JOHANNESBURG - Farmers, those living in drought-stricken areas and people across Gauteng are rejoicing as much-needed #RainHasFallen.

Following weeks of heatwaves, water shortages, areas being declared 'disaster zones' and farmers struggling to produce, Gauteng has welcomed the wet weather.

Earlier today, the South African Weather Service issued a warning of severe thunderstorms, with hail and strong winds.

Hail storms and strong winds hit most of Gauteng this afternoon.

Hail storms have already been reported across the country and many have taken to social media to share their beautiful views, their 'snow toys' and mock the sizes of the hail stones.

View from our Tiger1 and Tiger2 Building.... #HailStorm in Bryanston, lock down pic.twitter.com/eOSx5kGfKM

• Zandile Mlotshwa (@zmlotsh) November 16, 2015

Joburg turns white with the #hailstorm pic.twitter.com/aOLaGXnsWF

• RandomDispositions (@My_Dispositions) November 16, 2015

I wonder if Opposition Parties are gonna Thank ANC for #hailstorm since they were the cause of Drought 🤔 ... 2 Sugars Pls ☕️🐸

• ANDY X ™ (@DJANDYX) November 16, 2015

From #drought to monster #hailstorm in #Johannesburg #SouthAfrica! pic.twitter.com/pXaCfkH1Sp

• Lindie Hall (@Alchemystix) November 16, 2015

Heavy rain and hail in Fourways 😳 @ewnupdates @ewnreporter pic.twitter.com/abRiro32MS

• MintFox89 (@MintFoxDesign) November 16, 2015

Let me hop on this train too #hailstorm pic.twitter.com/POiH6ZnRph

• Jeandré Goliath (@Jeandre_Goliath) November 16, 2015

Did you also hear about the hail in Witbank...;)

#Hailstorm #goeiegenugtig pic.twitter.com/n8kSdnsgDT

• Frans Kruger (@fransenlouisa) November 16, 2015

This is Haily. #hail #duck #hailstorm😄 pic.twitter.com/CB4NquRZGX

• Joshua Silas Paul (@TheRockerJosh) November 16, 2015

Centurion #Hailstorm Video from @Rezanance pic.twitter.com/ynXNSb1RPr

• Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) November 16, 2015

The "Insurance Claim Repudiation Season" is here. Brought to you by #HailStorm pic.twitter.com/etdyOrIl0D

• #MYSTORYNationalTour (@GrootmanTebza) November 16, 2015

Meanwhile, City Power says most of Roodepoort will be without electricity until later this evening after a tree was blown over in the heavy storm landing on a main power line.

City Power's Louis Pieterse says technicians are working to remove the tree and fix the line.

"We expect the outage to last for four to six hours."

At the same time, paramedics are on the scene of a roof collapse at a service station in Brakpan, which rushed a number of cars taking cover from the hail.

Netcare 911's Chris Botha said, "The hail piled up on the roof and caused it to crash on top of the vehicles. Fortunately no people were injured in this incident but it made it very difficult for paramedics to respond because of the amount of ice on the roads."

Motorists have also been warned to be cautious on the roads.

Gridlock at Empire and Jan Smuts. Traffic lights aren't working. Points men please! @EWNTraffic @PigSpotter pic.twitter.com/FbIru8m1ms

• Elize Giese (@ElizeGiese) November 16, 2015

My little car trapped under the awning at work #hailstorm pic.twitter.com/2xPFjugeE9

• Zukiswa (@Zukiswa) November 16, 2015

Bryanston cars are blocked #Hailstorm pic.twitter.com/7odU4GqJ3T

• Sane (@SaneMncwabe) November 16, 2015

Roof of fuel station collapsed in heavy storm in Brakpan @StanfromIBF pic.twitter.com/rcCY4eAFuf

• Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) November 16, 2015

@storm_sa #JHBStorm Yankees, Brakpan roof caved in due to hail pic.twitter.com/waSwGXwmZz

• Clive Conlon (@Clive_Conlon) November 16, 2015

Brakpan main taxi route flooded. Traffic chaos! pic.twitter.com/wsIy9IYSj1

• Nomsa Maseko (@nomsa_maseko) November 16, 2015

Videos and pictures of large hail stones and roofs being blown off and damaged have also been widely shared on social media.