Heatwave in Limpopo until 23 October: where it's hot and how to cope

The South African Weather Service (https://www.weathersa.co.za/business/faq/WeatherQuestions) has a heatwave advisory out for parts of Limpopo. It expects persistently high temperatures in places over the Western Bushveld until Thursday, 23 October 2026 (IOL, citing SAWS).

SAWS also flagged extremely high fire danger on Wednesday in parts of six provinces. It issued no impact-based warnings in that forecast (IOL).

Last updated: 21 October 2026, 16:52 SAST.

Which areas are under the heatwave advisory?

Only places over the Western Bushveld of Limpopo. The rest of the province was forecast to be fine and warm to hot on Wednesday, with morning fog over the south-central parts (IOL).

Elsewhere it is hot without a formal heatwave. SAWS forecast hot weather in the extreme north of Gauteng and in parts of the Mpumalanga Lowveld, and very hot weather in parts of north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal (IOL).

How hot will Pretoria and Johannesburg get on Thursday?

AccuWeather forecasts a high of 34°C in Pretoria and 31°C in Johannesburg on Thursday, 22 October, with no rain expected in either city. Both have an extreme UV index of 12, and the Pretoria forecast warns of a risk of dehydration and heatstroke during strenuous activity (EWN).

Cape Town is the odd one out. It is expected to top out at 19°C, with a 58% chance of morning rain (EWN).

Where is the fire danger extremely high?

SAWS listed these areas for Wednesday, 21 October (IOL):

• Central Karoo in the Western Cape
• Most of North West
• Southern parts of the Northern Cape
• Mafube Local Municipality in the Free State
• Places in southern Limpopo
• North-western Mpumalanga

Strong winds add to the risk. North West and the Free State were forecast to be windy and warm to hot, and the Northern Cape windy and cool to warm (IOL).

When does SAWS call it a heatwave?

A heatwave may be declared when a town's maximum temperature is expected to reach at least 5°C above the average maximum of its hottest month, for three days or more (SAWS). Because the threshold depends on each town's normal climate, it is different everywhere. In Cape Town, for example, it is 32°C (City of Cape Town).

The Department of Health treats any day above 35°C as a day of extreme heat, even when it is not part of a heatwave (Department of Health).

What does SAWS advise you to do in a heatwave?

SAWS's standard precautions are (SAWS):

• Stay in a well-ventilated or air-conditioned room where you can.
• If you work outside, wear protective clothing and a hat, and take regular breaks.
• Avoid strenuous sport and heavy manual labour.
• Drink plenty of fluids, but not alcohol.
• Keep children's outdoor play to a minimum between 10:00 and 16:00.
• Give older people and babies extra care, as they are the most at risk.

The City of Cape Town also suggests using sunscreen with an SPF between 20 and 50 and checking on friends and family in high-risk groups (City of Cape Town).