Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail, and damaging winds are forecast for the Eastern Cape.

Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail and damaging winds are forecast for the Eastern Cape, while morning fog and isolated showers are expected in most parts of the country, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

Impact-based warnings

Yellow Level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, resulting in localised flooding of roads, bridges and low-lying areas, as well as strong, damaging winds and hail leading to localised damage to settlements and infrastructure are expected over the central parts of the Eastern Cape.

In the SAWS’ colour-coded weather warning system, yellow indicates a moderate risk of impact that requires caution and awareness, while orange indicates that a higher-risk impact is expected, requiring increased attention and preparation.

SAWS uses the numbers to indicate the likelihood of weather-based impacts occurring. Levels 2 and 6 are high, and Level 4 is low.

Advisories

An intense cut-off low is expected to affect the Eastern Cape and the eastern parts of the Western Cape from Tuesday (05/05/2026) evening until Thursday (07/05/2026).

Adverse weather conditions are expected, including heavy rainfall, strong interior winds and gale-force coastal winds, damaging waves, storm surge and possible disruptive snow in places over the high-lying areas. The public and small stock farmers are advised to take the necessary precautions.

The weather in your province

Gauteng: Partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Mpumalanga: Morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme south-west.

Limpopo: Morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated evening showers and thundershowers over the south-western Bushveld.

North West: Partly cloudy, windy and cool to warm, with isolated showers and thundershowers, scattered in the west, where it will be cloudy.

Free State: Partly cloudy, windy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, scattered in the west where it will be cloudy.

Northern Cape: Fine over the western interior, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and cool to cold with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the extreme north-east. Morning fog can be expected along the coast and adjacent interior.

The wind along the coast will be light to moderate northerly to north-westerly.

Western Cape: Cloudy and cool to cold with isolated to scattered showers and rain, but widespread over the south-western parts. It will be fine in the extreme north-east.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to north-westerly, reaching strong along the south-west coast until the afternoon. It will become fresh to strong south-westerly along the south coast from the afternoon.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Fine in the morning, otherwise cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated along the coast and adjacent interior.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Fine in the morning, otherwise cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers.

The wind along the coast will be light northerly, becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly in the afternoon.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog patches over the north central interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in the north-east. It will become cloudy in the south-west in the evening with isolated showers and thundershowers.

The wind along the coast will be light north-westerly in the south in the morning and evening, otherwise light to moderate northerly to north-easterly.

*This weather report was written with the support of Toqan AI.