Cold Snap Grips South Africa With Rain, Snow and Thunderstorms From Mid-September

• A cold snap is sweeping across South Africa, bringing frigid temperatures, heavy rain and possible snowfall to several regions from Wednesday
• The Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape bore the brunt of the bitter conditions, with some areas forecast to turn very cold
• Lesotho and higher-elevation parts of South Africa faced the possibility of heavy snowfall over the coming days

South Africa is in for a rough stretch of weather. Cold, wet and windy conditions are forecast to grip large parts of the country between 16 and 18 September 2026, with the harshest conditions expected across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and parts of the Northern Cape.

The South African Weather Service has not issued any active weather warnings, but the forecast paints a clear picture: southern Namakwa, the Central Karoo, the Little Karoo, and the Cape Winelands are all in line for frigid, damp and blustery weather through to Friday. Higher-lying areas in Lesotho and South Africa could also see heavy snowfall over the same period.

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Western and Eastern Cape bear the brunt

Cape Town can expect an overcast and rainy Wednesday, with gusty winds and temperatures ranging from just 13°C to 17°C. Western areas should see some clearing by the afternoon. George faces similar conditions, with scattered rain and moderate southwesterly winds keeping temperatures between 11°C and 14°C.

Gqeberha has an 80% chance of widespread rain, while KuGompo City is set for rain developing around midday, also with an 80% probability. Both coastal cities face cool, wet conditions with winds easing overnight.

In the Eastern Cape interior, cold and overcast skies will accompany widespread rain. Moderate to fresh southwesterly winds are expected to ease by evening.

Warmer conditions inland

Further north, the picture is considerably more pleasant. Pretoria, Johannesburg and Vereeniging will all see partly cloudy skies with warm daytime highs in the high twenties. Polokwane is forecast to reach 31°C, making it one of the warmest cities in the country over this period.

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Bloemfontein starts clear and warm before clouds roll in later, with a daily range of 6°C to 23°C. Kimberley and Upington follow a similar pattern, though strong gusts are expected in the northeastern Free State.

KwaZulu-Natal remains largely warm and sunny during the day. Durban sits at 18°C to 27°C, with clouds building later and scattered night showers possible. Richards Bay could see rain developing by evening, while Pietermaritzburg turns cloudy with late-afternoon showers after a fair start.

Residents in the affected southern regions are advised to dress warmly and prepare for slippery road conditions, particularly in mountain passes where snowfall remains a possibility.

More on SA's wild weather

• Briefly News recently reported on a dramatic lightning strike caught on camera over a Cape Town suburb that sparked conversation about the city's unpredictable weather.
• AccuWeather data revealed which South African cities recorded the warmest and coolest temperatures this week.
• Severe storm warnings were issued for KwaZulu-Natal, prompting disaster management authorities to go on high alert.

Source: Briefly News