Weather alert: Severe storms and flooding expected in three provinces

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Thursday, 27 March 2025.

The weather service warns of severe thunderstorms and flooding across Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday. Fire danger conditions are also expected in the Northern Cape. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather & severe weather alerts for today & tomorrow, 26 – 27 March 2025.
Isolated to scattered showers & thundershowers are expected over the central & eastern parts of the country, but widespread over the northeastern areas on Thursday with possible severe thunderstorms.#saws pic.twitter.com/X0aaqKiPQ1

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) March 26, 2025

Weather warnings, Thursday, 27 March

Impact-based warnings

The weather service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours expected to result in localised flooding of low-lying areas and bridges as well as susceptible areas over Gauteng, South-Western Bushveld in Limpopo, Highveld of Mpumalanga and the eastern parts of both the Free State and North West.

A yellow level 2 warning has also been issued for disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of roads, low-lying bridges and settlements expected over the north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Fire danger warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in the Hantam Municipality in the Northern Cape.

Advisories

An intense cut-off low is expected to move across the Eastern Cape on Friday. The public are advised that this can result in a possibility of severe storms associated with heavy downpours, large hail and strong winds.

ALSO READ: Weather alert: Severe thunderstorms and damaging winds in parts of NC, NW and FS

Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Thursday, 27 March:

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can expect cloudy and cool-to-warm weather with widespread showers and thundershowers.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents can expect cloudy and cool to warm conditions with widespread showers and thundershowers but scattered in the northeast.

Limpopo:

The day will be cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers except over the Limpopo Valley, where it will be partly cloudy but scattered over the southern parts.

North West:

Partly cloudy and warm weather awaits North West residents with scattered showers and thundershowers, but it’s cloudy with widespread rain in the east.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will experience morning fog patches; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, but cloudy with widespread rain in the east.

Northern Cape:

The day will start with morning fog patches along the coast; otherwise, it will be fine and warm to hot but partly cloudy with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in the east. It will be cool in places in the west.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect partly cloudy conditions along the south-western interior until the afternoon; otherwise, it will be fine and warm but cool in places along the south-east.

Eastern Cape (western half):

It will start with morning fog patches over the interior; otherwise, it will be fine and cool to warm.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will start with morning fog patches over the interior; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and cool with isolated showers and thundershowers but cloudy with scattered showers in the northeast.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches over the interior; otherwise, it will be cloudy and cold to cool with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the northeast where it will be warm.