Bloemfontein weather in January

In January, Bloemfontein sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 82 mm of rain across 12.4 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-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 53% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Bloemfontein's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bloemfontein's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
1st warmest
Overnight low
18°
12th coldest
Rainfall
82 mm
12.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:34 AM – 7:15 PM
Cloud cover
41%
12th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
7.42 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.6
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 January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.

A typical January day in Bloemfontein reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 13°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, January runs on par with December and about 1°C warmer than February.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13117
23117
33117
43118
53118
63118
73118
83118
93118
103118
113118
123118
133118
143118
153118
163118
173118
183118
193118
203118
213118
223118
233118
243118
253118
263118
273118
283018
293018
303018
313018

How January really feels in Bloemfontein

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January 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

January 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 January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 1st-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 January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 23%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47723
57723
67723
77822
87723
97723
107723
117723
127822
137822
147822
157822
167723
177723
187624
197624
207624
217624
227624
237723
247723
257723
267723
277723
287822
297822
307822
317822

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Bloemfontein gets around 82 mm of rain over 12.4 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 39% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
234
335
435
535
635
736
836
936
1036
1137
1237
1338
1439
1539
1640
1741
1842
1942
2043
2143
2243
2343
2443
2543
2643
2742
2841
2940
3040
3139

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 53% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16128110
26128110
36028120
46028120
56028120
66028120
76028120
85929120
95929120
105929120
115929120
125730130
135630140
145430151
155330161
165230171
175230171
185031181
194931191
204831201
214732201
224632211
234632211
244532221
254532221
264532221
274532221
284532211
294633211
304633211
314733200

Wind in January

Winds average 12 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:23 AM to 5:47 AM, and sunset from 7:13 PM to 7:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:237:13
213.85:247:14
313.85:257:14
413.85:257:14
513.85:267:14
613.85:277:14
713.85:277:14
813.85:287:15
913.85:297:15
1013.85:307:15
1113.75:307:15
1213.75:317:15
1313.75:327:15
1413.75:337:15
1513.75:337:15
1613.75:347:15
1713.75:357:15
1813.65:367:14
1913.65:377:14
2013.65:377:14
2113.65:387:14
2213.65:397:14
2313.65:407:13
2413.55:417:13
2513.55:427:13
2613.55:427:12
2713.55:437:12
2813.55:447:12
2913.45:457:11
3013.45:467:11
3113.45:477:10

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 7.42 kWh/m².

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 — January's 7.42 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.7Intense
37.7Intense
47.6Intense
57.6Intense
67.6Intense
77.6Intense
87.6Intense
97.6Intense
107.6Intense
117.6Intense
127.5Intense
137.5Intense
147.5Intense
157.5Intense
167.5Intense
177.4Intense
187.4Intense
197.4Intense
207.3Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.3Intense
257.2Intense
267.2Intense
277.2Intense
287.2Intense
297.2Intense
307.2Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Bloemfontein?

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

4.6
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

January 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 January

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

In January, Bloemfontein sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Bloemfontein in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (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 January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January 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
January 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).