Find out what the latest weather forecast from the SA Weather Service means for your region for 26 January 2026.
The South African Weather Service (Saws) has warned of severe thunderstorms across several provinces, along with a prolonged heatwave and high fire risk, as detailed in its regional forecast for Monday, 26 January 2026.
Here’s what you need to know.
Weather warnings: Monday, 26 January 2026
Fire danger warnings
The weather service warned that extremely high fire danger is expected in the western and central regions of the country, as well as in central KwaZulu-Natal.
Impact-based warnings
]Saws has flagged impact-based warnings for hazardous conditions.
“Yellow level 2: Severe thunderstorms resulting in localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges, large amounts of small hail, excessive lightning, and strong damaging winds are expected over southern Gauteng, the south-western Highveld of Mpumalanga, eastern and central parts of Free State, northwestern parts of Limpopo as well as the southern parts of North West,” the service stated.
A separate alert covers coastal risks.
“Yellow level 1: Damaging winds and waves resulting in localised disruption to ports/harbours with vessels at risk of taking on water and capsizing within a locality is expected between Mazeppa Bay and Port Edward from the afternoon,” according to Saws.
Heatwave advisories through late January
Persistent high temperatures define the advisory period.
Saws reported that an extreme heatwave will continue across several districts, lasting until Thursday in parts of the Eastern Cape, and extending into Friday in the Northern Cape and central interior regions.
“In places over Sarah Baartman, Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, Or Tambo and Amathole until Thursday (29/01/2026), but until at least Friday (30/01/2026) over the Northern Cape, central and southern Free State and southwestern parts of North West.”
Residents in these areas should prepare for sustained hot spells.
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Gauteng forecast
Gauteng faces partly cloudy skies with warm to hot conditions, featuring afternoon showers and thundershowers, according to Saws.
The expected UVB sunburn index stands at high, urging sun protection measures.
Mpumalanga
Morning fog and drizzle will greet Mpumalanga’s escarpment.
“Otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the Lowveld.”
Limpopo
Limpopo mirrors Mpumalanga’s weather with morning drizzle on the escarpment.
“Otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot,” the forecast confirms.
North West
North West starts fine and hot to very hot.
Saws further anticipates that the weather in the province will become “partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers.”
Free State
Free State follows suit.
“Fine and hot to very hot, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers,” stated the weather service.
Northern Cape
Northern Cape weather turns fine to partly cloudy and hot to very hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers.
“The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly.”
Western Cape
Western Cape sees cloudy patches along the south coast and interior early, then partly cloudy and warm to hot, but very hot to extremely hot in the Central and Little Karoo, cooler on the Cape Peninsula and southern Overberg.
“It will become cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the north-eastern parts by the afternoon.”
Coastal winds freshen to strong southerly on west and southwest coasts initially, then westerly to south-westerly.
The UVB index rates very high.
Eastern Cape divided forecast
The western half of the Eastern Cape expects partly cloudy and hot to very hot conditions, but extremely hot in places, with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the north.
“The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh south-westerly.”
Eastern half mirrors hot to very hot partly cloudy skies with scattered showers and thundershowers, isolated north.
“The wind along the coast will be Moderate to fresh north-easterly, but strong north of East London from the afternoon,” according to Saws.
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal stays partly cloudy and warm to hot, very hot eastward, with isolated showers and thundershowers west and south.
Coastal winds will be moderate to fresh north-easterly.
The expected UVB sunburn index is high.
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