South Africa is bracing for adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, destructive winds, and rough seas in several regions of the country on Tuesday, September 15th. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued several yellow-level warnings.
A Level 4 yellow warning for heavy rainfall, which may lead to flooding of roads and settlements and cause serious transport disruptions, has been issued for the eastern part of Namaqualand in the Northern Cape and Central Karoo in the Western Cape.
SAWS has also issued a Level 2 yellow warning for severe thunderstorms and excessive lightning for some areas of the Northern Cape and Western Cape. Furthermore, a Level 1 yellow warning for thunderstorms is in effect along the northeastern coast and adjacent inland areas of the Eastern Cape.
According to the SAWS forecast for Tuesday, the weather will be partly cloudy with cool to warm temperatures, featuring isolated or scattered rain. Strong winds are expected in parts of the North-West, Northern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, and Eastern Cape, while KwaZulu-Natal is under a Level 2 yellow warning due to strong winds and waves.
The meteorological service warned that the prevailing conditions could damage temporary structures, infrastructure, and informal settlements, as well as cause power and communication outages.
The extended forecast for Thursday and Friday, September 17–18, 2026, predicts partly cloudy weather with cool to warm conditions, featuring isolated or scattered showers and thunderstorms, but with extensive coverage in the southeast. Cold or very cold weather is expected in the western regions.
In the Gauteng province, residents can expect partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated rain and thunderstorms. Mpumalanga and Limpopo are expected to have partly cloudy weather with morning drizzle and fog along the escarpment, as well as isolated rain and thunderstorms.
The Northern Cape is forecast to be cloudy, windy, and cool to cold, with scattered rain and thunderstorms that will become widespread in the eastern and central parts. The Western Cape is also expected to be cloudy and cool to cold, with scattered rain and thunderstorms.
SAWS additionally warned of an extremely high risk of fire in some areas of Limpopo. The service strongly urged residents in affected areas to take necessary precautions, as severe weather can disrupt traffic, infrastructure operations, and the functioning of essential services.
