Weather observers say Cape Town has just SMASHED previous heat records

Weather information platforms have suggested that Cape Town may have recorded its hottest day on record on Tuesday, as temperatures surged past 40°C in parts of the metro.

While official confirmation from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) is still pending, several weather monitoring pages and weather observers reported exceptionally high readings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Some local weather stations indicated temperatures well above typical March averages, breaking all-time heat records.

“Heatwave conditions shattered temperature records across parts of the Western Cape yesterday (10 March 2026), with some long-standing records dating back to 1999 now having been broken,” writes weather information platform VoxWeather.

“With even hotter conditions expected today [Wednesday], more records may well fall before the day is done.”

Health, fire warnings issued as HEATWAVE hits Mother City

Cape Town faced scorching temperatures and fire risks on Wednesday as a heatwave gripped the Western Cape.

Residents are experiencing one of the hottest spells of the season as a powerful heatwave pushes temperatures across the province well above normal levels.

SAWS previously issued a heatwave advisory for parts of the Western Cape and Northern Cape, warning that extremely hot conditions could persist until Friday.

According to SAWS, the intense heat is being driven by a slow-moving high-pressure system trapping warm air over the region.

Parts of the Cape Town metropole were forecast to reach around 40°C and above on Wednesday, making it the hottest day of the summer so far.

Elsewhere in the province, temperatures were even higher. Forecasts showed Paarl and Clanwilliam peaking at 44°C, while Stellenbosch was set to hit 43°C and Atlantis around 42°C.

The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre urged residents to take the heat advisory seriously.

Officials warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

“The heat advisory does also increase the fire risk, so please be cautious around open flames and remember to report any sign of fire,” said Disaster Risk Management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell.

Weather observers flag possible heat records

In a social media update, VoxWeather said that some local stations may have in fact approached or exceeded previous heat records for Cape Town.

“It is not only the daytime heat that is remarkable, but also how warm temperatures have remained overnight,” the weather monitor said.

Meteorological records are typically verified using standardised instruments and official monitoring stations. Since temperatures can vary across suburbs, readings from private or community weather stations do not always match official measurements.

SAWS has not yet confirmed whether a new official heat record has been set for Cape Town.

Beat the heat! *For a list of swimming pools currently open to the Cape Town public, click here*