Wet and unsettled weather grips much of South Africa today, with showers and thundershowers spreading across Gauteng, the Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and the Northern Cape, while Durban and Polokwane can expect rain showers of their own. The coast bears watching too, as six moderate Damaging Waves warnings are in effect, so anyone heading to the shoreline should take care around the water. Cape Town stays comparatively calm and partly cloudy between 14 and 19 degrees, though Gqeberha remains grey and cool under cloudy skies.
🎬 7 Day Weather Forecast Video
⚠️ Weather Warnings
Damaging Waves (Warning Level 4), valid until 23:59 on 4 September.
Areas: Mossel Bay, Lamberts Bay, Saldanha Bay, Kleinzee, Hondeklip Bay, Port Nolloth, Table Bay, George, Cape Point, Cape Columbine, Strandfontein, Cape Agulhas 1.
- Danger in navigation at sea (e.g Hampered progress due to strong winds).
- Danger to life from large waves/beach material being thrown onto coastal routes.
- Damage to coastal infrastructure (e.g. walkways, property, road and rail routes).
- Disruption of small harbours and ports.
- Disruption to beachfront activities is also possible.
Be aware of large unpredictable waves along the coast. Small vessels are advised to seek shelter in harbours, bays or inlets. Small boats must stay away from the open sea and seek the shelter of a harbour, river estuary or protected bay. Ensure that all temporary structures are well anchored.
Weather Advisories
Impact-Based Warnings
- Orange Level 5 Warning: Severe Thunderstorms leading to flooding of settlements (formal/informal), roads and bridges, wind and hail damages to structures, falling trees and disruption to municipal services due excessive lightning, are expected over the east-central parts of the Northern Cape.
- Yellow Level 4 Warning: Severe Thunderstorms leading to localized flooding of susceptible low-lying areas, roads and bridges, and wind and hail damages to structures, falling trees and disruption to municipal services due to excessive lightning, are expected over the central and eastern parts of Northern Cape, western parts of Free State, the extreme western parts of North West, as well as the southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
- Yellow Level 4 Warning: Damaging Winds leading to interruptions to power, communication and/or other utilities and services, damage to settlement, injuries and danger to life from flying debris, problems for high-sided vehicles on prone routes due to cross winds, are expected over the western parts of Northern Cape, the central and north-eastern parts of Western Cape, as well as most parts of KwaZulu-Natal with the exception of the south-west.
- Yellow Level 4 Warning: Damaging Wind And Waves leading to disruption of ports/harbours and danger to navigation at sea are expected between Alexander Bay and Plettenberg Bay.
- Yellow Level 4 Warning: Damaging Winds leading to disruption of ports/harbours and danger to navigation at sea are expected along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal.
- Yellow Level 2 Warning: Damaging Waves leading to disruption of ports/harbours and danger to navigation at sea are expected along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal.
- Yellow Level 2 Warning: Damaging Winds leading to damages to temporary structures, settlements, transport routes and travel services affected by wind, are expected over the western and southern parts of Western Cape, north-western interior of Eastern Cape, as well as the southern and central parts of Mpumalanga.
- Yellow Level2 Warning: Severe Thunderstorms leading to localized wind and hail damages to structures, falling trees and disruption to municipal services due to excessive lightning, are expected over the eastern parts of free state, central and eastern parts of North-West, southern parts of Gauteng, and the south-western parts of Mpumalanga.
- Yellow Level 2 Warning: Disruptive Rainfall leading to localised flooding of settlements, roads, low lying areas and bridges is expected over the eastern parts of the Eastern Cape.
Fire Danger Warnings
- Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the eastern eastern parts of both Free State and North West, as well as the central and northern parts of Limpopo.
Advisories
- Wet and windy conditions are expected over most parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
- Very cold conditions are expected in places over Chris Hani and Joe Gqabi district municipalities of the Eastern Cape.
- Very cold, wet and windy conditions can be expected in places over the Namakwa (Northern Cape) and the interior of the Western Cape.
