Bethlehem weather in December

In December, Bethlehem sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 147 mm of rain across 16.7 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 1st-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 36% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Bethlehem's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bethlehem's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
13°
10th coldest
Rainfall
147 mm
16.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:09 AM – 6:56 PM
Cloud cover
53%
12th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
7.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Bethlehem is town in Dihlabeng Local Municipality, South Africa.

Founded
1859

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical December day in Bethlehem reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12512
22512
32512
42513
52513
62513
72513
82513
92513
102513
112513
122513
132513
142513
152613
162613
172613
182613
192614
202614
212614
222614
232614
242614
252614
262614
272614
282614
292614
302614
312614

How December really feels in Bethlehem

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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

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

Bethlehem weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 2nd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 14°14316.413.65.9
Feb25° / 14°9713.3136.2
Mar24° / 13°8912.212.26.9
Apr22° / 537.611.37.3
May19° / 253.410.67.7
Jun16° / 132.110.26.9
Jul16° / 81.310.47.0
Aug19° / 213.3117.8
Sep23° / 233.711.88.3
Oct24° / 10°879.712.77.4
Nov25° / 12°11112.213.46.7
Dec26° / 13°14716.713.85.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
25941
35941
45941
55842
65842
75842
85941
95941
105941
115941
126139
136139
146139
156238
166238
176238
186238
196337
206337
216337
226337
236337
246337
256238
266337
276337
286337
296337
306436
316436

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Bethlehem gets around 147 mm of rain over 16.7 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 53% and peaks near 56% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
252
353
454
555
656
756
856
956
1056
1155
1255
1354
1454
1553
1653
1752
1852
1951
2051
2151
2251
2351
2452
2552
2652
2753
2853
2953
3053
3154

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 61% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
178211
276231
375241
474251
573261
672271
771281
869301
967312
1066322
1165332
1265332
1364342
1463352
1562362
1662362
1760373
1859383
1959383
2057394
2156404
2255405
2354415
2452426
2551436
2649447
2748457
2847467
2946477
3045477
3145488

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
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
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:07 AM to 5:17 AM, and sunset from 6:46 PM to 7:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:076:46
213.75:076:47
313.75:076:48
413.75:076:49
513.75:076:49
613.75:076:50
713.75:076:51
813.75:076:51
913.75:076:52
1013.85:086:53
1113.85:086:53
1213.85:086:54
1313.85:086:55
1413.85:096:55
1513.85:096:56
1613.85:096:56
1713.85:106:57
1813.85:106:58
1913.85:116:58
2013.85:116:59
2113.85:116:59
2213.85:127:00
2313.85:127:00
2413.85:137:00
2513.85:137:01
2613.85:147:01
2713.85:147:02
2813.85:157:02
2913.85:167:02
3013.85:167:03
3113.85:177:03

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.13 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.74 kWh/m² to a high of 7.13 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 7.13 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.1Intense
37.1Intense
47.1Intense
57.1Intense
67.1Intense
77.1Intense
87.1Intense
97.1Intense
107.1Intense
117.2Intense
127.2Intense
137.2Intense
147.2Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.2Intense
237.2Intense
247.2Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Bethlehem

In seasonPeak

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

Bethlehem'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 December a good time to visit Bethlehem?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Bethlehem for sightseeing.

What to pack for Bethlehem in December

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

In December, Bethlehem sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 13°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 17 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Bethlehem in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bethlehem peaks around January 14 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 5 (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 21UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug7High
Sep9Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Bethlehem in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Bethlehem is worst in August — around 27 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1227 µg/m³Dec 227 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun22Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug27Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bethlehem?

Bethlehem sits at 28.2°S, 28.3°E, 1,630 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Fouriesburg, 44 km away.

Topography around Bethlehem

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Bethlehem has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 130 m around an average of 1,662 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 426 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,004 m.

The land around Bethlehem is covered by grassland (44%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 3 km, cropland (49%) and grassland (45%) within 16 km, and grassland (64%) and cropland (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
130 m
16 km
426 m
80 km
2,004 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Fouriesburg 44 km · Reitz 49 km · Phuthaditjhaba 60 km · Butha-Buthe 60 km · Mamafubedu 65 km · Tshiame 68 km · Senekal 68 km · Hlotse 76 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 Bethlehem (-28.2308°, 28.3071°, elevation 1,630 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).