“Flu Is Coming Back”: Icy Weather Forecast for SA As Gauteng Braces for Sub-Zero Temperatures

• The South African Weather Service has forecast a dramatic drop in temperatures across Gauteng from Thursday, with Johannesburg expected to hit -2°C overnight
• Pretoria is also set for a sharp cold spell, with overnight lows dropping from around 7°C early in the week to between 0°C and 2°C by the weekend
• The cold air mass is expected to spread beyond Gauteng, with the Free State and Northern Cape also in line for freezing mornings

South Africans need to pull out the extra blankets because a serious cold front is on its way. The South African Weather Service has warned that Gauteng is heading into one of its coldest stretches of the year, with temperatures set to drop sharply from Thursday 2 July 2026.

In Johannesburg, overnight lows are expected to plunge to around -2°C on Thursday and Friday, with many parts of the city likely to experience sub-zero conditions in the early morning hours.

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Daytime temperatures will stay relatively manageable, hovering around 16°C for most of the week, but Thursday is expected to be the coldest day overall with a maximum of just 13°C.

Pretoria will follow a similar pattern, with overnight lows dropping from 7°C to 10°C early in the week before falling to between 0°C and 2°C as the cold front moves through.

The good news is that conditions are expected to improve from Sunday, with temperatures climbing back to around 21°C.

How cold does South Africa get?

This week's forecast is cold, but South Africa has seen far worse. The coldest temperature ever recorded on the South African mainland was -20.2°C at the Buffelsfontein farm near Molteno in the Eastern Cape back in August 2013.

Who else should prepare

The cold air mass spreading from Thursday is not limited to Gauteng. The Free State and Northern Cape are also forecast to experience freezing mornings as the system pushes through.

Towns like Warden and Fouriesburg in the Free State regularly dip to around -8°C during severe cold fronts, so residents in those areas should prepare.

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SA unhappy with the icy forecast

People had a lot to say about what is coming:

@WandaCoetzer said:

"July is our coldest month."

@BernadineDamons wrote:

"Oh no, cold in winter."

@TshepoPila said:

"Yoh, flu is coming back!"

@AnitaVanDerMerwe wrote:

"This is today. A bit warm in Gauteng, not so cold, wind is blowing yes but not heavy."

@RaissaMia said:

"It was a beautiful day in Joburg today."

More on extreme weather

• Briefly News recently reported on a deadly European heatwave that has already claimed 20 lives.
• French shoppers were filmed scrambling for air conditioners as a record-breaking heatwave hit.
• South Africa could be heading for extreme heat of its own as experts warn of an El Niño developing, and the temperatures they are predicting have people very concerned.

Source: Briefly News