The South African Weather Service (Saws) has issued high temperature and fire danger warnings affecting Northern Cape, Free State, and North West, with heatwaves across much of the Eastern Cape.
The weather service has released its latest weather forecast for 24 January 2026.
Here’s what you need to know.
Weather warnings: Saturday, 24 January 2026
Fire danger warnings
The weather service has warned that extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the central and northern parts of the Northern Cape, the western and central parts of the Free State, and the extreme south-western parts of North West.
Advisories
A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected in places over the Sarah Baartman, Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, OR Tambo, and Amathole District Municipalities in the Eastern Cape, lasting until Thursday.
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Provincial weather forecast
Here’s what to expect in your province on Saturday, 24 January 2026:
Gauteng:
Residents of Gauteng can expect partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
Mpumalanga:
Mpumalanga residents can expect cloudy conditions at first with morning drizzle along the escarpment and Lowveld; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers over the Highveld.
Limpopo:
It will be cloudy at first with morning light rain and drizzle in the central and eastern parts; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated thundershowers in the southwest.
North West:
Morning fog patches await the North West residents over the eastern parts; otherwise, the weather will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers over the eastern parts.
Free State:
Residents of the Free State can look forward to morning fog patches over the eastern parts; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the east. It will be fine in the west.
Northern Cape:
The day will be fine and hot to very hot but warm along the coast.
Western Cape:
Western Cape residents can expect partly cloudy weather along the south coast at first and along the southwest coast in the evening; otherwise, it will be fine and warm but hot over the 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 fine and warm to hot.
Eastern Cape (eastern half):
The day will start with morning fog in places; otherwise, it will be cloudy and cool to warm with light rain in places along the East Coast and adjacent interior in the morning. It will become fine in the afternoon over the interior but cloudy again by late evening.
KwaZulu-Natal:
Residents of KwaZulu-Natal can expect morning fog over the interior; otherwise, conditions will be partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers except in the northeast.
The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”.
Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.
