Last updated: Friday 16 October 2026, 12:02 SAST – the warnings and advisories below were refreshed after SAWS issued a new high-level alert.
Updated Thursday 15 October 2026, 17:04 SAST
Saturday brings a hot, unsettled day for the interior, with Queenstown reaching 35C under showers and thundershowers and Mthatha climbing to 34C with slight rain. Along the coast it stays much milder. Gqeberha sits between 16C and 19C with slight rain, while East London holds at 21C. By Sunday the heat inland drops back, with Queenstown cooling to 28C and Mthatha to 27C, and rain showers spread across all four towns.
Veld fire warnings are in place for Graaff-Reinet, Somerset East and Cradock, so please avoid open fires, braai only in safe, enclosed spots and report any smoke quickly. If you are heading out near Queenstown on Saturday, keep an umbrella handy and head indoors when thunder rumbles.
Looking past the weekend? <a href="https://www.saffarazzi.com/news/weather/eastern-cape-7-day-weather-forecast/">Eastern Cape's full 7-day forecast, town by town</a>.
Warnings and Advisories for Eastern Cape
The weekend forecast for Gqeberha comes first, then 3 more towns across Eastern Cape.
Weekend Weather Forecast: Gqeberha
| Day | Conditions | High / Low | Rain | Wind | Tides | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 17 Oct | Slight rain | 19° 16° | 30% | WSW 10.0 km/h | L 00:23 · H 06:47 · L 12:38 · H 18:46 | |
| Sunday 18 Oct | Rain showers | 18° 17° | 60% | SW 15.0 km/h | L 01:07 · H 07:57 · L 13:44 · H 20:05 |
More weather forecasts for the Eastern Cape
Tap a town below to open its weekend forecast.
East London
| Day | Conditions | High / Low | Rain | Wind | Tides | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 17 Oct | Slight rain | 21° 18° | 30% | WSW 10.0 km/h | L 00:25 · H 06:37 · L 12:38 · H 18:35 | |
| Sunday 18 Oct | Rain showers | 21° 18° | 60% | E 5.0 km/h | L 01:08 · H 07:38 · L 13:43 · H 19:37 |
Mthatha next.
Mthatha
| Day | Conditions | High / Low | Rain | Wind | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 17 Oct | Slight rain | 34° 17° | 30% | SSE 5.0 km/h | |
| Sunday 18 Oct | Rain showers | 27° 15° | 60% | E 5.0 km/h |
Queenstown next.
Queenstown
| Day | Conditions | High / Low | Rain | Wind | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 17 Oct | Showers and Thundershowers | 35° 15° | 30% | NW 10.0 km/h | |
| Sunday 18 Oct | Rain showers | 28° 14° | 60% | ESE 5.0 km/h |
That is every town in Eastern Cape on our list.
How SAWS weather warning levels work
The South African Weather Service issues impact-based warnings. They say what the weather could do to people, roads and homes, not only how strong it will be. Each warning has a colour and a level from 1 to 10.
- Yellow (Levels 1 to 4): minor to moderate impact. Local disruption such as flooded streets, travel delays or damage to informal homes. Stay alert.
- Orange (Levels 5 to 8): significant impact. Major travel problems, power cuts, flooding in low-lying areas and damage to property are likely. Prepare and take action.
- Red (Levels 9 and 10): severe impact. Widespread flooding, washed-away roads, damaged buildings and danger to life. Take emergency precautions at once.
The number also reflects how likely the impact is, so two warnings of the same colour can differ in how likely they are to happen. Always follow SAWS and your local disaster management.
Forecast data: South African Weather Service (weathersa.co.za) and various 3rd party providers and AI Tools.