The South African Weather Service (Saws) has warned of level 4 thunderstorms and fire danger warnings issued for parts of the Free State, Gauteng, North West and the Cape regions.
The weather service has released its latest weather forecast for 31 October 2025.
Here’s what you need to know.
Weather warnings: Friday, 31 October
Impact-based warnings
The weather service has issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms leading to flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges; large amounts of small hail; strong, damaging winds; heavy downpours; and excessive lightning issued for the central and western parts of the Free State.
A Yellow Level 2 for severe thunderstorms leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges, large amounts of small hail, strong damaging winds, heavy downpours and excessive lightning is also issued for North West, the central and southern parts of Gauteng, the eastern parts of Northern Cape and the Free State, as well as the Eastern Cape, excluding the extreme eastern parts.
A yellow Level 1 was also issued for severe thunderstorms leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges; large amounts of small hail; strong, damaging winds; heavy downpours; and excessive lightning for the southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Fire danger warnings
Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the central and western parts of Eastern Cape and the central and eastern parts of Northern Cape and Western Cape.
ALSO READ: Storms this weekend? Here’s what weather to expect in Gauteng
Provincial weather forecast
Here’s what to expect in your province on Friday, 31 October:
Gauteng:
Residents of Gauteng can expect partly cloudy and cool to warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the south.
Mpumalanga:
Mpumalanga residents can expect cloudy and cool to warm conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the south-west.
Limpopo:
The day will be cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the northwest.
North West:
Cloudy, windy and warm weather awaits North West residents with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the east.
Free State:
Residents of the Free State can look forward to cloudy, windy and cool to warm weather, with scattered showers and thundershowers.
Northern Cape:
The day will be fine in places in the west, otherwise partly cloudy, windy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered in the extreme east.
Western Cape:
Western Cape residents can expect fog patches along the coast in the morning and evening; otherwise, conditions will be partly cloudy and cool to warm, but hot over the eastern interior.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Eastern Cape (western half):
The day will be partly cloudy and hot to very hot with scattered showers and thundershowers but isolated along the coast, where it will be warm.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
The day will be very hot in places, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with scattered showers and thundershowers.
KwaZulu-Natal:
Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to morning fog patches over the interior; otherwise, the weather will be partly cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered into the extreme south.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
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