Bhisho in Summer

In summer (December, January and February), Bhisho sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 342 mm of rain over about 41 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.

Over the season highs climb from about 24°C in early December to 26°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.

Summer is Bhisho's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Bhisho's year-round climate.

Avg daytime high
26°C
warmest season of the year
Avg overnight low
16°C
Rainfall
342 mm
41 wet days
Avg wind
11 km/h
Travel score
6.0
weakest season of the year
Months
Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperature in Bhisho in Summer

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Over the season highs climb from about 24°C in early December to 26°C by late February.

A typical summer day in Bhisho reaches about 26°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.

10°20°30°DecJanFeb

Bhisho 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.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°11714.113.96.0
Feb26° / 16°1111313.25.9
Mar25° / 15°10812.312.26.5
Apr23° / 12°859.511.27.1
May22° / 10°284.910.37.8
Jun20° / 253.59.97.8
Jul21° / 274.210.17.8
Aug21° / 415.910.87.5
Sep22° / 10°56811.87.1
Oct23° / 11°8611.912.86.5
Nov23° / 13°9911.813.76.4
Dec25° / 15°11413.814.16.2

Cloud cover in Summer

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time across summer.

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Chance of precipitation in Summer

Any precipitation

Bhisho gets around 342 mm of rain over 41 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

0%20%40%60%DecJanFeb

Humidity in Summer

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

0%25%50%75%100%DecJanFeb

Wind in Summer

Winds average 11 km/h across summer.

051015DecJanFeb

Sunrise & sunset in Summer

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 hours in early December to 12 h 48 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMDecJanFeb

Solar energy in Summer

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.8 kWh/m².

0246DecJanFeb
Planning a trip in summer

Hazard calendar for Bhisho

In seasonPeak

In summer, Bhisho overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Bhisho's rainy season runs September–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is summer a good time to visit Bhisho?

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.

6.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
5.7
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

summer is a reasonable time to visit Bhisho for sightseeing.

What to pack for Bhisho in Summer

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

In summer, Bhisho sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 16°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 41 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

Sea temperature near Bhisho in Summer

The nearest coast averages about 24°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 51 km away) is warmest in February at about 25°C and coldest in August near 20°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

18°20°22°24°26°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan24Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr24Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug20Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct21Refreshing
Nov22Refreshing
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in Bhisho in Summer

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bhisho peaks around January 15 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 15UV 13Jun 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May5Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug5Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Bhisho in Summer

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Bhisho is worst in August — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (February, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1520 µg/m³Feb 98 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr12Good
May15Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bhisho?

Bhisho sits at 32.8°S, 27.4°E, 535 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Qonce, 6.0 km away.

Topography around Bhisho

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Bhisho has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 154 m around an average of 500 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 660 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,011 m.

The land around Bhisho is covered by grassland (66%) within 3 km, grassland (63%) within 16 km, and grassland (40%) and trees (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
154 m
16 km
660 m
80 km
2,011 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
Summer weather nearby: Qonce 6.0 km · Ndevana 9.0 km · Dimbaza 21 km · Stutterheim 31 km · Mdantsane 33 km · East London 48 km · Gonubie 55 km · Alice 57 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 Bhisho (-32.8472°, 27.4422°, elevation 535 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.