The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of widespread thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and flooding expected to impact several provinces on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

According to the forecast issued on Wednesday, conditions will be cold and wet across large parts of the country. Severe weather is expected to disrupt travel and affect infrastructure and agriculture.

An Orange Level 5 warning has been issued for severe thunderstorms, with SAWS stating: “Severe thunderstorms resulting in heavy downpours leading to flooding of roads and bridges, damage to infrastructure and agricultural activities are expected over the eastern parts of Free State, extreme east of the North West, southern parts of Gauteng and extreme south-western parts of Mpumalanga.”

A Yellow Level 4 warning is in place for the extreme south-central parts of Limpopo, northern Gauteng, the Mpumalanga highveld, and the northern and north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The forecast warns of “heavy downpours leading to localised flooding of roads and bridges, large amounts of small hail and excessive lightning.”

Further Yellow Level 2 warnings cover central Free State, eastern North West, southern Limpopo, and north-eastern Mpumalanga, excluding the Lowveld, where severe thunderstorms may lead to localised damage and flooding.

Another Yellow Level 2 warning has been issued for the eastern half of the Eastern Cape, where “disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of settlements, roads and bridges is expected in places along the coast and adjacent interior.”

Gauteng will be cloudy and cool, with widespread showers and thundershowers expected.

The UVB sunburn index is rated as moderate. Mpumalanga will see cloudy, cool to cold conditions, with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers, although the Lowveld will remain warm with only isolated rainfall.

Limpopo will be cloudy and cool, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers becoming widespread in the south-west, while the Lowveld and Limpopo Valley remain warm.

KwaZulu-Natal is set for a cold and wet day with widespread showers and thundershowers.

SAWS has stated: “Light snow is possible in the south-western high grounds.”

The Free State will also experience cloudy and cool weather with isolated to widespread thundershowers and colder temperatures along the Lesotho border.

The North West Province is expected to be cloudy and cool, with widespread thundershowers in the eastern regions.

In the Northern Cape, morning and evening fog is forecasted along the coast, with partly cloudy and cool conditions inland and isolated thundershowers in the east.

The Western Cape will be partly cloudy and cool, with some morning fog and warmer weather in the interior. The Eastern Cape will be mostly cloudy and cool to cold, with widespread rainfall expected along the coast and scattered showers inland.

No fire danger warnings have been issued. SAWS advises residents to remain vigilant and monitor updates. 

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za 

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