Climate and average weather in Barberton
In Barberton, the weather is warm, wet, and partly cloudy and remarkably steady, with daytime highs holding near warm levels all year. The wettest stretch peaks around January.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Barberton typically varies from 7°C to 27°C, and is rarely below 3°C or above 32°C. January is the hottest month of the year, while July is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Barberton for warm-weather activities is from early April to early October.
- Hottest
- Jan
- 27°
- Coldest
- Jul
- 7°
- Wettest
- Jan
- 129 mm
- Driest
- Jun
- 7 mm
- Rain / yr
- 727 mm
- 105 wet days
- Daylight
- 10.4–13.6 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 853 m
- 25.8°S
- Clearest
- Jun
- 18% cloud
Barberton is town in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
- Founded
- 1884
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Barberton weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around early April to early October.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Barberton, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
Temperatures in Barberton stay fairly even through the year, without a distinct hot or cool season. The warmest month is January, with an average high of 27°C and low of 18°C; the coolest is July, with an average low of 7°C and high of 21°C.
Days typically run about 12°C warmer than nights, with the widest day–night swing (around 15°C) in July.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| Avg low (°C) | 18 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | 18 |
| Feb | 27 | 18 |
| Mar | 26 | 17 |
| Apr | 25 | 14 |
| May | 23 | 10 |
| Jun | 22 | 7 |
| Jul | 21 | 7 |
| Aug | 23 | 9 |
| Sep | 25 | 12 |
| Oct | 25 | 14 |
| Nov | 26 | 16 |
| Dec | 27 | 17 |
Average hourly temperature in Barberton
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on January afternoons, near 27°C, and coldest before dawn in July, near 7°C.
Barberton weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27° / 18° | 129 | 16.2 | 13.4 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 27° / 18° | 109 | 13.5 | 12.9 | 5.8 |
| Mar | 26° / 17° | 88 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 6.4 |
| Apr | 25° / 14° | 44 | 7 | 11.4 | 7.6 |
| May | 23° / 10° | 17 | 3.1 | 10.8 | 8.7 |
| Jun | 22° / 7° | 7 | 1.5 | 10.4 | 8.7 |
| Jul | 21° / 7° | 7 | 1.4 | 10.6 | 8.6 |
| Aug | 23° / 9° | 12 | 2.5 | 11.1 | 8.7 |
| Sep | 25° / 12° | 24 | 4.7 | 11.8 | 8.1 |
| Oct | 25° / 14° | 58 | 10.8 | 12.6 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 26° / 16° | 104 | 15.2 | 13.3 | 5.8 |
| Dec | 27° / 17° | 128 | 17 | 13.6 | 5.4 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Barberton gets about 727 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is some rain, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 5.9 months, from around Oct 7 to Apr 4, peaking in December at about 55% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jul 3.
January is the wettest month by volume, with 129 mm over about 16 wet days; June is the driest, with 7 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 52 | 48 | 39 | 24 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 35 | 50 | 54 |
| Rain days | 16 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 17 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 16 |
| Feb | 48 | 14 |
| Mar | 39 | 12 |
| Apr | 24 | 7 |
| May | 10 | 3 |
| Jun | 5 | 2 |
| Jul | 5 | 1 |
| Aug | 8 | 3 |
| Sep | 16 | 5 |
| Oct | 35 | 11 |
| Nov | 50 | 15 |
| Dec | 54 | 17 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Barberton collects about 727 mm of rain across 105 wet days — roughly 61 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. January is the wettest month with 129 mm, while June is the driest at just 7 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 50% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 129 | 109 | 88 | 44 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 24 | 58 | 104 | 128 |
| Rain days | 16 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 17 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 129 | 16 |
| Feb | 109 | 14 |
| Mar | 88 | 12 |
| Apr | 44 | 7 |
| May | 17 | 3 |
| Jun | 7 | 2 |
| Jul | 7 | 1 |
| Aug | 12 | 3 |
| Sep | 24 | 5 |
| Oct | 58 | 11 |
| Nov | 104 | 15 |
| Dec | 128 | 17 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Barberton, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around April 9 and lasts for 5.6 months, ending around September 26. The clearest month is June, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 88% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around September 27 and lasts for 6.4 months, ending around April 8. The cloudiest month is December, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 62% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 43 | 51 | 59 | 69 | 85 | 88 | 86 | 82 | 72 | 53 | 41 | 38 |
| Cloudier (%) | 57 | 49 | 41 | 31 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 28 | 47 | 59 | 62 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43 | 57 |
| Feb | 51 | 49 |
| Mar | 59 | 41 |
| Apr | 69 | 31 |
| May | 85 | 15 |
| Jun | 88 | 12 |
| Jul | 86 | 14 |
| Aug | 82 | 18 |
