Balfour weather in October

In October, Balfour sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 83 mm of rain across 10.4 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 13 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Balfour's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Balfour's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
4th warmest
Overnight low
13°
7th coldest
Rainfall
83 mm
10.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:31 AM – 6:10 PM
Cloud cover
43%
7th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
6.54 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Balfour is place in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Founded
1898

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

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.

A typical October day in Balfour reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 1°C warmer than September and on par with November.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12612
22612
32612
42612
52612
62612
72612
82612
92612
102612
112612
122612
132613
142613
152613
162613
172613
182613
192613
202613
212613
222613
232613
242613
252613
262613
272613
282613
292613
302613
312613

Balfour weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°13315.513.56.0
Feb26° / 16°9812.312.96.3
Mar25° / 14°8711.112.27.0
Apr23° / 11°406.911.47.6
May21° / 162.810.78.2
Jun18° / 81.610.48.0
Jul18° / 4110.58.0
Aug21° / 132.511.18.5
Sep25° / 10°23411.88.4
Oct26° / 13°8310.412.67.0
Nov26° / 14°1081313.36.3
Dec26° / 15°14817.213.65.7

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 32%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17624
27624
37525
47525
57327
67327
77327
87228
97228
107030
117030
126931
136832
146832
156832
166832
176733
186733
196634
206634
216634
226535
236535
246535
256535
266436
276436
286436
296337
306436
316436

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Balfour gets around 83 mm of rain over 10.4 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 33% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
223
324
425
526
626
727
827
928
1029
1129
1230
1330
1431
1532
1632
1733
1834
1935
2036
2137
2237
2338
2439
2539
2640
2740
2840
2940
3040
3140

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 93% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8982
9982
10982
11973
12973
13964
14964
15955
16946
17937
18928
19919
209010
219010
228911
238812
248713
258713
268614
278614
288515
298515
308416
318317

Wind in October

Winds average 13 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 13 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:47 AM to 5:19 AM, and sunset from 6:02 PM to 6:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.25:476:02
212.35:466:03
312.35:456:03
412.35:446:04
512.45:436:04
612.45:426:05
712.45:416:05
812.45:396:06
912.55:386:06
1012.55:376:07
1112.55:366:07
1212.55:356:08
1312.65:346:08
1412.65:336:09
1512.65:326:09
1612.65:316:10
1712.75:306:11
1812.75:306:11
1912.75:296:12
2012.75:286:12
2112.85:276:13
2212.85:266:14
2312.85:256:14
2412.85:246:15
2512.95:236:15
2612.95:236:16
2712.95:226:17
2812.95:216:17
2913.05:206:18
3013.05:206:19
3113.05:196:19

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 6.54 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.86 kWh/m² to a high of 6.92 kWh/m² in December across the year — October's 6.54 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.4Intense
26.4Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.4Intense
66.4Intense
76.4Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.7Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.7Intense
316.7Intense
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Balfour

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is October a good time to visit Balfour?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

October is one of the better times to visit Balfour for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Balfour in October

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

In October, Balfour sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Balfour in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Balfour peaks around January 13 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 13UV 14Jun 20UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Balfour in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Balfour is worst in July — around 69 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.9× the cleanest month (January, 18 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1468 µg/m³Jan 1418 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb23Moderate
Mar33Moderate
Apr44Poor
May56Unhealthy
Jun65Unhealthy
Jul69Unhealthy
Aug59Unhealthy
Sep50Poor
Oct33Moderate
Nov25Moderate
Dec21Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Balfour?

Balfour sits at 26.7°S, 28.6°E, 1,622 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Nigel, 28 km away.

Topography around Balfour

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Balfour has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 136 m around an average of 1,631 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 326 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 511 m.

The land around Balfour is covered by grassland (45%) and cropland (41%) within 3 km, grassland (55%) and cropland (42%) within 16 km, and grassland (51%) and cropland (39%) within 80 km.

3 km
136 m
16 km
326 m
80 km
511 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Nigel 28 km · Heidelberg 29 km · Villiers 41 km · Lebohang 46 km · Leslie 46 km · eMbalenhle 50 km · Springs 50 km · Brakpan 52 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 Balfour (-26.6633°, 28.5902°, elevation 1,622 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).