Five Provinces Told to Brace for Hail and Flash Floods As Storms Hit on Tuesday

• The South African Weather Service issued Yellow Level 4 and Level 2 severe thunderstorm warnings valid until 22:00 on Tuesday
• KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State, Gauteng, and Limpopo face risks of flash flooding, large hail, and damaging winds
• Extremely high fire danger conditions are also forecast for parts of the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and Western Cape interior

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has put several provinces on alert for severe weather on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, with warnings active until 22:00.

Two tiers of thunderstorm warnings are in effect. A Yellow Level 4 warning covers northern KwaZulu-Natal, the extreme eastern Free State, and the Mpumalanga Highveld, where conditions may produce localised flash flooding, infrastructure damage, large hail, and heavy lightning. A Yellow Level 2 warning has been issued for Gauteng, western Mpumalanga, western Limpopo, and the eastern parts of North West province, where sudden downpours, strong winds, and hail are expected.

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Fire danger across the Western interior

Away from the storms, fire danger remains a serious concern. Extremely high fire risk conditions have been forecast for the western interior of the Eastern Cape, western areas of the Northern Cape, and the Central Karoo in the Western Cape. Residents in these areas are urged to exercise caution.

What to expect province by province

• Gauteng will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms developing. Temperatures in Pretoria are forecast between 17°C and 30°C, while Johannesburg can expect highs of 27°C.
• Mpumalanga faces very hot conditions in the Lowveld, with widespread severe thunderstorms projected for the Highveld. Mbombela could reach 31°C.
• Limpopo will be hot to very hot, with isolated to scattered afternoon storms building over central and southern parts. Thohoyandou is forecast to hit 35°C.
• In the Free State, the western interior will remain fine and hot, while the eastern half braces for afternoon thunderstorms. Bloemfontein could see a high of 35°C.
• KwaZulu-Natal will start with morning fog and mist over interior fields before warming through the day. The north faces damaging afternoon thunderstorms, with Durban forecast between 18°C and 26°C.
• The Northern Cape will be windy and extremely hot inland, with Upington reaching up to 39°C. The Western Cape will be cooler overall, with morning fog along the south coast and Cape Town sitting between 14°C and 22°C.

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SAWS advises residents to stay indoors during active storms, keep away from trees and windows, and never attempt to cross flooded streams or low-water bridges. Travellers and commuters should plan for possible delays and carry rain protection throughout the day.

More on severe weather in South Africa

• Briefly News recently reported on how South Africans were urged to brace for severe storms after a Yellow Level 4 warning was issued for parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
• Early risers were treated to a rare celestial lineup of the crescent Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Regulus along the eastern horizon.
• Jeepaholic Burger captured a terrifyingly beautiful scene as lightning streaked over Pretoria’s Moot area on Monday night.

Source: Briefly News