Drought Warnings in South Africa
Drought Warnings for South Africa (Southern Africa) come from South African Weather Service, National Disaster Management Centre, National Institute for Communicable Diseases. This page explains what these warnings mean, which authority publishes them, and how to check the current status for Pretoria.
Check live water status for PretoriaBrowse all warnings
At a glance
- countrySouth Africa · Africa
- reference cityPretoria (-25.75, 28.19)
- emergencyPrimary emergency number10111
- risk profilestorm, flood, drought, heat, wildfire, landslide, coastal, cold, epidemic, radiation
What counts as a drought warnings
Drought warnings describe a prolonged deficit of rainfall that affects drinking water, agriculture, rivers and hydropower. They are issued by hydrological or agricultural authorities and frequently trigger water-use restrictions, irrigation bans and a higher wildfire danger level.
Who issues drought warnings in South Africa
- meteoSouth African Weather Service
- civilNational Disaster Management Centre
- healthNational Institute for Communicable Diseases
Warning levels, colours and terminology are set nationally. Always read the warning text of the issuing authority: it names the affected districts, the expected time window and the recommended action.
If a warning is active in South Africa
- Follow local water-use restrictions and hosepipe bans.
- Reduce irrigation to the evening and check for leaks.
- Expect a raised wildfire danger level even without wind.
Where the data comes from
Waarning reads public, key-free sources for South Africa: Copernicus, national hydrological services, national agricultural agencies, drought observatories. Measurements and official warnings are shown separately, and official warnings always keep the name of the authority that issued them.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues drought warnings in South Africa?
South African Weather Service, National Disaster Management Centre, National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Waarning does not issue warnings; it aggregates the public feeds of these bodies and links back to the original source.
What is the emergency number in South Africa?
The primary emergency number is 10111. Use it for a life-threatening situation; for non-urgent reports use the local police station number.
Does Waarning show live drought warnings for South Africa?
Yes. The dashboard loads the current values for Pretoria from Copernicus, national hydrological services, national agricultural agencies, drought observatories. You can open it with one click and the location is already set.
More warnings for South Africa
- Severe Weather Warnings
- Flood Warnings
- Heat Warnings
- Cold and Snow Warnings
- Wildfire Warnings
- Air Quality Warnings
Drought Warnings in nearby countries
Generated 2026-10-14. Waarning is not an official warning service; in an emergency follow local authorities and emergency services.