Wet and rumbling skies? Gauteng’s weekend weather breakdown

If you’ve got outdoor plans this Saturday, you might want to pack a backup.

The South African Weather Service is calling for a classic Highveld summer weekend: warm, sticky, and punctuated by the sound of thunder rolling across the horizon.

Both Pretoria and Johannesburg are in line for showers and thundershowers starting from the early hours of Saturday morning. And unlike those fleeting five-minute drizzles that barely settle the dust, this system looks set to linger.

Pretoria: Thunder before dawn

Pretoria residents might wake up to more than just their alarms on Saturday. The Weather Service forecasts showers and thundershowers as early as 2am, with temperatures sitting at a mild 25°C and humidity already at 50%. It’s the kind of sticky start that tells you the day isn’t going to dry out anytime soon.

By 8am, the rain settles in properly. Temperatures dip slightly to 22°C, humidity climbs to 65%, and the wind swings north-east at a gentle 9.3km/h. Not a galejust enough to rustle the jacarandas.

The afternoon brings another round of thundershowers around 2pm, with similar conditions expected through the evening. Saturday’s peak temperature in the capital is forecast at 31°C, but with 5mm of rain and a 60% probability of precipitation, the umbrella stays relevant.

Sunday offers a slight reprieve. Morning showers are expected around 8am, humidity hitting 70%, before conditions settle. The day tops out at 27°C, with another 5mm possible.

Johannesburg: A heavier soaking

Joburgers should expect a wetter weekend overall. The city is forecast to receive 10mm of rain on Saturdaydouble what Pretoria is expecting.

Thundershowers kick off around 2am, with temperatures at 22°C and that familiar 55% humidity. By 8am, the morning commute could be messy. Rain showers are expected, humidity jumps to 70%, and the wind shifts north-north-west.

The afternoon and evening carry the same theme: showers, thundershowers, and temperatures hovering between 22°C and 23°C. Saturday’s minimum sits at 18°C, with a maximum of 28°C. Again, the rain probability holds at 60%.

Sunday is noticeably drier. Morning showers are possible around 8am, but the precipitation chance drops to 30%. The city will see about 5mm, with a cooler maximum of 25°C. By evening, conditions should be mostly cloudy but quiet.

What this means for your weekend

Let’s be honest: Joburg and Pretoria don’t do rain lightly. When the Highveld opens up, it opens up. Streets flood within minutes. Traffic doubles. The smell of wet tar fills the air, and suddenly every undercover parking bay becomes prime real estate.

If you’re planning a Saturday braai, have a gazebo ready. If you’re driving anywhere in the early morning or late afternoon, leave earlier than you think you need to. And if you’re one of those people who thinks a light jacket will cut itit won’t. This is thundershower territory. You will get wet.

That said, there’s something quietly necessary about this kind of rain. Gauteng has been dry. Gardens are thirsty. The dust has been winning. A proper weekend downpour, even an inconvenient one, settles more than just the roads.

The unsung rhythm of the Highveld

People who’ve lived here long enough don’t even check the forecast anymore. They just know. You feel it in the thickness of the air by Friday evening. You see it in the way the clouds stack themselves in the late afternoon, white turning grey turning purple.

This weekend’s system isn’t unusual. It’s not a freak storm or a once-off event. It’s summer in Gauteng. The heat builds, the moisture gathers, and eventually the sky lets go. It’s been happening for centuries. It’ll happen again next week.

But the Weather Service gives us something we didn’t have a generation ago: certainty. We know it’s coming at 2am. We know how much. We know when it’ll ease up.

So maybe Saturday isn’t a lost weekend. Maybe it’s just a permission slip to stay inside, listen to the roof rattle, and let the city wash itself clean.

By the numbers

Pretoria, Saturday

• Min/Max: 19°C – 31°C

• Rain: 5mm | 60% chance

• Humidity: 50–65%

• Wind: Light south-west, shifting north-east

Pretoria, Sunday

• Min/Max: 18°C – 27°C

• Rain: 5mm | 60% chance

• Morning showers, easing later

Johannesburg, Saturday

• Min/Max: 18°C – 28°C

• Rain: 10mm | 60% chance

• Thundershowers from early morning through evening

Johannesburg, Sunday

• Min/Max: 16°C – 25°C

• Rain: 5mm | 30% chance

• Cloudy, isolated morning showers

It’s going to rain. Not lightly, not briefly. Saturday especially will test your commitment to outdoor plans.

But if you’ve lived here long enough, you already knew that. You felt it in the air. The Weather Service just confirmed what your skin was telling you.

Keep the umbrella by the door. Drive safe. And if the power flickers? Light a candle, make some tea, and wait it out.

The storm will pass. It always does.

{Source: The Citizen}

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