Tornado Strikes Heilbron, Free State, As Extreme Weather Conditions Persist in South Africa

• The South African Weather Service (SAWS) said residents of Heilbron in the Free State experienced a tornado
• The tornado was seen on a farm, and SAWS warned that the conditions are expected to worsen over the next few days
• The country experienced rainy and stormy conditions throughout November 2025, and flooding was reported in some parts of the country

For seven years, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, South Africa, covered a range of topics, including accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather, and natural disaster-related incidents, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

HEILBRON, FREE STATE — A tornado was spotted on a farm in Heilbron in the Free State on 24 November 2025. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned that extreme conditions in the area and surrounding areas are expected to continue.

According to the South African Weather Service, the tornado was observed after mature thunderstorms formed in the area. The entire region surrounding Heilbron experienced high wind speeds. The tornado formed after convergence and moisture combined to create a supercell, a condition favourable for tornadoes.

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Tornadoes in South Africa

Parts of the country, including Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga, are prone to tornadoes forming in the area. Tornado season peaks from November to March in the country.

Weather conditions for the next few days

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms in the area on 25 November 2025. The region is expected to experience heavy downpours leading to localised flooding in parts of the Free State, Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga.

Wet weather conditions are expected to continue throughout the country. Parts of the country, including Gauteng, Limpopo, the North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Mpumalanga, will see a 30% chance of rainfall.

Temperatures are expected to increase on 27 November in most parts of the country while rainfall persists. Temperatures along the coast will drop as wind speeds remain between 20 and 30 kilometres per hour.

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2 Briefly News stories about the weather

SAWS issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for thunderstorms and disruptive weather, which the country experienced on 19 November. Much of the country experienced a 30% chance of isolated showers. KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Free State, and the Western Cape were hit by severe thunderstorms and rainfall, leading to localised flooding.

The conditions persisted during the weekend of the G20 Summit, which took place in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 November 2025. SAWS issued a warning for severe thunderstorms in four provinces in the country. These included KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, and the North East, where heavy downpours were experienced.

3 Missing in KwaZulu-Natal flooding

In a related article, Briefly News reported that three people went missing in New Hanover n KwaZulu-Natal on 23 November 2025. Heavy rainfall caused flooding in the area.

Rescuers also recovered the body of another female who went missing. The body was found in a river in New Hanover.

Proofreading by Roxanne Dos Ramos, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News