Thursday's weather: Mix of snow, rain, strong winds and waves as cold front hits SA

News24

3 days ago

Strong winds and waves, disruptive snow and rain are forecast for parts of the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and the Northern Cape, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
Impact-based warnings
- Damaging winds are anticipated in the northern interior of the Eastern Cape, potentially causing localised damage to temporary structures and interruptions in power and communication.
- Damaging waves are forecast between Saldanha Bay and Cape Agulhas in the morning, spreading to Plettenberg Bay and Alexander Bay by afternoon; small vessels may be at risk of capsizing.
- Combined damaging winds and waves are expected between Plettenberg Bay and Port Edward, causing potential disruptions in harbours/ports and dangers to small vessels.
Yellow level 2: Damaging waves
Affected area: Eastern Cape (East coast)
Validity period: 31 July to 1 August 2025 #saws #weatheroutlook #southafricanweather pic.twitter.com/xQQHWIlj0k
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) July 30, 2025
- Disruptive snow reported in high-lying areas between Graaff-Reinet and Komani, likely icing roads and disrupting mountain passes.
In the SAWS' colour-coded weather warning system, yellow indicates a moderate risk of impact that requires caution and awareness, while orange indicates that 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
Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected in the southern Namakwa district (Northern Cape), the Eastern Cape interior and parts of the Western Cape interior.
Weather advisory: Very cold, wet & windy conditions. Affected area: Western & Northern Cape
Validity period: 31 July 2025. #saws #weatheroutlook #southafricanweather pic.twitter.com/0tbsW5h0jp
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) July 30, 2025
The weather in your province
Gauteng: Fine and cool weather.
Pretoria: 3°C — 21°C
Johannesburg: 2°C — 20°C
Vereeniging: 2°C — 21°C
Mpumalanga: Fine, cool to cold conditions, but warmer in the Lowveld.
Mbombela: 5°C — 22°C
Ermelo: 2°C — 19°C
Emalahleni: 4°C — 19°C
Standerton: 5°C — 20°C
Skukuza: 3°C — 27°C
Limpopo: Fine with cool to warm conditions.
Polokwane: 1°C — 22°C
Phalaborwa: 5°C — 24°C
Tzaneen: 3°C — 24°C
Musina: 6°C — 26°C
Lephalale: 3°C — 22°C
Mokopane: 4°C — 22°C
North West: Fine, windy and cool weather expected.
Klerksdorp: 4°C — 22°C
Potchefstroom: 4°C — 21°C
Mahikeng: 5°C — 21°C
Rustenburg: 5°C — 21°C
Vryburg: 5°C — 22°C
Free State: Fine, windy and cold to cool, becoming partly cloudy in the southern parts.
Bloemfontein: 5°C — 21°C
Welkom: 5°C — 21°C
Bethlehem: 3°C — 18°C
Northern Cape: Cloudy and cold to cool with isolated showers and rain in the south and west. Scattered rain in the south-west where it will be very cold. Light snowfall may occur in the extreme southern regions. Coastal winds: Moderate to fresh north-westerly, becoming south to south-westerly.
Upington: 10°C — 17°C
Kimberley: 7°C — 22°C
De Aar: 8°C — 15°C
Alexander Bay: 12°C — 19°C
Springbok: 7°C — 12°C
Calvinia: 7°C — 10°C
Sutherland: 3°C — 7°C
Western Cape: Windy, cold and cloudy with widespread showers and rain. Snow is possible over mountain peaks. Conditions will clear from the north during the evening. Coastal winds: Strong to near-gale north-westerly in the south-west early on, turning westerly to south-westerly later.
Cape Town: 11°C — 14°C
Vredendal: 11°C — 15°C
Riversdale: 9°C — 14°C
George: 11°C — 15°C
Worcester: 10°C — 14°C
Beaufort West: 7°C — 15°C
Oudtshoorn: 7°C — 16°C
Western half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy, becoming cloudy and cold with isolated showers in the afternoon, scattered near the coast. Light snow expected on coastal mountains and Sneeuberg. Coastal winds: Fresh to strong south-westerly, reaching gale force in the afternoon.
Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Fine and warm, cooling over high ground. Cloudy conditions with evening showers expected in the west, alongside snowfall over Winterberg and Eastern Cape Drakensberg. Coastal winds: Moderate north-westerly, becoming fresh to strong south-westerly later.
Gqeberha: 9°C — 16°C
Makhanda: 12°C — 19°C
Cradock: 8°C — 17°C
Graaff-Reinet: 7°C — 15°C
East London: 16°C — 25°C
Port St Johns: 13°C — 28°C
Mthatha: 9°C — 24°C
Komani: 7°C — 20°C
Qonce: 13°C — 25°C
KwaZulu-Natal: Fine, cool to warm conditions, turning cloudy in the south by evening with isolated showers and rain in the far south. Coastal winds: Moderate to fresh northerly to north-easterly.
Durban: 11°C — 25°C
Richards Bay: 13°C — 27°C
Pietermaritzburg: 6°C — 29°C
Ladysmith: 5°C — 25°C