Weather alert: Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, strong winds and extreme heat

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Wednesday, 5 February 2025.

The weather service has issued warnings for severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, strong winds and extreme heat on Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, Wednesday, 5 February

Impact-based warnings

The weather service has issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, hail, severe lightning, and heavy downpours expected in KwaZulu-Natal, except in the northeast.

A yellow level 2 warning was also issued for severe thunderstorms resulting in hail, heavy downpours, and strong damaging winds, leading to localised flooding of susceptible areas and roads, and localised damage to infrastructure is expected over the north and eastern parts of the Eastern Cape and the Highveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga.

Damaging wind and waves resulting in difficulty in navigation at sea as expected between Alexander Bay and Cape Agulhas.

Advisories

Hot and humid weather will result in extremely uncomfortable conditions over eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

ALSO READ: Heatwave eases, but storms and fire risks lurk ahead

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Wednesday, 5 February:

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can expect partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect morning fog patches along the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions, with isolated to scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms, except in the Lowveld, where it will be very hot.

Limpopo:

The day will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers over the south-central parts. It will be very hot in the Lowveld and Limpopo Valley.

North West:

Partly cloudy and hot to very hot weather awaits North West residents with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the north.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will experience partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions with isolated showers and thunderstorms, but scattered along the Lesotho border and the extreme eastern parts.

Northern Cape:

The day will be fine and warm to hot but partly cloudy in the east with isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be very hot in the north.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect partly cloudy weather over the southern parts with isolated showers and rain along the south coast; otherwise, it will be fine and cool to warm.

Eastern Cape (western half):

There will be partly cloudy, windy places in places and cool to warm with scattered showers and thunderstorms, but isolated in the northwest.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will be cool with morning fog in places in the southwest; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread in the east.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the south where it will be cloudy.