Developing story: warnings can be upgraded, downgraded or extended during the day. Check the South African Weather Service for the latest alerts.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued an Orange Level 5 warning for heavy rain and significant flooding across the central and southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 8 November. The warning says the flooding threatens human life, roads, residential areas and informal settlements.

The warning follows storm alerts issued for Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.

Other warnings in force

  • A Yellow Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms covers northern KwaZulu-Natal, the Mpumalanga highveld and south-central Limpopo.
  • A Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms covers eastern North West and the Free State, the Mpumalanga lowveld and escarpment, most of Limpopo and Gauteng.
  • A Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rainfall covers the south-eastern Eastern Cape, where localised flooding of settlements, roads and bridges is possible.

Fire danger and provincial outlook

SAWS also forecasts extremely high fire danger in parts of the Northern Cape (the Nama Khoi, Kamiesberg and Hantam municipalities), the Western Cape (Matzikama and Laingsburg) and Limpopo.

In Gauteng, the forecast is for cloudy and warm conditions with scattered showers and thundershowers, and hot weather in the north. KwaZulu-Natal can expect morning fog inland, otherwise cloudy and cold to cool conditions with widespread showers and rain. The Western Cape is forecast to be fine, cool to warm and hot over Matzikama.

What we do not yet know

  • Whether any flooding damage or road closures have been reported so far today.
  • Whether SAWS will change the warning levels later on Sunday.