Driefontein weather in December

In December, Driefontein sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 170 mm of rain across 20.2 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of December to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Driefontein's 12th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Driefontein's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
14°
10th coldest
Rainfall
170 mm
20.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:04 AM – 6:45 PM
Cloud cover
65%
12th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Driefontein is human settlement in South Africa.

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 25°C through the month.

A typical December day in Driefontein reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12413
22413
32414
42414
52414
62414
72414
82414
92414
102514
112514
122514
132514
142514
152514
162514
172514
182515
192515
202515
212515
222515
232515
242515
252515
262515
272515
282515
292515
302515
312515

Driefontein weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 15°14718.813.55.5
Feb25° / 15°11414.6136.0
Mar24° / 14°10413.412.26.6
Apr22° / 11°488.111.47.2
May20° / 173.110.78.0
Jun19° / 102.110.37.9
Jul19° / 111.910.57.9
Aug21° / 193.7118.1
Sep24° / 10°387.111.87.8
Oct24° / 11°10414.712.66.3
Nov24° / 13°1391813.35.6
Dec25° / 14°17020.213.75.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33763
43763
53763
63763
73763
83862
93862
103862
113961
123961
134060
144159
154159
164258
174357
184357
194357
204357
214456
224456
234357
244456
254456
264456
274555
284555
294555
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Driefontein gets around 170 mm of rain over 20.2 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 65% and peaks near 68% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
165
266
366
467
567
667
767
868
968
1067
1167
1267
1366
1466
1565
1665
1764
1864
1964
2064
2164
2264
2364
2464
2564
2664
2764
2864
2963
3063
3162

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 56% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13056140
22956150
32857150
42758150
52559160
62460160
72360170
82161180
92061190
101961200
111862200
121762210
131662220
141562230
151561240
161461250
171360270
181260280
191258300
201158310
211056331
221055341
231053361
241052371
25951391
261049401
271048411
281047431
291045441
301044441
311144451

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of December to 13 h 42 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 5:01 AM to 5:11 AM, and sunset from 6:35 PM to 6:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:016:35
213.65:016:36
313.65:016:37
413.65:016:37
513.65:016:38
613.65:016:39
713.65:016:39
813.65:026:40
913.75:026:41
1013.75:026:41
1113.75:026:42
1213.75:026:43
1313.75:036:43
1413.75:036:44
1513.75:036:45
1613.75:046:45
1713.75:046:46
1813.75:056:46
1913.75:056:47
2013.75:056:47
2113.75:066:48
2213.75:066:48
2313.75:076:49
2413.75:076:49
2513.75:086:50
2613.75:086:50
2713.75:096:50
2813.75:096:51
2913.75:106:51
3013.75:116:51
3113.75:116:52

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.2 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.73 kWh/m² to a high of 6.2 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.2 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Intense
26.0Intense
36.0Intense
46.0Intense
56.0Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.0Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Driefontein

In seasonPeak

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

Driefontein's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Driefontein?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Driefontein for sightseeing.

What to pack for Driefontein in December

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

In December, Driefontein sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 20 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Driefontein 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 Driefontein peaks around January 15 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 15UV 14Jun 21UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Driefontein 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 Driefontein is worst in May — around 56 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.0× the cleanest month (December, 19 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateModerateMay 1754 µg/m³Dec 2319 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr38Poor
May56Unhealthy
Jun38Poor
Jul36Poor
Aug30Moderate
Sep33Moderate
Oct28Moderate
Nov40Poor
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Driefontein?

Driefontein sits at 27.0°S, 30.4°E, 1,405 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Piet Retief, 38 km away.

Topography around Driefontein

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Driefontein has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 137 m around an average of 1,360 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 508 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,763 m.

The land around Driefontein is covered by grassland (55%) and cropland (35%) within 3 km, grassland (44%), trees (28%) and cropland (20%) within 16 km, and grassland (64%) within 80 km.

3 km
137 m
16 km
508 m
80 km
1,763 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Piet Retief 38 km · Daggakraal 49 km · Ermelo 66 km · Frischgewaagd 70 km · Volksrust 71 km · Fernie 73 km · Empuluzu 81 km · Breyten 86 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 Driefontein (-26.965°, 30.4357°, elevation 1,405 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).