Emalahleni weather in January

In January, Emalahleni sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 124 mm of rain across 15.2 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of January to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Emalahleni's 10th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Emalahleni's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
17°
12th coldest
Rainfall
124 mm
15.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:29 AM – 6:56 PM
Cloud cover
54%
10th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Emalahleni is town in South Africa.

Density
2,273/km²
people per km²
Founded
1890

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 27°C through the month.

A typical January day in Emalahleni reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12716
22716
32716
42716
52716
62716
72716
82716
92716
102716
112716
122717
132717
142717
152717
162717
172717
182717
192717
202717
212717
222717
232717
242717
252717
262717
272717
282717
292717
302717
312717

Emalahleni weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 17°12415.213.45.9
Feb27° / 16°9612.112.96.2
Mar26° / 15°9411.412.26.8
Apr23° / 12°446.411.47.8
May22° / 162.510.88.4
Jun19° / 6110.48.3
Jul19° / 60.810.58.4
Aug22° / 91.711.18.8
Sep25° / 11°203.311.88.5
Oct26° / 14°7310.212.67.0
Nov26° / 15°1071413.36.1
Dec26° / 16°12316.813.65.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 41%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
26040
36040
46040
56040
66139
76139
86139
96040
105941
115941
125842
135743
145743
155644
165644
175644
185743
195743
205743
215842
225842
235842
245941
256040
266040
276139
286139
296238
306238
316238

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Emalahleni gets around 124 mm of rain over 15.2 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 48% and peaks near 51% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
251
350
449
549
648
747
847
946
1046
1146
1246
1346
1446
1546
1647
1747
1847
1948
2049
2149
2250
2350
2451
2551
2651
2750
2850
2950
3049
3149

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the comfortable band about 47% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1174835
2184835
3184735
4194734
5194734
6204733
7204733
8204733
9204733
10204733
11204733
12194733
13194734
14194734
15184735
16184636
17174636
18174637
19164638
20154638
21154639
22154639
23144640
24144640
25144640
26144640
27134740
28134739
29134839
30144938
31144937

Wind in January

Winds average 9 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 9 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
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of January to 13 h 12 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 5:18 AM to 5:40 AM, and sunset from 6:54 PM to 6:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:186:54
213.65:196:54
313.65:206:55
413.65:206:55
513.65:216:55
613.65:226:55
713.55:226:55
813.55:236:55
913.55:246:56
1013.55:246:56
1113.55:256:56
1213.55:266:56
1313.55:276:56
1413.55:276:56
1513.55:286:56
1613.55:296:56
1713.45:296:56
1813.45:306:56
1913.45:316:56
2013.45:326:56
2113.45:326:56
2213.45:336:55
2313.45:346:55
2413.35:356:55
2513.35:356:55
2613.35:366:54
2713.35:376:54
2813.35:386:54
2913.35:386:54
3013.25:396:53
3113.25:406:53

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.95 kWh/m² to a high of 6.64 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 6.57 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.8Intense
36.8Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.5Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Emalahleni

In seasonPeak

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

Emalahleni'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 January a good time to visit Emalahleni?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Emalahleni for sightseeing.

What to pack for Emalahleni in January

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

In January, Emalahleni sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 15 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Emalahleni in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January 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 Emalahleni peaks around January 14 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 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 14UV 14Jun 19UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul6High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Emalahleni 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 Emalahleni is worst in July — around 74 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.1× the cleanest month (December, 15 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1473 µg/m³Dec 2315 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb20Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr41Poor
May59Unhealthy
Jun66Unhealthy
Jul74Unhealthy
Aug59Unhealthy
Sep48Poor
Oct29Moderate
Nov18Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Emalahleni?

Emalahleni sits at 25.9°S, 29.2°E, 1,629 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Phola, 25 km away.

Topography around Emalahleni

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Emalahleni has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 185 m around an average of 1,570 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 330 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,049 m.

The land around Emalahleni is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and grassland (32%) within 3 km, grassland (66%) within 16 km, and grassland (57%) and cropland (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
185 m
16 km
330 m
80 km
1,049 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Phola 25 km · Middelburg 26 km · Thubelihle 39 km · Kriel 42 km · Verena 48 km · Bronkhorstspruit 50 km · Ekangala 55 km · Hendrina 58 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 Emalahleni (-25.8713°, 29.2332°, elevation 1,629 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).