KwaZulu-Natal Braces for Severe Storms As Western Cape Mountains Could Get Dusting of Snow
- The South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms across KwaZulu-Natal
- Snow is also possible on the highest mountain peaks in the Western Cape, including areas around Ceres, Franschhoek and Tulbagh
- Dangerous waves of 4–5 metres are forecast along the Western Cape coastline between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
SOUTH AFRICA — The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued multiple weather warnings for Tuesday, 6 October 2026.
Cold, wet conditions are expected in the Western Cape, while KwaZulu-Natal braces for severe thunderstorms and damaging winds.
Western Cape faces cold, rain and possible snow
A cold, wet Tuesday is forecast across the Western Cape, with temperatures dipping to around 17–18°C in Cape Town, Stellenbosch and George, and roughly 19°C in Paarl.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Rain showers are expected to spread eastward from the western parts of the province from mid-morning, with conditions in the west beginning to clear by the afternoon.
Snow is not anticipated in Cape Town itself, but the highest mountain peaks in the surrounding region could see a light dusting, particularly near Paarl, Franschhoek, Tulbagh, Robertson and Ceres. The forecast describes this as a possible dusting rather than significant snowfall.
Moderate to fresh westerly and south-westerly winds are expected along the Western Cape coast, strengthening to near-gale force along the south and southwest coast during the morning.
SAWS has also issued a Yellow Level 1 warning for damaging waves, with swells of approximately 4–5 metres forecast between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas. Rough seas are expected to extend towards Plettenberg Bay and northward to Alexander Bay by Tuesday evening, with hazardous wave conditions persisting into Thursday.
After today, Cape Town temperatures are expected to recover gradually, climbing back to around 23°C on Saturday and 24°C on Sunday.
KZN storms and wind warnings active
KwaZulu-Natal begins the day in sharp contrast to the Cape, with temperatures of 29°C in Durban, up to 31–33°C in Richards Bay and around 28–32°C in Pietermaritzburg. The warm conditions, however, are not expected to last.
Durban is forecast to become increasingly cloudy during the afternoon, with showers and thundershowers developing. More scattered storm activity is expected in the south of the province.
SAWS has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms over southeastern KZN, effective from approximately 6 pm on Tuesday through Tuesday night. Forecast impacts include heavy downpours, hail, damaging winds, excessive lightning, localised flooding, damage to settlements and infrastructure, and difficult driving conditions.
A separate Yellow Level 2 damaging-wind warning is also in place for the coast and adjacent interior between Port Edward and Richards Bay, beginning at 17:00 Tuesday and running through Wednesday night. Winds of 40–60 km/h are forecast, with gusts potentially reaching 55–65 km/h.
SAWS warns of difficulties for high-sided vehicles, hazardous conditions for vessels at sea, and the risk of loose objects becoming dangerous.
Other weather-related stories in South Africa
Briefly News reported that South Africa is no stranger to weather warnings, as the country is often affected by different phenomena.
- In March 2025, an Orange Level 5 weather warning was issued for KZN as the province was battered by heavy rainfall.
- In June 2025, the rain was replaced by snow as SAWS warned of severe weather for the Eastern Cape and even KZN.
- Two months later, an increase in temperatures across the country led to several warnings of wildfires.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: Briefly News
