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The South African Weather Service (Saws) has forecast partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions for Sunday, 1 February, with isolated to scattered thundershowers possible over the central and eastern parts of the country.
Here is what you need to know.
Weather warnings for 1 February 2026
Impact-based warnings
The weather service has issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms over the central and western parts of KwaZulu-Natal. The storms will bring heavy downpours, damaging winds, excessive lightning and hail, and could lead to flooding and damage to infrastructure.
It also issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms over Gauteng, the Highveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga, the central and southern parts of Limpopo, as well as the eastern parts of the North West and the Free State.
Expect localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges; localised damage to settlements; large amounts of small hail; excessive lightning and damaging winds.
Fire warning
Saws also warned that extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over vast parts of the Northern Cape, and over Nala and Mangaung Local Districts in the Free State, as well as Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality in the North West.
Advisories
Hot and humid weather will result in very uncomfortable conditions over the northeastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Provincial weather forecast
Here’s what to expect in your province on 1 February:
Gauteng:
Residents can expect a hot day in the extreme north and partly cloudy warm conditions in other parts of the province, with scattered showers and thundershowers.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
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Mpumalanga:
Expect morning fog along the escarpment. Otherwise, it will be cloudy and cool to warm with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated over the Lowveld, where it will be hot.
Limpopo:
There will be morning fog along the escarpment; otherwise, expect partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers, but cloudy in the central and southern parts with scattered showers and thundershowers.
North West:
Partly cloudy and hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the extreme east.
Free State:
Residents can expect morning fog in the extreme east; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the east.
Northern Cape:
It will be partly cloudy, hot to very hot day with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme north eastern parts; becoming fine in the west from late morning, where it will be warm but cool along the coast.
The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southeasterly.
Western Cape:
Residents can expect partly cloudy conditions with morning fog over the southern parts, where it will become cloudy from the evening, otherwise fine and warm to hot, but very hot over the eastern interior.
The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly.
Region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.
Eastern Cape (western half):
It will be partly cloudy in places and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers except in the south-west.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
Cloudy with morning fog south of the escarpment, weather at first, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers.
KwaZulu-Natal:
There will be morning fog patches; otherwise, it will be a partly cloudy and warm to hot day with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the extreme north-east.
The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly to south-westerly in the south until late morning, otherwise light to moderate easterly to northeasterly.
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