Aliwal North weather in January

In January, Aliwal North sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 104 mm of rain across 12.4 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 hours at the start of January to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Aliwal North's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Aliwal North's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
1st warmest
Overnight low
15°
12th coldest
Rainfall
104 mm
12.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:29 AM – 7:16 PM
Cloud cover
41%
12th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
7.44 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.1
out of 10

Aliwal North is town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Founded
1849

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 30°C through the month.

A typical January day in Aliwal North reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 35°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)
13015
23015
33015
43015
53015
63015
73015
83015
93015
103015
113015
123015
133015
143015
153015
163015
173015
183015
193015
203015
213015
223015
233015
243015
253016
263016
273016
283016
293016
303016
313016

How January really feels in Aliwal North

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.

Aliwal North 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
Jan30° / 15°10412.413.85.1
Feb29° / 15°9911.913.15.5
Mar27° / 13°9110.512.26.8
Apr23° / 607.511.37.5
May20° / 26410.57.6
Jun17° / 183.210.16.6
Jul17° / 142.510.26.9
Aug19° / 213.410.97.8
Sep23° / 223.311.88.4
Oct26° / 10°567.212.87.6
Nov28° / 12°738.313.66.9
Dec29° / 14°919.613.95.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 23%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17921
27921
37921
47822
57822
67822
77822
87822
97822
107822
117822
127822
137723
147624
157624
167624
177624
187624
197624
207624
217624
227624
237624
247624
257624
267624
277624
287624
297723
307822
317822

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Aliwal North gets around 104 mm of rain over 12.4 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 39% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
236
337
437
538
638
739
839
939
1039
1139
1239
1339
1439
1540
1640
1740
1840
1941
2041
2141
2241
2341
2441
2541
2641
2741
2840
2940
3039
3139

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 62% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
171245
271245
370255
469265
569265
667276
767276
866286
966286
1066286
1165296
1265296
1364306
1464306
1562317
1662317
1761327
1860328
1959338
2058339
2158339
2258339
2358339
24573310
25573310
26573310
27573310
28583210
29583210
30583210
31583210

Wind in January

Winds average 12 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 hours at the start of January to 13 h 30 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 5:42 AM, and sunset from 7:15 PM to 7:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.05:187:15
213.95:187:15
313.95:197:15
413.95:207:16
513.95:207:16
613.95:217:16
713.95:227:16
813.95:237:16
913.95:237:16
1013.95:247:16
1113.95:257:16
1213.85:267:16
1313.85:267:16
1413.85:277:16
1513.85:287:16
1613.85:297:16
1713.85:307:16
1813.85:317:16
1913.75:317:15
2013.75:327:15
2113.75:337:15
2213.75:347:15
2313.75:357:14
2413.65:367:14
2513.65:377:14
2613.65:377:13
2713.65:387:13
2813.65:397:13
2913.55:407:12
3013.55:417:12
3113.55:427:11

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 7.44 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.34 kWh/m² to a high of 7.82 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 7.44 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.7Intense
37.7Intense
47.7Intense
57.7Intense
67.6Intense
77.6Intense
87.6Intense
97.6Intense
107.6Intense
117.6Intense
127.6Intense
137.5Intense
147.5Intense
157.5Intense
167.5Intense
177.5Intense
187.5Intense
197.4Intense
207.4Intense
217.4Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.3Intense
257.3Intense
267.2Intense
277.2Intense
287.2Intense
297.2Intense
307.2Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Aliwal North

In seasonPeak

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

Aliwal North'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 Aliwal North?

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

5.1
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Aliwal North in January

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

In January, Aliwal North sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Aliwal North 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 Aliwal North peaks around January 14 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 14UV 15Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr7Very high
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep8Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Aliwal North 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 Aliwal North is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.0× the cleanest month (January, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1515 µg/m³Jan 156 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb7Good
Mar8Good
Apr9Good
May11Good
Jun13Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug12Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Aliwal North?

Aliwal North sits at 30.7°S, 26.7°E, 1,325 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Burgersdorp, 50 km away.

Topography around Aliwal North

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Aliwal North has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 112 m around an average of 1,329 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 549 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,497 m.

The land around Aliwal North is covered by grassland (57%) within 3 km, grassland (81%) within 16 km, and grassland (91%) within 80 km.

3 km
112 m
16 km
549 m
80 km
1,497 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Burgersdorp 50 km · Zastron 56 km · Mohale's Hoek 95 km · Quthing 100 km · Mafeteng 109 km · Lady Frere 123 km · Khowa 130 km · Cala 131 km

South Africa travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / M / N
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 41% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,598
2025
Happiness
5.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
68%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
43.7
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
22.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 602
Religion
Christian 86%or other traditional African religions 5%nothing in particular 5%Muslim 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 Aliwal North (-30.6937°, 26.7114°, elevation 1,325 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).