| Sep | 72 | 28 |
| Oct | 53 | 47 |
| Nov | 41 | 59 |
| Dec | 38 | 62 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around January 1, brings about 13 h 36 min of light; the shortest, around June 8, only 10 h 24 min — a swing of roughly 3 h 12 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.4 | 12.9 | 12.2 | 11.4 | 10.8 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 12.6 | 13.3 | 13.6 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:22 | 5:43 | 6:00 | 6:14 | 6:30 | 6:44 | 6:45 | 6:27 | 5:55 | 5:22 | 5:03 | 5:04 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:49 | 6:37 | 6:11 | 5:38 | 5:14 | 5:08 | 5:17 | 5:32 | 5:46 | 5:59 | 6:20 | 6:40 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13.4 | 5:22 | 6:49 |
| Feb | 12.9 | 5:43 | 6:37 |
| Mar | 12.2 | 6:00 | 6:11 |
| Apr | 11.4 | 6:14 | 5:38 |
| May | 10.8 | 6:30 | 5:14 |
| Jun | 10.4 | 6:44 | 5:08 |
| Jul | 10.6 | 6:45 | 5:17 |
| Aug | 11.1 | 6:27 | 5:32 |
| Sep | 11.8 | 5:55 | 5:46 |
| Oct | 12.6 | 5:22 | 5:59 |
| Nov | 13.3 | 5:03 | 6:20 |
| Dec | 13.6 | 5:04 | 6:40 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Barberton averages about 15 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 6 and 25 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 5.4 months, from around Apr 16 to Sep 27. The sunniest month is June, with roughly 24 sunny days (brilliant).
The greyest month is December, down near 6 sunny days — about 74% fewer than the June peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 8 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 6 |
| Sky | Gloomy | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Brilliant | Brilliant | Bright | Bright | Mixed | Gloomy | Gloomy |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Gloomy |
| Feb | 9 | Mixed |
| Mar | 12 | Mixed |
| Apr | 15 | Bright |
| May | 23 | Bright |
| Jun | 24 | Brilliant |
| Jul | 24 | Brilliant |
| Aug | 23 | Bright |
| Sep | 18 | Bright |
| Oct | 11 | Mixed |
| Nov | 7 | Gloomy |
| Dec | 6 | Gloomy |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Barberton, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 5.2 months, from around November 1 to April 7. The muggiest month is February, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 83% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around April 8 to October 31, and May is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 99% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 2 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 86 | 100 | 100 | 98 | 82 | 45 | 16 | 4 |
| Comfortable (%) | 14 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 40 | 35 | 22 |
| Humid (%) | 48 | 50 | 51 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 41 | 49 |
| Muggy (%) | 36 | 33 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 25 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | 14 | 48 | 36 |
| Feb | 1 | 16 | 50 | 33 |
| Mar | 5 | 29 | 51 | 15 |
| Apr | 33 | 45 | 20 | 2 |
| May | 86 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 82 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct | 45 | 40 | 14 | 1 |
| Nov | 16 | 35 | 41 | 8 |
| Dec | 4 | 22 | 49 | 25 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Wind in Barberton is steady company: average speeds sit near 6 km/h — calm — in every month of the year, with no meaningful windy or calm season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | calm |
| Feb | 5 | calm |
| Mar | 5 | calm |
| Apr | 5 | calm |
| May | 5 | calm |
| Jun | 6 | calm |
| Jul | 6 | calm |
| Aug | 6 | calm |
| Sep | 7 | calm |
| Oct | 6 | calm |
| Nov | 6 | calm |
| Dec | 6 | calm |
Hazard calendar for Barberton
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Barberton's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit Barberton
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Barberton throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around late September, Barberton is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Barberton for general outdoor tourist activities is from early April to early October, with a peak score in the last week of May.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 5.6 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.1 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 5.5 |
| Rating | good | good | good | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | good | good | fair |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.6 | good |
| Feb | 5.8 | good |
| Mar | 6.4 | good |
| Apr | 7.6 | ideal |
| May | 8.7 | ideal |
| Jun | 8.7 | ideal |
| Jul | 8.6 | ideal |
| Aug | 8.7 | ideal |
| Sep | 8.1 | ideal |
| Oct | 6.8 | good |
| Nov | 5.8 | good |
| Dec | 5.5 | fair |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best times of year to visit Barberton for hot-weather activities run from late February to early June and again from early August to late October, with a peak score in the first week of September.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Barberton, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
Barberton packs about the same all year — highs hold near 27°C. Across the year the things worth having are light clothes, rain gear, sun protection and a warm layer.
