Butterworth in Winter
In winter (June, July and August), Butterworth sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 78 mm of rain over about 12 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Butterworth's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Butterworth's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 9°C
- Rainfall
- 78 mm
- 12 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Butterworth in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 21°C.
A typical winter day in Butterworth reaches about 21°C and drops to 9°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is August, the coolest July.
Butterworth weather by month
How the three winter months (June, July and August) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 16° | 121 | 15.6 | 13.9 | 5.7 |
| Feb | 26° / 17° | 104 | 14.3 | 13.2 | 5.7 |
| Mar | 25° / 16° | 102 | 14 | 12.2 | 6.2 |
| Apr | 24° / 13° | 76 | 9.3 | 11.2 | 7.1 |
| May | 23° / 11° | 24 | 4.5 | 10.4 | 8.1 |
| Jun | 21° / 9° | 23 | 3.2 | 9.9 | 8.1 |
| Jul | 21° / 8° | 23 | 3.3 | 10.1 | 8.1 |
| Aug | 22° / 9° | 33 | 5.6 | 10.8 | 7.7 |
| Sep | 23° / 10° | 57 | 7.8 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| Oct | 23° / 12° | 94 | 13.2 | 12.8 | 6.3 |
| Nov | 23° / 13° | 111 | 14 | 13.7 | 6.0 |
| Dec | 25° / 15° | 114 | 16.3 | 14.1 | 5.8 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 65% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Butterworth gets around 78 mm of rain over 12 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 13 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 hours in early June to 11 h 18 min by late August. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 3.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Butterworth
None of Butterworth's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Butterworth's rainy season runs September–April, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Butterworth?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Butterworth for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Butterworth in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Butterworth sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 9°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 12 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Butterworth in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 21°C across winter — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 23 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | Warm |
| Feb | 25 | Warm |
| Mar | 25 | Warm |
| Apr | 25 | Warm |
| May | 24 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 21 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 21 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 21 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 21 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 23 | Refreshing |
UV index in Butterworth in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 14 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 10 | Very high |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 5 | Moderate |
| Jun | 3 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3 | Moderate |
| Aug | 5 | Moderate |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Butterworth in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 14 | Moderate |
| May | 17 | Moderate |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 20 | Moderate |
| Aug | 23 | Moderate |
| Sep | 19 | Moderate |
| Oct | 14 | Moderate |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
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.
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
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.