Gauteng on Edge as Intense Storms Roll In

SAWS warns residents to prepare for excessive lightning, heavy rain, and fierce winds

Gauteng residents woke up today with that familiar storm-season tension lingering in the airthe kind that sends Joburgers checking their weather apps every 10 minutes and Pretoria residents eyeing their gutters like they’re about to become small rivers. And this time, the concern is real.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has escalated warnings as a strong storm system sweeps across the northeastern provinces, bringing the kind of lightning and downpours that can flip a normal weekday into complete chaos.

Weather forecast for today & tomorrow, 24 – 25 November 2025.
Partly cloudy conditions are expected over the central & eastern parts of the country, with isolated to scattered showers & thundershowers but widespread in places over the north eastern regions. Otherwise, fine. pic.twitter.com/U4GrBG1hU6

SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) November 24, 2025

A Storm Stretching Across Provinces

According to SAWS forecaster Phemelo Zonke, the atmosphere over Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and parts of the eastern Free State is “unstable”a word South Africans have learned to dread during summer afternoons.

Zonke confirms expectations of isolated to scattered thundershowers, especially as the system becomes widespread over Gauteng later in the day.

Just yesterday, a Level 2 yellow warning had residents on watch. But by evening, the situation intensified rapidly, prompting an orange Level 5 alert in parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

And Gauteng isn’t far behind.

Cool Air, Heavy Skies

If you’ve stepped outside, you’ve probably felt itthe cool, damp air that signals storms brewing overhead.

• Johannesburg: Dropped to 11°C last night, heading to a mild 20°C

• Pretoria: Expected to peak around 21°C with clouds refusing to budge

The cooler temperatures may feel like a nice break from early-summer heat, but they’re also a sign of the moisture-rich environment feeding today’s storm activity.

“It will remain a cool to warm day across much of the province, with thunderstorms posing significant risks,” Zonke cautioned.

What to Expect: Lightning, Winds, and Possible Flooding

Today’s expected hazards read like a checklist of everything Gauteng residents dread in storm season:

Excessive lightning

SAWS warns of dangerous cloud-to-ground strikesthe kind that can spark fires, fry electronics, and pose real danger to anyone outdoors.

Damaging winds

Strong gusts could topple trees, blow off roofs (we’ve all seen those viral Joburg clips), and disrupt transport.

Heavy downpours

Flash flooding remains a real risk, especially in low-lying zones, informal settlements, and areas with blocked drains.

Small hail

Not the golf-ball kind that traumatised motorists last yearbut still enough to cause trouble for cars and gardens.

Authorities are urging residents to avoid open spaces, hilltops, and isolated tall treesclassic lightning targets.

Local Reactions: “Not This Again!”

As expected, social media has lit up almost as fast as the lightning itself:

• Joburg drivers: Already predicting gridlock as robots (traffic lights) inevitably go out.

• Tshwane parents: Preparing for early school pickups “just in case.”

• Gardeners: Quietly resigning themselves to losing the plants they’ve been nurturing since spring.

One X (Twitter) user joked:

“You know it’s real when SAWS moves from yellow to orange. That’s the weather version of your mom calling you by your full name.”

Storm Season in Gauteng: A Never-Ending Battle

This is not the first time Gauteng has faced aggressive weather in early summerand it probably won’t be the last. The province sits in a hotspot for severe convection storms, which is why we often see lightning rates far higher than other parts of the world.

In fact, South Africa has some of the highest lightning densities globally, with Gauteng frequently experiencing thousands of ground strikes in a single storm cycle.

Safety First: What SAWS Wants You to Do Today

If you’re out and about, keep this short checklist in mind:

• Avoid open fieldslightning loves these

• Don’t shelter under isolated tall trees

• Stay away from metal objects and fences

• Unplug appliances during strikes

• Don’t cross flooded roadsmore cars are lost this way than you’d think

Even a short storm can cause major damage, especially with the severity SAWS is warning about.

As afternoon approaches, Gauteng is bracing itself for another dramatic display of summer weatherone filled with booming thunder, dramatic skies, and the kind of lightning that turns night into day.

The best advice? Stay indoors, stay informed, and avoid taking risks.
Storm season may be beautiful to watch, but it demands respect.

{Source: The South Africa}

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