South Africa is facing another round of disruptive weather, with the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issuing a Yellow Level 4 warning for damaging rainfall in parts of the Northern Cape and Western Cape.
The highest-level warning currently applies to the eastern Namakwa region of the Northern Cape and the Central Karoo District of the Western Cape. SAWS warned that heavy rain could result in flooding affecting roads and settlements, while also causing major disruption to traffic movement.
Several other areas have been placed under lower-level warnings, reflecting the broad reach of the current weather system.
A Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms has been issued for the Nama Khoi and Kamiesberg municipalities in the Northern Cape, as well as the West Coast, Cape Winelands and Overberg districts and the City of Cape Town.
Residents in these areas should be prepared for thunderstorms accompanied by excessive lightning. SAWS warned that intense lightning activity could injure people and livestock, while power outages could lead to interruptions to essential services.
Damaging winds threaten several provinces
Strong winds are another major concern, with a Yellow Level 2 warning covering parts of the North West, eastern Northern Cape, central and western Free State, central and western Limpopo and northern Eastern Cape.
SAWS said damaging winds could affect informal settlements and other vulnerable structures. Power and communication networks may also be disrupted if infrastructure is damaged.
Coastal communities are facing a separate risk.
A further Yellow Level 2 warning has been issued for Port Edward, Richards Bay and surrounding inland areas. Strong winds and waves are expected to affect the coastline, with small harbours and ports potentially facing short-term disruption.
The combination of strong winds and rough seas could make navigation more difficult and may cause damage to coastal infrastructure.
Authorities and residents in affected areas are therefore being urged to remain alert as conditions develop, particularly where vulnerable housing, temporary structures or exposed infrastructure are present.
The Eastern Cape is also under a Yellow Level 1 warning for severe thunderstorms and damaging winds.
Fire danger remains extremely high in parts of Limpopo
The weather risks extend beyond rain, thunderstorms and wind.
SAWS has warned of extremely high fire danger conditions in western parts of the Waterberg District and the Blouberg Municipality in Limpopo.
Residents in those areas face an elevated risk of runaway fires under dangerous weather conditions and should exercise particular caution with open flames and other potential sources of ignition.
The latest warnings come as South Africa continues to experience highly variable weather conditions across different regions. While some communities face flooding from heavy rain, others are dealing with thunderstorms, damaging winds or dangerous coastal conditions.
The Yellow Level 4 warning in the eastern Namakwa region and Central Karoo is particularly significant because flooding can quickly affect roads and settlements, disrupting transport and potentially isolating communities.
Residents are advised to monitor further SAWS updates and follow guidance from local authorities as conditions change.
Motorists should exercise caution on roads affected by heavy rainfall or flooding, while residents in informal settlements and areas with vulnerable structures should be prepared for damaging winds.
The combination of multiple weather hazards means conditions may vary sharply from one province or district to another. Communities should therefore rely on location-specific warnings rather than assuming that conditions elsewhere will be the same.
SAWS will continue monitoring the weather system and updating its warnings as necessary.