Moon Phase
🌗 Moon phase: Last Quarter: half lit and shrinking – the cycle’s three-quarter mark, a letting-go phase.
The Moon is about 54% illuminated tonight, on day 21.8 of its 29.5-day cycle. It rises at 02:00 and sets at 11:11 (SAST). Next full moon: Saturday 26 September · next new moon: Friday 11 September.
Weather by Province
Gauteng – Johannesburg
9°C to 23°C · Showers and Thundershowers · Rain 60% · moderate North Easterly.
Feels like 19°C · humidity 30 to 70% · UV low · wind NE at 15 km/h · cloud cover 75%.
SAWS regional outlook: Partly cloudy in the morning, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low.
- Pretoria: 13°C to 26°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind E at 20 km/h
- Soweto: 12°C to 24°C · Rain showers · wind NE at 15 km/h
- Vereeniging: 12°C to 24°C · Rain showers · wind ENE at 15 km/h
Western Cape – Cape Town
14°C to 19°C · partly cloudy · Rain 0% · fresh SE.
Feels like 13°C · humidity 50 to 75% · UV low · wind SE at 20 km/h · cloud cover 50%.
SAWS regional outlook: Cloudy to and cool to cold with isolated showers and rain over the central and eastern parts in the morning, becoming partly cloudy in the west in the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate.
- Stellenbosch: 11°C to 19°C · partly cloudy · wind ESE at 15 km/h
- Paarl: 11°C to 20°C · partly cloudy · wind ESE at 15 km/h
- George: 13°C to 15°C · Rain showers · wind SE at 15 km/h
KwaZulu-Natal – Durban
20°C to 21°C · Rain showers · Rain 80% · strong Southerly.
Feels like 14°C · humidity 70 to 85% · UV low · wind S at 25 km/h · cloud cover 50%.
SAWS regional outlook: Partly cloudy to cloudy and cold to cool but warm in the north-east. Widespread showers and thundershowers are expected in the west and south, otherwise scattered. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-westerly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low.
- Pietermaritzburg: 15°C to 17°C · Rain showers · wind S at 10 km/h
- Richards Bay: 16°C to 27°C · Slight rain · wind S at 20 km/h
- Newcastle: 12°C to 18°C · Rain showers · wind SE at 10 km/h
Eastern Cape – Gqeberha
13°C to 16°C · cloudy · Rain 0% · fresh SE.
Feels like 10°C · humidity 70 to 75% · UV low · wind SE at 20 km/h · cloud cover 75%.
SAWS regional outlook: Western half: Cloudy and cold with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated along the coast and adjacent interior. It will become partly cloudy in places from the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be fresh south-easterly, becoming moderate to fresh easterly from late morning. Eastern half: Cloudy and cold with widespread showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the west. Light snowfall can be expected over the extreme north-eastern escarpment. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-easterly.
- East London: 15°C to 17°C · Rain showers · wind SSE at 15 km/h
- Mthatha: 10°C to 13°C · Rain showers · wind S at 5 km/h
- Queenstown: 9°C to 12°C · Rain showers · wind SE at 15 km/h
Free State – Bloemfontein
11°C to 20°C · Showers and Thundershowers · Rain 80% · fresh Easterly.
Feels like 14°C · humidity 45 to 65% · UV low · wind E at 20 km/h · cloud cover 75%.
SAWS regional outlook: Cloudy, windy and cold to cool, with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers.
- Bethlehem: 10°C to 17°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind ESE at 25 km/h
- Kroonstad: 12°C to 22°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind ENE at 20 km/h
Limpopo – Polokwane
10°C to 30°C · Rain showers · Rain 30% · fresh Easterly.
Feels like 27°C · humidity 25 to 80% · UV low · wind E at 20 km/h · cloud cover 50%.
SAWS regional outlook: Partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, becoming cloudy from the west in the afternoon.
