Friday Weather: SAWS Issues Heatwave Advisories and Extreme Fire Danger Warnings Across SA
- The South African Weather Service warned of heatwave conditions persisting in parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga
- Extremely high fire danger conditions were flagged across large parts of the Northern Cape, Western Cape, Limpopo and several other provinces
- UV levels in KwaZulu-Natal were forecast to reach extreme levels, with residents urged to take precautions against prolonged sun exposure
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South Africa is facing a scorching Friday, with the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issuing heatwave advisories and extreme fire danger warnings for large parts of the country on 16 October.
Heatwave conditions are expected to persist in parts of the Eastern Cape until Saturday, northern KwaZulu-Natal until Sunday and Mpumalanga, excluding Escarpment areas, until Monday. Several provinces will also see isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, including Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and the Free State.
Extreme fire danger spreads across provinces
SAWS has flagged extremely high fire danger conditions across most of the Northern Cape, the eastern parts of the Western Cape, parts of the Eastern Cape, the western Free State, northern KwaZulu-Natal, south-eastern Mpumalanga and northern and western Limpopo. Residents in affected areas are urged to avoid any activities that could ignite veld fires, particularly where hot, dry and windy conditions are combining to create rapid-spread risks.
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In the Northern Cape, conditions will range from fine in central areas to partly cloudy and very hot elsewhere, with strong winds expected in the east adding to the danger.
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Province-by-province breakdown
Gauteng can expect warm and partly cloudy weather with isolated thundershowers and a high UVB sunburn index. The extreme northern parts of the province will be the hottest.
The Eastern Cape is under a heatwave advisory covering the Chris Hani, O.R. Tambo and Alfred Nzo district municipalities, with very hot and uncomfortably humid conditions expected south of the Escarpment.
KwaZulu-Natal faces the sharpest UV risk, with the sunburn index forecast to reach extreme levels. Very hot to extremely hot conditions are expected in the east, while isolated showers remain possible in the far north-west.
The Western Cape will see scorching temperatures inland, particularly in the east of the province, where conditions could reach extremely hot levels. The south-west coast will remain relatively cool, but fresh to strong north-westerly winds are expected along the western and south-western coastline.
Limpopo and Mpumalanga will both be fine and hot to very hot, with afternoon thundershowers developing in parts of each province.
Residents are advised to drink plenty of water, avoid strenuous outdoor activity during peak heat hours and apply adequate sun protection, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape where UV exposure is at its most dangerous.
Read the full weather report here.
More Briefly News stories on weather
- SAWS warns of severe storms across four provinces, with an orange level 5 alert for the Northern and Western Cape and threats from hail, lightning and storms.
- SAWS warns of severe KwaZulu-Natal thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds, as a north-west heatwave, extreme fire danger and Cape wind warnings threaten today.
- The SA Weather Service warns of dangerous heat in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, while severe thunderstorms threaten Limpopo on Thursday, 15 October 2026.
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Source: Briefly News
