Athlone in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Athlone sees average daytime highs around 22°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 46 mm of rain over about 9 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 22°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Athlone's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Athlone's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 22°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 46 mm
- 9 wet days
- Avg wind
- 22 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.4
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Athlone in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 22°C.
A typical summer day in Athlone reaches about 22°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Athlone weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22° / 18° | 15 | 2.8 | 14 | 8.5 |
| Feb | 22° / 18° | 14 | 3 | 13.3 | 8.5 |
| Mar | 21° / 17° | 16 | 3.3 | 12.3 | 8.1 |
| Apr | 20° / 15° | 43 | 5.2 | 11.2 | 7.2 |
| May | 18° / 14° | 67 | 8.4 | 10.3 | 6.3 |
| Jun | 16° / 12° | 108 | 11.1 | 9.8 | 5.2 |
| Jul | 16° / 11° | 98 | 9.9 | 10 | 5.1 |
| Aug | 16° / 11° | 87 | 10.3 | 10.7 | 5.1 |
| Sep | 17° / 12° | 51 | 8.2 | 11.8 | 5.7 |
| Oct | 18° / 14° | 33 | 5.8 | 12.9 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 20° / 15° | 30 | 5.1 | 13.8 | 7.3 |
| Dec | 21° / 17° | 17 | 3.6 | 14.2 | 8.1 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Athlone gets around 46 mm of rain over 9 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 22 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min in early December to 12 h 48 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 7.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Athlone
None of Athlone's seasonal hazards peak in summer. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Athlone's rainy season runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Athlone?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is one of the better times to visit Athlone for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Athlone in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Athlone sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 18°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and a windbreaker. About 9 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Athlone in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 17°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in January at about 18°C and coldest in August near 15°C.
The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Cool |
| Feb | 18 | Cool |
| Mar | 17 | Cool |
| Apr | 16 | Cool |
| May | 15 | Cool |
| Jun | 15 | Cool |
| Jul | 15 | Bracing |
| Aug | 15 | Bracing |
| Sep | 15 | Bracing |
| Oct | 15 | Cool |
| Nov | 16 | Cool |
| Dec | 17 | Cool |
UV index in Athlone in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Athlone peaks around January 13 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 3 | Moderate |
| Jun | 3 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4 | Moderate |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Athlone in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Athlone is worst in May — around 52 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.4× the cleanest month (December, 15 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 20 | 19 | 28 | 41 | 52 | 50 | 47 | 41 | 33 | 29 | 18 | 15 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Moderate |
| Feb | 19 | Moderate |
| Mar | 28 | Moderate |
| Apr | 41 | Poor |
| May | 52 | Poor |
| Jun | 50 | Poor |
| Jul | 47 | Poor |
| Aug | 41 | Poor |
| Sep | 33 | Moderate |
| Oct | 29 | Moderate |
| Nov | 18 | Moderate |
| Dec | 15 | Moderate |
Where is Athlone?
Athlone sits at 34.0°S, 18.5°E, 15 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Lansdowne, 2.0 km away.
Topography around Athlone
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Athlone.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Athlone has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 41 m around an average of 15 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,078 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,973 m.
The land around Athlone is covered by artificial surfaces (66%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (40%) within 16 km, and water (45%) and grassland (21%) within 80 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
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 Athlone (-33.9672°, 18.5021°, elevation 15 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.