Saws warns of severe thunderstorms, extreme heat, and fire risks across multiple provinces on Friday, 31 January. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather forecast for today and tomorrow, 30 to 31 January 2025: Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected in most parts of the country with a Yellow level 2 for severe thunderstorms in places in the eastern provinces.#SAWS pic.twitter.com/ZDQbggOBD8

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 30, 2025

Weather warnings, Friday, 31 January

Impact-based warnings

The weather service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms leading to damaging winds, hail, localised flooding in formal and informal (settlements) and damage to infrastructure and property over most parts of the interior of Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Mpumalanga escarpment, and the northeastern parts of the Eastern Cape.

Fire danger warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in places over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

Advisories

Heatwave conditions with persistently high temperatures are expected in places over the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Lowveld as well as the Limpopo Valley until Sunday but until at least Saturday over Gauteng and the western Bushveld of Limpopo.

ALSO READ: Weather alert: Heavy thunderstorms expected in KZN and Mpumalanga

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Friday, 31 January:

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can expect very hot weather in the extreme north; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and hot with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the east.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high.”

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can enjoy partly cloudy and warm conditions with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers but scattered in the east.

Limpopo:

The day will be partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the central and southeastern parts.

North West:

Partly cloudy and hot weather awaits North West residents, but it will be very hot in the west.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will experience partly cloudy and hot conditions, with isolated afternoon thundershowers in the east.

Northern Cape:

The day will be fine and warm to hot but partly cloudy along the south coast and adjacent interior with isolated light showers.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect partly cloudy and cool conditions along the southern coast, but cloudy with isolated rain and showers over the extreme southeastern parts as well as over the western parts, where it will become partly cloudy from the afternoon, otherwise fine and warm to hot.

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 cloudy and cool weather along the coast with isolated showers and rain west of St Francis, otherwise fine and warm to hot.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will be cloudy in places south of the escarpment in the morning; otherwise, it will be fine and cool to warm, but hot in places over the interior. It will become partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in places in the northeast.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to partly cloudy and warm to hot weather, but very hot in the north. It will become cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated in the northeast.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “extreme.”

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.