South African Weather Service


The South African Weather Service is the meteorological service under the South African government's Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. SAWS is a member of the World Meteorological Organization.
Under the South African Weather Service Act effective 15 July 2001, SAWS became a public entity.

Data acquisition

Weather stations

South Africa operates a significant number of weather stations in South Africa as well as stations at Gough Island, Marion Island and Antarctica in cooperation with the South African National Antarctic Programme.
NameWMO #ICAOLocation
Alexander Bay 406 FAAB ---
Aliwal North 546 FAAN ---
Babanango 488 ---
Beaufort West 728 FABY ---
Bethal 370 ---
Bethlehem Airport 461 FABM ---
Bethlehem 462 ---
Bisho Airport 752 ---
Bloemfontein Airport 442 FABL ---
Calvinia 618 FACV ---
Cape Agulhas 920 ---
Cape Columbine 712 ---
Cape Point 916 ---
Cape Saint Francis 938 ---
Cape Saint Lucia 496 ---
Cape Town International Airport 816 FACT ---
Carolina 380 FACL ---
Cedara 580 ---
Cradock 744 ---
De Aar 536 FADA ---
De Aar 538 FADY ---
Döhne 754 ---
Douglas 530 ---
Durban International Airport 588 FADN ---
East London Airport 858 FAEL ---
Ellisras 156 FAER ---
Estcourt 478 ---
Fauresmith 542 ---
Fleur De Lys 292 ---
Frankfort 362 FAFF ---
Fraserburg 624 FAFR ---
George Airport 828 FAGG ---
Germiston 369 ---
Gough Island 906 FAGE ---
Graaff Reinet 736 FAGR ---
Graskop 286 ---
Hoedspruit 290 FAHS ---
Jansenville 738 ---
Kimberley Airport 438 FAKM ---
Klerksdorp 347 FAKD ---
Kroonstad 352 ---
Kuruman 332 ---
Ladysmith 476 FALY ---
AFB Langebaanweg 714 FALW ---
Levubu 182 ---
Lydenburg 184 ---
Macuville 180 ---
Mafikeng 242 FAMM ---
Makatini 400 ---
Mara 176 ---
Marion Island 994 FAME ---
Marnitz 162 ---
Matatiele 570 ---
Middelburg 638 FAMB ---
Mossel Bay 928 FAMO ---
Nelspruit 288 FANS ---
Newcastle 378 ---
OR Tambo International Airport 368 FAJS ---
Ottosdal 342 ---
Oudestad 272 ---
Oudtshoorn 826 FAOH ---
Phalaborwa 190 FAPH ---
Pietersburg 174 FAPB ---
Piet Retief 388 ---
Pilansberg 250 ---
Plessisdraai 344 ---
Pofadder 416 ---
Port Elizabeth Airport 842 FAPE ---
Port Nolloth 408 ---
Port Shepstone 584 ---
Port St Johns 674 FAPJ ---
Postmasburg 430 ---
Potchefstroom Agric. 350 ---
Potchefstroom Upper-Air 351 ---
Potgietersrus 276 ---
Pretoria 263 FAIR ---
Pretoria 262 FAPR ---
Prieska 528 ---
Queenstown 648 FAQT ---
Richard Bay 498 FARB ---
Riversdale 926 ---
Robertson 718 ---
Rustenburg 252 ---
Shaleburn 572 ---
Sheeprun 564 ---
Skukuza 296 ---
Somerset East 742 ---
Springbok 512 FASB ---
Standerton 372 ---
Sutherland 722 ---
Taung 336 ---
Thabazimbi 254 ---
Thohoyandou 192 ---
Touws River 818 ---
Tristan Da Cunha 902 FATC ---
Tswelopele 284 ---
Twee Riviere 322 ---
Tzaneen 186 ---
Umtata 668 FAUT ---
Upington Airport 424 FAUP ---
Vanwyksvlei 524 ---
Vanzylsrus 330 ---
Vredendal 614 FAVR ---
Vryburg 338 FAVB ---
Warmbaths 268 ---
AFB Waterkloof 264 FAWK ---
Welkom 346 FAWM ---
Wepener 550 ---
Willowmore 832 ---

Weather radar

Near real-time weather radar is available for most of the country, even within the Kruger National Park.

Marine weather buoys

Between 30 and 40 drifting weather buoys are deployed annually.

Weather modification

The SAWS, in cooperation with a number of other entities, is actively involved in weather control research under the South African National Precipitation Research and Rainfall Enhancement Programme, specifically with the Bethlehem Precipitation Research Project