Showers and thundershowers are set to drench both Pretoria and Johannesburg on Friday before conditions dramatically improve over the weekend, according to the South African Weather Service (Saws).
Storms to lash Gauteng’s twin cities
Residents across Gauteng should prepare for a wet and unsettled Friday, with the Saws warning of showers and thundershowers affecting both Pretoria and Johannesburg throughout the day.
Saws reports that Pretoria will bear the brunt of the moisture-laden conditions, with humidity at 90% and 10 mm of rain expected.
Temperatures will range between a cool 13°C minimum and a modest 21°C maximum, with winds blowing from the north-northwest at 18.5 km/h.
Johannesburg faces similarly gloomy conditions on Friday, with Saws recording the same 90% humidity level and an identical 10mm of expected rainfall.
The city’s temperatures will be noticeably cooler than those of its northern neighbour, with the mercury climbing no higher than 19°C, against a minimum of 12°C.
Saws notes that wind will also come from the north-northwest, maintaining a speed of 18.5 km/h across both cities, with a 30% chance of rain today.
For Johannesburg, the worst of Friday’s weather is expected in the morning, with showers and thundershowers forecast at 2am and 8am, giving way to rain showers by 2pm before conditions ease to partly cloudy skies by 8pm.
Pretoria’s detailed Friday forecast mirrors this pattern almost exactly, with thundershowers dominating the early hours, followed by rain showers in the afternoon, and partly cloudy skies returning by evening.
Partly cloudy skies offer welcome relief
The weekend brings a significant improvement in conditions for both cities, with Saws forecasting a largely pleasant Saturday after Friday’s downpours.
In Pretoria, Saws describes Saturday’s weather as partly cloudy, with humidity dropping to 75% and the rain probability falling to 0%.
Temperatures are expected to recover meaningfully, reaching a maximum of 26°C and a minimum of 15°C, with winds shifting to the east.
Saws data for Johannesburg paints a similarly encouraging picture for Saturday, with partly cloudy conditions forecast and humidity easing to 70%.
The city’s maximum temperature is expected to reach 23°C, with a minimum of 13°C, and Saws confirms that no rainfall is anticipated, with a 0% chance of rain.
Wind direction shifts to a southwesterly bearing for Johannesburg on Saturday, with speeds remaining calm at 0.1 knots during the early hours before picking up slightly through the afternoon.
Hourly detail from Saws shows that Pretoria’s Saturday will be characterised by mostly clear conditions at 2am, transitioning to partly cloudy by 8am, before returning to mostly clear skies through the afternoon and evening.
For Johannesburg, Saws records a near-identical pattern, mostly clear at 2am, partly cloudy by mid-morning, and then mostly clear conditions dominating the afternoon peak hours when temperatures are expected to reach 22°C and 23°C, respectively.
Both cities set for their best day of the weekend
Sunday emerges as the standout day of the weekend for Gauteng, with Saws forecasting mostly clear to sunny conditions across both Pretoria and Johannesburg.
Saws describes Pretoria’s Sunday weather conditions as mostly clear, with humidity dropping further to 60% and temperatures peaking at a warm 27°C.
Rain probability remains at 0%, and winds are expected to blow from the east, maintaining the calm, pleasant conditions expected throughout the day.
Johannesburg can also look forward to mostly clear skies on Sunday, according to Saws, with the city’s maximum temperature forecast at 24°C and a minimum of 13°C.
Saws confirms that the humidity in Johannesburg will also remain at 60% during the morning hours, easing to 50% by the evening, with no rainfall expected and a 0% chance of rain.
Sunrise and sunset times published by Saws place the day’s light window at roughly 6.33am to 17.36pm for Johannesburg and 6.31am to 17.36pm for Pretoria.
Detailed Sunday forecasts published by Saws show that both cities will experience mostly clear conditions during both the morning and evening observation windows.
For Pretoria, Saws records forecasted temperatures of 20°C at 8am, rising to 22°C by 8pm, while Johannesburg’s Sunday figures show 17°C in the morning, climbing to 20°C by evening.
