The KwaZulu-Natal coast and the Eastern Cape — Orange 6 and Orange 5

PEAK · September 18, 2026 · NO. 0918

THE RISK WINDOW

The cut-off low's peak and last day, and it escalated on the way out. The national service carries Orange level 6 disruptive rain and flooding along the KwaZulu-Natal coast and adjacent interior to Richards Bay, with danger to life and displacement, plus Orange level 5 for the Eastern Cape, level 4 over eThekwini and southern KwaZulu-Natal, and snow over Matatiele and Elundini. Stronger today than it was called yesterday, and easing after this.

THE RECORD

4 turning points on record since Sep 13.

Sep 17building → peak

Sep 16active → building

Sep 15building → active

Sep 13appeared, building

WHO IT TOUCHES

Public safetynine national warning systems live at once, one with danger-to-life wording, one with a published clock, and the biggest one still entirely ahead

Maritimean island chain inside a large storm's gale field, three genesis areas offshore, and a coast under Orange 6 seas

Energycooling load rising in one hemisphere while heating load holds in the other, and a hydropower release running to a published plan

CONNECTED

The southern hemisphere's cold tap running in two places three days before spring — a fresh Antarctic push holding 10 to 20 cm on Santa Cruz with minima near minus 10 C, while a cut-off low puts Orange level 6 on the KwaZulu-Natal coast and snow on Matatiele and Elundini.