High Wind Risk in Cape Town, South Africa
Risk Level: Low — Score 0/10
Live High Wind alert status near Cape Town
Checking live high wind alerts near Cape Town…
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Wind advisory, high wind watch or high wind warning near Cape Town: what each means
The three National Weather Service wind products, from least to most severe. The live status above shows which, if any, is in effect within 300 km of Cape Town.
Wind Advisory
Strong winds that fall short of warning criteria: generally sustained winds of 30 to 39 mph for an hour or more, or gusts of roughly 45 to 57 mph. Secure loose objects and expect difficult driving for high-profile vehicles.
High Wind Watch
Warning-level winds are possible, usually within the next 12 to 48 hours, but timing or strength is still uncertain. Finish preparations now.
High Wind Warning
Sustained winds of 40 mph or more for an hour or longer, or gusts of 58 mph or more for any duration, are expected or occurring. Downed trees and power lines and damage to roofs are likely; stay away from windows and avoid travel.
Thresholds are the NWS national guidelines; each forecast office sets local criteria, so mountain and coastal offices may use higher numbers. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning covers storm gusts of 58 mph or more and is a separate product.
Live high wind map around Cape Town
Shows high wind warnings and events that are active right now, refreshed through the day. When none are active, the map is empty by design.
Key Risk Factors
- 2 events on record in proximity
- 1 event(s) in the 12 months to Aug 9, 2026
- Largest recent event exposed 14,200,000 people
Last significant event: High Wind - South Africa (2026-05-11) — 14,200,000 people exposed
Highest Risk Cities for High Wind Events
How Cape Town Compares
Cape Town and every nearby city we compare it against — Johannesburg, South Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, Lagos, Nigeria, Accra, Ghana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — score 0/10 for high wind risk. There is no measurable high wind risk differential in this region. To see where high wind risk concentrates globally, see the Highest Risk Cities ranking above.
Notable High Wind Events Near Cape Town
DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 2 notable high wind events near Cape Town, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: High Wind - South Africa (May 2026) — 14,200,000 people exposed; $412,409M capital exposed.
High Wind - South Africa
May 11, 2026 — WARNING
14,200,000 people exposed; $412,409M capital exposed
High Winds - Southwestern South Africa
July 22, 2019 — WARNING
Impact data not available
High Wind Preparedness Tips
- 1.Secure loose outdoor items — patio furniture, trash cans, decorations
- 2.Trim trees and remove dead branches that could fall on structures
- 3.Reinforce garage doors and ensure roof shingles are properly fastened
- 4.Avoid driving high-profile vehicles during high wind warnings
- 5.Stay away from windows during severe wind events
Related Pages
How this data is built
Cape Town, South Africa high wind risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live high wind monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.
The data behind this page
Every score and event here comes from DisasterAWARE's hazard database — available as downloadable historical datasets and a real-time API.
Monitor High Wind Risk in Real Time
Get real-time high wind alerts for Cape Town, South Africa and hundreds of other locations with DisasterAWARE's enterprise platform.