Eshowe weather in January

In January, Eshowe sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 106 mm of rain across 13.6 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

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 Eshowe's 9th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Eshowe's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
21°
11th coldest
Rainfall
106 mm
13.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:14 AM – 6:53 PM
Cloud cover
61%
9th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.89 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.8
out of 10

Eshowe is town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Founded
1880

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 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Eshowe reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 35°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12921
22921
32921
42921
52921
62921
72921
82921
92921
102921
112921
122921
132921
142921
152921
162921
172921
182921
192921
202921
212921
222921
232921
242921
252921
262921
273021
283021
293021
303021
313021

Eshowe 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
Jan29° / 21°10613.613.64.8
Feb30° / 21°9412.3134.9
Mar29° / 20°8911.912.25.5
Apr27° / 18°638.811.36.9
May26° / 15°415.610.68.0
Jun24° / 13°254.510.28.6
Jul24° / 12°395.110.38.5
Aug25° / 14°295.8118.1
Sep25° / 16°527.911.87.3
Oct26° / 17°7912.212.76.4
Nov27° / 19°9213.213.45.9
Dec28° / 20°9113.113.85.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24555
34456
44555
54654
64555
74654
84555
94555
104456
114456
124456
134357
144357
154258
164357
174357
184357
194258
204357
214357
224258
234258
244258
254357
264357
274357
284456
294555
304555
314654

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Eshowe gets around 106 mm of rain over 13.6 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 44% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
342
442
542
642
743
843
943
1043
1143
1243
1343
1443
1543
1643
1743
1843
1944
2044
2144
2244
2344
2444
2545
2645
2745
2845
2946
3046
3146

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 53% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 80% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
12215225
22205325
32205325
43205225
53195325
63195325
73195325
83185425
93185425
103185425
113185425
123185425
133185425
143185425
153185425
163185326
173185326
183185326
193175327
202175427
212175427
222165428
232165428
242155528
252155429
262145529
272145430
281135630
291135531
301135531
311135432

Wind in January

Winds average 12 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light 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
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

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 5:03 AM to 5:26 AM, and sunset from 6:52 PM to 6:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:036:52
213.85:036:52
313.85:046:52
413.85:056:52
513.85:066:53
613.85:066:53
713.85:076:53
813.85:086:53
913.75:086:53
1013.75:096:53
1113.75:106:53
1213.75:116:53
1313.75:116:53
1413.75:126:53
1513.75:136:53
1613.75:146:53
1713.65:156:53
1813.65:156:53
1913.65:166:53
2013.65:176:53
2113.65:186:52
2213.65:196:52
2313.55:196:52
2413.55:206:52
2513.55:216:51
2613.55:226:51
2713.55:236:51
2813.45:236:50
2913.45:246:50
3013.45:256:49
3113.45:266:49

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.89 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.19 kWh/m² to a high of 5.89 kWh/m² in January across the year — January's 5.89 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
86.0Bright
96.0Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Bright
126.0Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Eshowe

In seasonPeak

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

Eshowe sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

Is January a good time to visit Eshowe?

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

4.8
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.4
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Eshowe for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Eshowe in January

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

In January, Eshowe sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Eshowe in January

The nearest coast averages about 25°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 31 km away) is warmest in February at about 26°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°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr24Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Refreshing

UV index in Eshowe in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Eshowe peaks around February 9 at about 12 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighVery highExtremeExtremeFeb 9UV 12Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr6High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep7High
Oct10Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Eshowe 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 Eshowe is worst in July — around 43 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 5.5× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodJul 1442 µg/m³Jan 198 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun40Poor
Jul43Poor
Aug35Poor
Sep29Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Eshowe?

Eshowe sits at 28.9°S, 31.5°E, 539 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Mandeni, 29 km away.

Topography around Eshowe

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Eshowe has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 204 m around an average of 495 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 829 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,787 m.

The land around Eshowe is covered by trees (59%) within 3 km, grassland (42%) and trees (41%) within 16 km, and trees (33%), grassland (31%) and water (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
204 m
16 km
829 m
80 km
1,787 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Mandeni 29 km · eSikhaleni 42 km · Empangeni 44 km · KwaDukuza 52 km · Richards Bay 56 km · Ulundi 62 km · Shakaskraal 67 km · Ballitoville 77 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 Eshowe (-28.8865°, 31.4699°, elevation 539 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).