Today’s Weather: A comprehensive weather forecast for South Africa on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, covering all provinces and their major cities. A strong cold front continues to move eastwards across South Africa, bringing wet, windy, and cold to very cold conditions, especially over western high-lying areas. Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers will occur widely, except in the northeastern parts of the country. Light to heavy snowfall is expected along high mountain tops in parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Lesotho
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The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued several important weather warnings for today’s weather, Wednesday, 21 May 2025, including cold front alerts:
Today’s Weather Alert:
- A strong cold front is moving eastwards across South Africa, bringing wet, windy, and cold to very cold conditions over western high-lying areas of the Western Cape, southern Northern Cape, and Free State. This front will also cause light to heavy snowfall along high mountain tops in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Lesotho.
- Level 2 Yellow Warnings include:
- Damaging winds and waves along the entire South African coast from Alexander Bay to Kosi Bay, causing difficulty in navigation at sea and local disruptions to small harbours and ports.
- Disruptive snowfall over northern high grounds of the Eastern Cape and Lesotho, leading to icy roads, travel disruptions, and isolated loss of vulnerable livestock and crops.
- Damaging interior winds affecting parts of the Eastern Cape, eastern Free State, Northern Cape (except northwest and extreme north), northern Western Cape, western Free State, and southwestern North West Province. These winds may cause travel delays, local damage to settlements, and power and communication interruptions.
- Disruptive rainfall with localized flooding in susceptible formal and informal settlements, roads, low-lying areas, and bridges over the Cape Winelands, Cape Metropole, West Coast, and western Overberg districts of the Western Cape.
- Cold Front Advisory: The cold front will bring wet, windy, and cold to very cold conditions, with farmers and small stock farmers advised to provide proper shelter, dry bedding, and energy-rich feed to protect animals against these harsh conditions.
- Fire Danger: Extremely high fire danger is expected in parts of Limpopo despite the cold front elsewhere.
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Gauteng
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 5 | 18 |
| Pretoria | 6 | 18 |
| Vereeniging | 5 | 17 |
| Benoni | 6 | 18 |
| Boksburg | 6 | 18 |
| Soweto | 5 | 18 |
- Summary: Partly cloudy and cool, warmer in the extreme north. No significant precipitation expected.
- Cities: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Vereeniging (cool and dry).
- Warnings: No severe warnings, but cold front advisories for residents.
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Western Cape
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | 7 | 15-18 |
| Stellenbosch | 7 | 15-18 |
| George | 8 | 16-18 |
| Knysna | 8 | 16-18 |
| Paarl | 7 | 16 |
| Worcester | 6 | 17 |
| Saldanha Bay | 9 | 17 |
| Mossel Bay | 8 | 17 |
- Summary: The province will experience cold to cool and wet conditions, particularly in the south-western parts with widespread showers and rain. Winds will be fresh to strong north-westerly in the morning, shifting to near gale force south-westerly by evening along the south coast.
- Cities: Cape Town (cool and rainy), Stellenbosch, George, Knysna (showers and windy).
- Warnings: Level 2 yellow warning for damaging winds and waves along the coast, plus localized flooding risk in Cape Winelands, Cape Metropole, West Coast, and Overberg districts.
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Eastern Cape
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Bhisho (Capital) | 5 | 14 |
| Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) | 7 | 16 |
| East London | 6 | 16 |
| Mthatha | 5 | 14 |
| Queenstown | 3 | 12 |
| Butterworth | 6 | 15 |
| Komani (Queenstown area) | 3 | 12 |
| Graaff-Reinet | 4 | 14 |
- Summary: Cold to very cold with wet and windy conditions, especially in the interior. Disruptive snowfall expected over northern high grounds and Lesotho border areas, causing icy roads and travel disruptions.
- Cities: East London, Port Elizabeth, Mthatha (showers and cold), Queenstown (possible snow).
- Warnings: Level 2 yellow warning for disruptive snowfall and damaging interior winds causing local damage and power interruptions.
Northern Cape
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Kimberley | 5 | 20 |
| Upington | 7 | 22 |
| Springbok | 4 | 18 |
| Kuruman | 6 | 19 |
| De Aar | 3 | 16 |
| Kathu | 5 | 18 |
- Summary: Partly cloudy, windy, and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, mostly in the west. Coastal winds will be moderate to strong north-westerly in the morning, shifting south-westerly later.
- Cities: Kimberley, Upington, Springbok (cool and windy).
- Warnings: Level 2 yellow warning for damaging interior winds in most parts except north-west and extreme north.
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Free State
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Bloemfontein | 1 | 15 |
| Welkom | 2 | 14 |
| Bethlehem | 3 | 13 |
| Kroonstad | 2 | 14 |
| Sasolburg | 3 | 15 |
- Summary: Partly cloudy, windy, and cool to warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the extreme east. Damaging interior winds expected in eastern parts.
- Cities: Bloemfontein, Welkom, Bethlehem (cool and windy).
- Warnings: Level 2 yellow warning for damaging interior winds causing local disruptions.
Mpumalanga
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Mbombela (Nelspruit) | 11 | 27 |
| Ermelo | 3 | 16 |
| Emalahleni | 7 | 16 |
| Standerton | 3 | 18 |
| Secunda | 4 | 17 |
| Barberton | 10 | 24 |
| Middelburg | 5 | 17 |
| Skukuza | 16 | 34 |
- Summary: Morning fog over the Highveld, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm. Hotter conditions in the Lowveld.
- Warnings: No severe warnings, but cold advisories for farmers in some areas.
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Limpopo
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Polokwane | 11 | 18 |
| Phalaborwa | 16 | 29 |
| Tzaneen | 12 | 26 |
| Musina | 15 | 30 |
| Lephalale | 10 | 21 |
| Mokopane | 11 | 19 |
| Thohoyandou | 12 | 25 |
- Summary: Morning fog in places, otherwise fine and warm.
- Warnings: Extremely high fire danger in places, especially in Limpopo.
North West
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Mahikeng | 6 | 16 |
| Klerksdorp | 6 | 18 |
| Potchefstroom | 5 | 19 |
| Rustenburg | 9 | 19 |
| Vryburg | 6 | 14 |
| Zeerust | 5 | 16 |
- Summary: Fine, windy, and cool to warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in central and western parts.
- Warnings: Level 2 yellow warning for damaging interior winds causing travel delays and local damage.
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KwaZulu-Natal
| City | Min (°C) | Max (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Pietermaritzburg (Capital) | 12 | 22 |
| Durban | 16 | 26 |
| Richards Bay | 15 | 24 |
| Newcastle | 10 | 21 |
| Ladysmith | 9 | 20 |
| Empangeni | 14 | 24 |
- Summary: Mild with some showers possible, especially along the coast. Windy conditions expected but no severe warnings.
- Cities: Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay (mild and partly cloudy).
- Warnings: No severe weather warnings currently, but cold front advisories for residents in some areas.
Today’s weather forecast is based on the latest updates from South African Weather Services. Travelers and residents should prepare accordingly for cold, wet, windy, and in some regions snowy conditions, especially in the south and east.
