The South African Weather Service (Saws) has warned of heavy downpours in parts of the North West, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, with persistently high temperatures expected in four provinces on Tuesday, 27 January.
Here is what you need to know.
Weather warnings for 27 January 2026
Impact-based warnings
The weather service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms in the central and southeastern parts of the North West, the central and eastern parts of the Free State, and the western parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Expect localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges, large amounts of small hail, and localised damage to infrastructure due to damaging winds.
Fire danger warnings
Saws has warned of extremely high fire danger conditions in the central and eastern parts of the Northern Cape.
Advisories
A heat wave with persistently high temperatures is expected in places over Sarah Baartman, Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, OR Tambo and Amathole District Municipalities in the Eastern Cape until Thursday.
Most parts of the Northern Cape, Free State, and the southern parts of the North West will experience similar conditions until Friday.
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Provincial weather forecast
Here’s what to expect in your province on 27 January:
Gauteng:
Residents can expect partly cloudy and hot weather with afternoon isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be very hot in the south.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Mpumalanga:
Expect morning fog and drizzle along the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the Lowveld.
Limpopo:
There will be morning drizzle along the escarpment; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the south.
North West:
Fine weather awaits North West residents at first, becoming partly cloudy and hot to very hot in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Free State:
Residents can expect a fine and hot to very hot day, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the east.
Northern Cape:
There will be morning fog along the coast; otherwise, the weather will be a mix of partly cloudy skies, fine and hot to very hot conditions with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the east.
Western Cape:
Expect morning fog along the west coast; otherwise, it will be fine and hot over the interior, but partly cloudy and hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme northeastern parts.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Eastern Cape (western half):
It will be partly cloudy and hot to very hot, but extremely hot in places with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the north.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
Expect a partly cloudy and hot to very hot day with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the north.
KwaZulu-Natal:
There will be morning fog in places in the north and southeast; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, but very hot in places with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the southwest.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
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