SA Weather Service debunks viral ‘Storm Baron’ warning as hoax

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has dismissed as false a viral social media message warning of a powerful storm dubbed “Storm Baron,” allegedly set to strike Southern Africa from 10 January.

According to SAWS, no such storm exists and there is currently no tropical cyclone activity over the south-western Indian Ocean.

“There is no officially recognised storm named Baron. This message is a hoax and should not be shared further.”

Despite the false alarm, SAWS confirmed that weather conditions in the region will require close attention in the coming days.

An intense low-pressure system is expected to develop over southern Mozambique and may move southwards, potentially affecting parts of north-eastern South Africa.

Forecasts indicate that the system could bring widespread showers and thunderstorms from early Saturday morning, with rainfall possibly continuing until Thursday, 15 January 2026.

Areas most likely to be affected include parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal.

SAWS cautioned that thereis still significant uncertainty regarding the exact track of the system. Some weather models suggest the core of the system will remain over Mozambique, resulting in lower rainfall over South Africa.

Other models indicate it could move closer to the country, which may lead to very high rainfall totals, potentially reaching several hundred millimetres in certain areas.

“The position of the system’s core will determine the severity of rainfall impacts,” SAWS noted, adding that the situation is being monitored continuously.

Members of the public, disaster management authorities and other stakeholders have been urged to follow official SAWS forecasts and warnings and to remain cautious of unverified information circulating on social media.

SAWS said regular updates will be issued as new data becomes available.