Mafeteng weather in January

In January, Mafeteng sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 124 mm of rain across 14.8 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Mafeteng's 12th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mafeteng's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
1st warmest
Overnight low
15°
12th coldest
Rainfall
124 mm
14.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:29 AM – 7:12 PM
Cloud cover
43%
12th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
7.38 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Mafeteng is city.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Mafeteng reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C warmer than February.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12815
22815
32815
42815
52815
62815
72815
82815
92815
102815
112815
122815
132815
142815
152815
162815
172815
182815
192815
202815
212815
222815
232815
242815
252815
262815
272815
282815
292815
302815
312815

How January really feels in Mafeteng

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Mafeteng weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 15°12414.813.75.8
Feb27° / 14°1111313.16.1
Mar25° / 12°10112.512.26.8
Apr22° / 658.611.37.2
May19° / 264.210.57.4
Jun16° / 172.810.16.4
Jul16° / -0°122.310.36.6
Aug19° / 233.610.97.6
Sep23° / 223.811.88.3
Oct25° / 10°738.712.77.5
Nov26° / 12°9810.413.56.9
Dec27° / 14°11813.213.96.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 24%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37624
47624
57723
67723
77723
87822
97822
107822
117822
127822
137822
147822
157723
167723
177624
187624
197525
207426
217426
227327
237327
247327
257327
267327
277327
287327
297327
307426
317426

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Mafeteng gets around 124 mm of rain over 14.8 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 47% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
244
344
444
544
644
744
844
944
1044
1144
1244
1345
1446
1546
1647
1747
1848
1949
2049
2150
2250
2351
2451
2552
2652
2752
2851
2951
3050
3150

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 55% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
161345
261345
361345
461345
561345
661345
761345
860355
960355
1059356
1159356
1258366
1357367
1457367
1555378
1655378
1753389
18523810
19523810
20513910
21503911
22494011
23494011
24494012
25494012
26494012
27493911
28503911
29503911
30503911
31504010

Wind in January

Winds average 10 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:18 AM to 5:41 AM, and sunset from 7:11 PM to 7:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:187:11
213.95:187:11
313.95:197:11
413.95:207:11
513.95:207:12
613.85:217:12
713.85:227:12
813.85:227:12
913.85:237:12
1013.85:247:12
1113.85:257:12
1213.85:267:12
1313.85:267:12
1413.85:277:12
1513.75:287:12
1613.75:297:12
1713.75:297:12
1813.75:307:12
1913.75:317:12
2013.75:327:11
2113.65:337:11
2213.65:347:11
2313.65:347:11
2413.65:357:10
2513.65:367:10
2613.55:377:10
2713.55:387:09
2813.55:397:09
2913.55:397:08
3013.55:407:08
3113.45:417:08

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 7.38 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.51 kWh/m² to a high of 7.67 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 7.38 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.6Intense
27.6Intense
37.6Intense
47.6Intense
57.6Intense
67.6Intense
77.6Intense
87.6Intense
97.6Intense
107.5Intense
117.5Intense
127.5Intense
137.5Intense
147.5Intense
157.5Intense
167.5Intense
177.4Intense
187.4Intense
197.4Intense
207.3Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.2Intense
257.2Intense
267.2Intense
277.2Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Mafeteng

In seasonPeak

In January, Mafeteng sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Mafeteng's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Mafeteng?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.8
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.4
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Mafeteng for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Mafeteng in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Mafeteng sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Mafeteng in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mafeteng peaks around January 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 13UV 15Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr7Very high
May6High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep8Very high
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Mafeteng in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Mafeteng is worst in June — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 2218 µg/m³Dec 216 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr13Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Mafeteng?

Mafeteng sits at 29.8°S, 27.2°E, 1,669 m above sea level, in Lesotho. The nearest listed city is Mohale's Hoek, 43 km away.

Mohale's HoekZastronMaseruMaboteLadybrandQuthing

Topography around Mafeteng

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mafeteng.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mafeteng has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 369 m around an average of 1,658 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 748 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,754 m.

The land around Mafeteng is covered by cropland (37%), grassland (30%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 3 km, grassland (54%) and cropland (41%) within 16 km, and grassland (80%) within 80 km.

3 km
369 m
16 km
748 m
80 km
1,754 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Mohale's Hoek 43 km · Zastron 55 km · Maseru 61 km · Mabote 67 km · Ladybrand 73 km · Quthing 78 km · Thaba Nchu 78 km · Botshabelo 79 km

Lesotho travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type M
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,089
2025
Happiness
4.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
38.2
per 100k, 2008
Road deaths
31.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 48%Roman Catholic 39%other Christian 9%none 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Mafeteng (-29.823°, 27.2374°, elevation 1,669 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).