SAWS confirms a tornado hit a Free State farm on Monday
Zuko Komisa
- The South African Weather Service (SAWS) confirmed a tornado struck a farm near Heilbron, Free State, yesterday, 24th November, following a severe thunderstorm warning.
- Specific atmospheric conditions, including wind shear and moisture, allowed the storm to develop into a powerful supercell, which produced the tornado.
- The event falls within the November to March peak season and the established “tornado belt” encompassing the Free State and other eastern provinces.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has confirmed that a tornado touched down on a farm near Heilbron in the Free State yesterday, 24th November 2025, between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
The incident followed a period of intense atmospheric instability, for which the SAWS had already issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the region.
Forecasters noted that the conditions were highly conducive to the formation of such a severe weather event.
According to the SAWS, the location of the tornado in the Free State is consistent with historical data.
Research and climatological analyses have consistently identified the eastern provinces particularly Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and parts of Mpumalanga as hotspots for tornado activity.
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