- Tzaneen: 9°C to 30°C · Rain showers · wind E at 15 km/h
- Thohoyandou: 13°C to 32°C · Rain showers · wind SE at 15 km/h
- Musina: 16°C to 34°C · Rain showers · wind ESE at 25 km/h
Mpumalanga – Mbombela
13°C to 26°C · Showers and Thundershowers · Rain 30% · light East South Easterly.
Feels like 24°C · humidity 40 to 75% · UV low · wind ESE at 10 km/h · cloud cover 25%.
SAWS regional outlook: Partly cloudy, becoming cloudy from the south in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the south-west. It will be warm, but hot in places in the Lowveld.
- eMalahleni: 11°C to 27°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind E at 20 km/h
- Ermelo: 11°C to 19°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind ESE at 15 km/h
North West – Mahikeng
13°C to 24°C · Showers and Thundershowers · Rain 80% · light North North Easterly.
Feels like 21°C · humidity 30 to 70% · UV low · wind NNE at 10 km/h · cloud cover 75%.
SAWS regional outlook: Cloudy, windy and cool to warm, with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers.
- Rustenburg: 12°C to 26°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind E at 20 km/h
- Potchefstroom: 13°C to 25°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind ENE at 25 km/h
- Klerksdorp: 13°C to 25°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind ENE at 20 km/h
Northern Cape – Kimberley
11°C to 21°C · Showers and Thundershowers · Rain 80% · strong Easterly.
Feels like 14°C · humidity 50 to 70% · UV low · wind E at 25 km/h · cloud cover 75%.
SAWS regional outlook: Partly cloudy in the west where it will be cloudy at first with isolated showers and thundershowers over the western interior in the morning, otherwise cloudy and cool to cold with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers over the central and eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-easterly.
- Upington: 6°C to 19°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind SSE at 5 km/h
- Springbok: 7°C to 18°C · cloudy · wind SE at 25 km/h
- De Aar: 10°C to 18°C · Showers and Thundershowers · wind ESE at 40 km/h
Tides & Sea Conditions
| Tide | Time (SAST) | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 🌊 KwaZulu-Natal · Durban | ||
| 🏖️ Low tide | 01:02 | -0.3 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 07:00 | +0.5 m |
| 🏖️ Low tide | 13:15 | -0.3 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 19:38 | +0.3 m |
| 🌡️ Water 21.7°C · 🌊 waves 3.02 m · 8.8 s swell | ||
| 🌊 Eastern Cape · Gqeberha | ||
| 🏖️ Low tide | 01:18 | -0.8 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 07:03 | -0.2 m |
| 🏖️ Low tide | 13:22 | -0.8 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 19:50 | -0.2 m |
| 🌡️ Water 16.9°C · 🌊 waves 3.84 m · 8.65 s swell | ||
| 🌊 Eastern Cape · East London | ||
| 🏖️ Low tide | 01:14 | -0.6 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 07:10 | +0.0 m |
| 🏖️ Low tide | 13:17 | -0.6 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 19:50 | -0.0 m |
| 🌡️ Water 18.6°C · 🌊 waves 3.34 m · 9.05 s swell | ||
| 🌊 Western Cape · Cape Town | ||
| 🏖️ Low tide | 01:22 | -0.9 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 07:20 | -0.3 m |
| 🏖️ Low tide | 13:15 | -0.8 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 19:56 | -0.3 m |
| 🌡️ Water 11.7°C · 🌊 waves 3.16 m · 8.15 s swell | ||
| 🌊 Northern Cape · Port Nolloth | ||
| 🏖️ Low tide | 01:06 | -0.8 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 07:30 | -0.1 m |
| 🏖️ Low tide | 13:21 | -0.6 m |
| 🌊 High tide | 19:57 | +0.0 m |
| 🌡️ Water 10.9°C · 🌊 waves 4.08 m · 10.45 s swell | ||
From the Weather Community
Forecast data: South African Weather Service (weathersa.co.za). Tide times: tide-forecast.com; sea state and modelled tides for Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, East London, Port Nolloth: Open-Meteo Marine (those heights are relative to mean sea level).