South Africa’s Weather: A Province-by-Province Breakdown
Get the lowdown on the day’s weather across South Africa’s provinces. From temperatures to wind conditions, here’s what you need to know to plan your day. Plus, find out where the sun protection index stands for various regions.
Gauteng: Cool and Cloudy
Gauteng can anticipate a partly cloudy, cool, and chilly day. The UVB sunburn index is forecast to be low. Did you know that **Gauteng** is the smallest province, covering only 18,178 square kilometers? Despite its size, it’s the most populous, with approximately 16 million residents as of the 2020 census. **Johannesburg** is the administrative capital, situated at 25°44′46″S 28°11′17″E.
Mpumalanga: Varied Conditions
**Mpumalanga** is predicted to be cloudy and cool to cold, but warmer in the Lowveld. It’s the second smallest of the nine provinces, with an area of 76,495 square kilometers. It’s also the sixth most populous, with roughly 4.7 million people according to the 2020 census. **Mbombela**, formerly known as **Nelspruit**, is the capital, located at 25°27′57″S 30°59′07″E.
Limpopo: Cloudy and Warm
The forecast for **Limpopo** is cloudy and cool to warm. It’s the fifth-largest province, covering 125,754 square kilometers and the fifth most populous, with about 5.9 million residents based on the 2020 census. **Polokwane** is the capital city, located at 23°54′00″S 29°27′00″E.
North West: Fine and Cool
In the **North West**, the weather will be fine and cool, becoming partly cloudy in the far east. It ranks sixth in size, with an area of 104,882 square kilometers and is the seventh most populated province, with an estimated 4.2 million people based on the 2020 census. The capital, **Mahikeng**, formerly **Mafikeng**, is situated at 25°51′56″S 25°38′37″E.
Free State: Fine and Cold
The **Free State** will experience fine and cool to cold conditions. It is the third largest province, encompassing 129,825 square kilometers, and the second smallest in terms of population, with about 2.9 million inhabitants as of the 2020 census. **Bloemfontein**, also **South Africa’s** judicial capital, is the capital and largest city, situated at 29°07′S 26°13′E.
Northern Cape: Windy and Cool
**Northern Cape** will have fine, windy, and cool weather, with some cloudiness along the coast. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-easterly. It is the largest province, spanning 372,889 square kilometers, but has the smallest population, with approximately 1.3 million residents based on the 2020 census. **Kimberley** is the capital, located at 28°44′18″S 24°45′50″E.
Western Cape: Cloudy and Windy
The **Western Cape** is expecting cloudy and cold weather in the southwest. It will be partly cloudy, windy, and cool in other areas, with isolated showers and rain along the south coast. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly to westerly, becoming fresh in the southwest in the afternoon. The UVB sunburn index is expected to be low. The **Western Cape** is the fourth largest province at 129,449 square kilometers, with the third-largest population, around 7.2 million based on the 2020 census. **Cape Town** is the capital city, situated at 33°55′31″S 18°25′26″E.
Eastern Cape: Varied Conditions
The **Eastern Cape** will see fine and cool weather, becoming partly cloudy with showers and rain along the coast in the evening. The wind along the coast will be light north-westerly at first, becoming moderate south-westerly. It is the second largest province at 168,966 square kilometers and has approximately 6.7 million inhabitants, based on the 2020 census, ranking it fourth in population size. **Bhisho** is the capital, located at 32°50′58″S 27°26′17″E.
KwaZulu-Natal: Moderate to Fresh Wind
**KwaZulu-Natal** will have moderate to fresh winds along the coast, northerly to north-easterly, and light to moderate westerly to north-westerly in the south. The UVB sunburn index is very high. It is the seventh-largest province at 94,361 square kilometers and is the second most populous, with about 11.5 million people as per the 2020 census. **Pietermaritzburg** is the capital city, situated at 29°37′S 30°23′E.
Weather Alerts and Advisories
There are no impact-based warnings or fire danger warnings currently in effect. However, cold conditions are expected across the interior of the **Western Cape** and the **Namakwa District** of the **Northern Cape** from Wednesday through Saturday (18-21/06/2025).
According to recent data, there’s been a 10% increase in weather-related incidents across South Africa, highlighting the importance of staying informed about regional forecasts (South African Climate Report, 2025).
How to Stay Updated
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Weather forecast data provided by the South African Weather Service.