Find out what the latest weather forecast from the SA Weather Service means for your region for 1 January 2026.
The South African Weather Service (Saws) has warned that severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, damaging winds, hail and flooding are expected in parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, while extreme fire danger threatens other regions.
The weather service has released its latest weather forecast for 1 January 2026, New Year’s Day.
Here’s what you need to know.
Weather warnings: Thursday, 1 January 2026
Impact-based warnings
The weather service has issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, damaging winds, excessive lightning, and hail, resulting in flooding and damage to infrastructure and settlements, as well as danger to life, which are expected over the Lowveld and escarpment areas of Mpumalanga, including the extreme south-eastern parts of Limpopo.
Saws issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, damaging winds, excessive lightning, and large amounts of small hail, resulting in localised flooding of susceptible settlements and infrastructure, as well as danger to life, expected over the central and south-eastern parts of Limpopo (except for the extreme south-east), including the eastern Highveld of Mpumalanga.
Fire danger warnings
Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape and the extreme western parts of the North West.
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Provincial weather forecast
Here’s what to expect in your province on Thursday, 1 January 2026:
Gauteng:
Residents of Gauteng can expect partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the north. It will be hot in the extreme north.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Mpumalanga:
Mpumalanga residents can expect partly cloudy and warm conditions with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread over the Lowveld and escarpment areas. It will be hot in places over the Lowveld.
Limpopo:
It will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but isolated over the Limpopo Valley.
North West:
Fine and warm to hot, becoming partly cloudy weather awaits the North West residents in the east with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Free State:
Residents of the Free State can look forward to fine and warm to hot conditions becoming partly cloudy in the east with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Northern Cape:
The day will start with morning fog patches along the coast and adjacent interior; otherwise, it will be fine and warm to hot but very hot in places over the western interior.
Western Cape:
Western Cape residents can expect partly cloudy weather in the south with light morning rain or drizzle along the south coastal areas, where it will be cool; otherwise, it will be fine and warm to hot.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Eastern Cape (western half):
The day will be cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers in the morning over the southern parts in the morning but scattered along the coast east of Cape St Francis; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
The day will be cloudy and warm with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the northwest, where it will be partly cloudy.
KwaZulu-Natal:
Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches; otherwise, the conditions will be cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the northeast.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
