Saturday’s weather: Heavy rain, damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning in 5 provinces

Severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning are expected over several provinces, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

Yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms:

Localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges expected.

Localised damage to settlements and infrastructure possible.

Heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning expected.

Affected areas: Northern Cape, northern parts of the Western Cape, western parts of the Free State, extreme western parts of the North West, and extreme southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal in the evening.

Yellow level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms Affected area: Central interior Validity period: 26 September 2026. #saws #weatheroutlook #southafricanweather pic.twitter.com/76LLVhlMJ7

In the SAWS’s 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.