In January, Barberton sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 16 days see rain.
UV index (midday) in Barberton by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Barberton peaks around February 12 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 5 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 7 | Very high |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 5 | Moderate |
| Jul | 5 | Moderate |
| Aug | 7 | High |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Average hourly UV index in Barberton
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in February the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6.5 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 8.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 6 | 7 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Feb | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Mar | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Apr | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| May | 5 | 0 |
| Jun | 4.5 | 0 |
| Jul | 4.5 | 0 |
| Aug | 6 | 3 |
| Sep | 7 | 4 |
| Oct | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Nov | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Dec | 8.5 | 6.5 |
Air quality in Barberton by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Barberton is worst in July — around 52 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 13 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 | 18 | 24 | 26 | 34 | 37 | 52 | 43 | 34 | 23 | 30 | 13 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Moderate |
| Feb | 18 | Moderate |
| Mar | 24 | Moderate |
| Apr | 26 | Moderate |
| May | 34 | Moderate |
| Jun | 37 | Poor |
| Jul | 52 | Poor |
| Aug | 43 | Poor |
| Sep | 34 | Moderate |
| Oct | 23 | Moderate |
| Nov | 30 | Moderate |
| Dec | 13 | Moderate |
Growing season
Barberton is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Barberton banks about 3,270 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 390 | 353 | 360 | 280 | 207 | 130 | 126 | 187 | 253 | 294 | 322 | 368 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 390 |
| Feb | 353 |
| Mar | 360 |
| Apr | 280 |
| May | 207 |
| Jun | 130 |
| Jul | 126 |
| Aug | 187 |
| Sep | 253 |
| Oct | 294 |
| Nov | 322 |
| Dec | 368 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Barberton receives about 4.9 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 3.6 and 5.9 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.7 months, from around Aug 31 to Mar 22. The brightest month is December, averaging about 5.8 kWh/m² (bright).
The dimmest month is June, down near 3.7 kWh/m² — roughly 35% less than the December peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.8 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.8 | Bright |
| Feb | 5.6 | Bright |
| Mar | 5.1 | Bright |
| Apr | 4.4 | Bright |
| May | 4.1 | Bright |
| Jun | 3.7 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3.8 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4.5 | Bright |
| Sep | 5.2 | Bright |
| Oct | 5.3 | Bright |
| Nov | 5.5 | Bright |
| Dec | 5.8 | Bright |
Where is Barberton?
Barberton sits at 25.8°S, 31.1°E, 853 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Tekwane, 36 km away.
Topography around Barberton
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Barberton.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Barberton has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 906 m around an average of 981 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,356 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,040 m.
The land around Barberton is covered by trees (36%), grassland (29%) and shrubs (20%) within 3 km, trees (40%) and grassland (40%) within 16 km, and grassland (43%) and trees (39%) 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 Barberton (-25.7884°, 31.0532°, elevation 853 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).