Bloemfontein weather in December

In December, Bloemfontein sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 76 mm of rain across 10.3 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% 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 Bloemfontein's 10th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bloemfontein's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
16°
10th coldest
Rainfall
76 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:16 AM – 7:07 PM
Cloud cover
41%
10th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.9
out of 10

Bloemfontein is judicial capital of South Africa.

Density
2,357/km²
people per km²
Founded
1846

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 31°C through the month.

A typical December day in Bloemfontein reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 35°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13015
23015
33015
43015
53015
63016
73016
83016
93016
103016
113016
123016
133116
143116
153116
163116
173116
183117
193117
203117
213117
223117
233117
243117
253117
263117
273117
283117
293117
303117
313117

How December really feels in Bloemfontein

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.

Bloemfontein weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 18°8212.413.74.6
Feb30° / 17°7311.2135.1
Mar28° / 15°7210.112.26.4
Apr24° / 11°477.311.37.7
May21° / 203.210.68.2
Jun18° / 111.810.27.8
Jul18° / 81.310.38.0
Aug21° / 152.2118.5
Sep25° / 162.711.88.5
Oct28° / 12°436.812.77.2
Nov29° / 14°668.313.56.0
Dec31° / 16°7610.313.84.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 24%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17327
27228
37228
47228
57228
67228
77228
87327
97327
107426
117426
127525
137525
147624
157723
167723
177822
187822
197822
207822
217822
227921
237822
247822
257921
267822
277822
287822
297822
307822
317822

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Bloemfontein gets around 76 mm of rain over 10.3 wet days in December. 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 34% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
233
333
434
534
634
733
833
933
1033
1133
1232
1332
1432
1532
1632
1731
1831
1931
2031
2132
2232
2333
2433
2534
2634
2734
2834
2934
3034
3134

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 72% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
182153
281163
380173
479183
578193
678193
777203
877212
977212
1077212
1176222
1275223
1375223
1475223
1574224
1674224
1773225
1873225
1972226
2071227
2170237
2269238
2367249
2467249
25652510
26652510
27632611
28622711
29622711
30622711
31622711

Wind in December

Winds average 13 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.

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
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

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 5:13 AM to 5:23 AM, and sunset from 6:57 PM to 7:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:136:57
213.75:136:57
313.85:136:58
413.85:136:59
513.85:137:00
613.85:137:00
713.85:137:01
813.85:147:02
913.85:147:02
1013.85:147:03
1113.85:147:04
1213.85:157:04
1313.85:157:05
1413.85:157:06
1513.85:157:06
1613.95:167:07
1713.95:167:07
1813.95:167:08
1913.95:177:09
2013.95:177:09
2113.95:187:10
2213.95:187:10
2313.95:197:10
2413.95:197:11
2513.95:207:11
2613.95:207:12
2713.95:217:12
2813.95:217:12
2913.85:227:13
3013.85:237:13
3113.85:237:13

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.73 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.6 kWh/m² to a high of 7.73 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 7.73 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.7Intense
37.7Intense
47.7Intense
57.7Intense
67.7Intense
77.7Intense
87.7Intense
97.7Intense
107.7Intense
117.7Intense
127.7Intense
137.8Intense
147.8Intense
157.8Intense
167.8Intense
177.8Intense
187.8Intense
197.8Intense
207.8Intense
217.8Intense
227.8Intense
237.8Intense
247.8Intense
257.8Intense
267.8Intense
277.7Intense
287.7Intense
297.7Intense
307.7Intense
317.7Intense
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Bloemfontein?

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

4.9
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Bloemfontein for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Bloemfontein in December

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

In December, Bloemfontein sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Bloemfontein 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 Bloemfontein peaks around January 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 13UV 15Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun4Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug7High
Sep8Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Bloemfontein 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 Bloemfontein is worst in June — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.0× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1919 µg/m³Dec 175 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr13Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bloemfontein?

Bloemfontein sits at 29.1°S, 26.2°E, 1,396 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Botshabelo, 52 km away.

Topography around Bloemfontein

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Bloemfontein has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 130 m around an average of 1,404 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 291 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 920 m.

The land around Bloemfontein is covered by artificial surfaces (64%) within 3 km, grassland (62%) within 16 km, and grassland (81%) within 80 km.

3 km
130 m
16 km
291 m
80 km
920 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Botshabelo 52 km · Winnie Mandela 52 km · Thaba Nchu 61 km · Theunissen 92 km · Bultfontein 93 km · Winburg 102 km · Ladybrand 121 km · Maseru 125 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 Bloemfontein (-29.1211°, 26.214°, elevation 1,396 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).