Weather alert: Windy conditions expected in coastal provinces

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has released its latest weather forecast for Saturday, 3 May 2025.

The weather service warns of damaging winds between the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal and in parts of the Northern Cape. Expect to encounter issues like difficulty in navigation at sea and dust storms in the affected areas. Here’s what you need to know.

Weather warnings, Saturday, 3 May

Impact-based warnings

The weather service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for damaging waves resulting in difficulty in navigation and small vessels taking on water and capsizing within a locality along the coast between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape as well as between Plettenberg Bay and Port Edward in KwaZulu-Natal.

A yellow Level 1 warning has also been issued for damaging winds resulting in localised problems for high-sided vehicles on prone routes, power and communication interruption, and reduced visibility due to dust storms in the Richterveld, Nama-Khoi and Kamiesberg municipalities of the Northern Cape until Sunday.

Fire warnings

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in the Richtersveld and Nama Khoi municipalities of the Northern Cape.

Advisories

Poor to very poor reduced visibility due to sand and dust storms are expected in theNorthern Cape’s Richterveld, Nama-Khoi and Kamiesberg municipalities until Sunday.

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Provincial weather forecast

Here’s what to expect in your province on Saturday, 3 May:

Gauteng:

Residents of Gauteng can expect partly cloudy to cloudy and cool weather with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme north. It will be cold in the south.

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

Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.

Mpumalanga:

Mpumalanga residents will experience morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise it will be cloudy and cold to cool with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Limpopo:

The day will start with morning fog along the escarpment, otherwise it will be cloudy and cold to cool with isolated showers and thundershowers. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected in the north-east in the morning.

North West:

Partly cloudy and cool weather awaits North West residents.

Free State:

Residents of the Free State will experience cloudy conditions in the northeast at first, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and cool but cold along the Lesotho border and the south, where light frost is expected.

Northern Cape:

The day will be fine and cool but cold in the south. It will be cloudy in the extreme north-eastern parts.

Western Cape:

Western Cape residents can expect partly cloudy conditions along the south coast at first, otherwise it will be fine and cool.

Eastern Cape (western half):

Fine and cold weather awaits Eastern Cape residents over the interior, although it will be cloudy along the coast with light morning rain.

Eastern Cape (eastern half):

The day will be fine and cold over the interior with morning frost north of the escarpment. It will be cloudy along the coast with light rain in places.

KwaZulu-Natal:

Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can expect morning fog patches in the west, otherwise it will be partly cloudy and cold to cool. Isolated showers and rain are expected along the coast and adjacent interior.