Weather alert: Fire warnings in the three Capes and damaging weekend winds in WC

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Friday, 9 May 2025.

Saws warns of high fire danger conditions in the Western, Northern and Eastern Capes while damaging winds and waves are expected in parts of the Western Cape over the weekend. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, Friday, 9 May

Impact-based warnings

The weather service has issued a yellow level 4 warning for damaging winds and waves between Table Bay and Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape until Sunday. Difficulty in navigation at sea is expected for small vessels and personal watercrafts, as well as possible damage to informal settlements.

A yellow Level 2 warning has also been issued for damaging winds leading to localised problems for high-sided vehicles on prone routes in the Northern Cape’s Hantam and Karoo Hoogland municipalities, as well as the Western Cape’s Central Karoo, Little Karoo and the eastern parts of the Cape Winelands districts. These conditions are expected from Saturday mid-morning until the evening.

Fire warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the interior of the Northern Cape’s Namakwa District, the Western Cape’s Central Karoo and Kannaland Municipality as well as the Eastern Cape’s Raymond Mhlaba and Dr Beyers Naude municipalities.

Advisories

Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected over the Karoo Hoogland in the Northern Cape and Witzenberg in the Western Cape on Saturday.

Strong gale force north-westerly winds are expected in places over Chris Hani and Joe Gqabi district municipalities in the Eastern Cape on Saturday. Westerly and south-westerly winds – accompanied by very rough seas – are forecast over places along the coast between Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape and Peddie in the Eastern Cape from Saturday into Sunday.

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Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Friday, 9 May:

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can expect fine and cool weather conditions.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents will experience fine and cool but warm weather in the Lowveld.

Limpopo:

The day will be fine and warm but hot in the places in the Lowveld.

North West:

Fine and cool to warm weather awaits North West residents.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will experience fine, cool and windy conditions over the south-western parts.

Northern Cape:

The day will be fine and cool to warm and windy over the central and eastern parts.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect morning fog patches over the southern and western parts, otherwise it will be fine and cool to warm, but partly cloudy along the coast.

Eastern Cape (western half):

Fine and cool to warm and windy conditions await Eastern Cape residents over the central and eastern parts.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will start off cloudy with fog in places in the south, otherwise it will be fine and warm to hot.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can expect cloudy conditions in the morning in the east and central interior, otherwise it will be fine and cool to warm.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.