Butterworth weather in October

In October, Butterworth sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 94 mm of rain across 13.2 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Butterworth's 8th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Butterworth's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
8th warmest
Overnight low
12°
6th coldest
Rainfall
94 mm
13.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:28 AM – 6:17 PM
Cloud cover
64%
8th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Butterworth is town.

Founded
1827

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

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.

A typical October day in Butterworth reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and on par with November.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12211
22211
32211
42211
52211
62211
72211
82211
92211
102211
112212
122212
132212
142312
152312
162312
172312
182312
192312
202312
212312
222312
232312
242312
252312
262312
272312
282312
292313
302313
312313

Butterworth weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°12115.613.95.7
Feb26° / 17°10414.313.25.7
Mar25° / 16°1021412.26.2
Apr24° / 13°769.311.27.1
May23° / 11°244.510.48.1
Jun21° / 233.29.98.1
Jul21° / 233.310.18.1
Aug22° / 335.610.87.7
Sep23° / 10°577.811.87.2
Oct23° / 12°9413.212.86.3
Nov23° / 13°1111413.76.0
Dec25° / 15°11416.314.15.8

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24555
34555
44456
54357
64258
74159
84159
94159
104159
114159
124159
134159
144159
154159
164258
174258
184258
194258
204258
214258
224060
234060
244060
254159
263961
273961
283862
293961
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Butterworth gets around 94 mm of rain over 13.2 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 41% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
136
237
338
439
540
640
741
841
942
1042
1142
1242
1342
1442
1542
1642
1742
1842
1942
2042
2142
2242
2342
2442
2543
2643
2743
2843
2943
3042
3143

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 67% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
180182
280182
379192
478202
577212
675223
774233
874233
973243
1072244
1171254
1271254
1369265
1469265
1568275
1667276
1766286
1865296
1964297
2063307
2162308
2261318
2359329
2459329
25573310
26573310
27563311
28553411
29543412
30543412
31533512

Wind in October

Winds average 12 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 12 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
112calm
212calm
312calm
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:47 AM to 5:13 AM, and sunset from 6:06 PM to 6:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:476:06
212.35:466:07
312.45:446:07
412.45:436:08
512.45:426:09
612.55:406:09
712.55:396:10
812.55:386:11
912.65:376:11
1012.65:356:12
1112.65:346:13
1212.75:336:14
1312.75:326:14
1412.75:306:15
1512.85:296:16
1612.85:286:17
1712.85:276:18
1812.95:266:18
1912.95:256:19
2012.95:246:20
2113.05:236:21
2213.05:216:22
2313.05:206:22
2413.15:196:23
2513.15:186:24
2613.15:176:25
2713.25:166:26
2813.25:166:27
2913.25:156:27
3013.25:146:28
3113.35:136:29

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.22 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.01 kWh/m² to a high of 5.83 kWh/m² in December across the year — October's 5.22 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.4Bright
225.4Bright
235.4Bright
245.4Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Butterworth

In seasonPeak

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

Butterworth'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 October a good time to visit Butterworth?

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

6.3
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Butterworth for sightseeing.

What to pack for Butterworth in October

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

In October, Butterworth sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Butterworth in October

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 39 km away) is warmest in February at about 25°C and coldest in August near 21°C.

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

20°22°24°26°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct21Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in Butterworth in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Butterworth peaks around January 15 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 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 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May5Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug5Moderate
Sep6High
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Butterworth in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Butterworth is worst in August — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1523 µg/m³Jan 158 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr14Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Butterworth?

Butterworth sits at 32.3°S, 28.1°E, 545 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Gonubie, 69 km away.

Topography around Butterworth

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Butterworth has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 218 m around an average of 584 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 688 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,672 m.

The land around Butterworth is covered by grassland (41%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, grassland (57%) and trees (23%) within 16 km, and grassland (46%) and trees (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
218 m
16 km
688 m
80 km
1,672 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Gonubie 69 km · Stutterheim 73 km · Mdantsane 76 km · East London 79 km · Bhisho 88 km · Ndevana 88 km · Qonce 94 km · Cala 99 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 Butterworth (-32.3308°, 28.1498°, elevation 545 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).