Estcourt weather in January

In January, Estcourt sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 159 mm of rain across 19.6 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

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 Estcourt's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Estcourt's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
1st warmest
Overnight low
16°
12th coldest
Rainfall
159 mm
19.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:20 AM – 7:00 PM
Cloud cover
63%
11th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.21 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
out of 10

Estcourt is town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Founded
1848

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 26°C through the month.

A typical January day in Estcourt reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 31°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
122616
132616
142616
152616
162616
172616
182616
192616
202616
212616
222616
232616
242616
252616
262616
272616
282616
292616
302616
312616

Estcourt weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°15919.613.65.2
Feb26° / 16°13516.4135.5
Mar25° / 14°10814.812.26.2
Apr23° / 11°55911.37.2
May21° / 193.810.67.9
Jun18° / 132.610.27.7
Jul18° / 152.510.37.7
Aug20° / 233.9117.9
Sep23° / 305.911.87.8
Oct24° / 11°8113.612.76.5
Nov25° / 13°10616.413.45.7
Dec26° / 15°15019.913.85.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24654
34654
44753
54753
64753
74753
84852
94852
104753
114753
124654
134654
144555
154456
164456
174258
184258
194258
204258
214357
224159
234258
244357
254357
264456
274555
284654
294852
304852
314951

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Estcourt gets around 159 mm of rain over 19.6 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 63% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
163
262
362
462
561
661
761
860
960
1060
1160
1260
1360
1461
1561
1662
1762
1863
1963
2064
2164
2265
2365
2465
2566
2666
2766
2865
2965
3064
3164

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 54% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
11355311
21354321
31354321
41354321
51355311
61355311
71355311
81454311
91455301
101456300
111357300
121357300
131357300
141356310
151356310
161256320
171256320
181156330
191155340
201055350
211054360
22954370
23953380
24853390
25852400
26851410
27851410
28851410
29850420
30850420
31850420

Wind in January

Winds average 7 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 5:09 AM to 5:32 AM, and sunset from 6:58 PM to 6:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:096:58
213.85:106:59
313.85:106:59
413.85:116:59
513.85:126:59
613.85:126:59
713.85:137:00
813.85:147:00
913.85:157:00
1013.75:157:00
1113.75:167:00
1213.75:177:00
1313.75:187:00
1413.75:187:00
1513.75:197:00
1613.75:207:00
1713.75:217:00
1813.65:217:00
1913.65:226:59
2013.65:236:59
2113.65:246:59
2213.65:256:59
2313.65:266:59
2413.55:266:58
2513.55:276:58
2613.55:286:58
2713.55:296:57
2813.55:306:57
2913.45:306:57
3013.45:316:56
3113.45:326:56

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.21 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.39 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 6.21 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.4Intense
26.4Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.4Intense
66.4Intense
76.4Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.1Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Estcourt

In seasonPeak

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

Estcourt'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 Estcourt?

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

5.2
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Estcourt for sightseeing.

What to pack for Estcourt in January

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

In January, Estcourt sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 16°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 20 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Estcourt 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 Estcourt peaks around January 15 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 15UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr7Very high
May6High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep8Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Estcourt 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 Estcourt is worst in July — around 71 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.3× the cleanest month (December, 17 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1769 µg/m³Dec 2317 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar27Moderate
Apr37Poor
May51Poor
Jun57Unhealthy
Jul71Unhealthy
Aug58Unhealthy
Sep49Poor
Oct28Moderate
Nov25Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Estcourt?

Estcourt sits at 29.0°S, 29.9°E, 1,214 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Wembesi, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Estcourt

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Estcourt has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 210 m around an average of 1,193 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 726 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,001 m.

The land around Estcourt is covered by grassland (55%) within 3 km, grassland (64%) within 16 km, and grassland (62%) within 80 km.

3 km
210 m
16 km
726 m
80 km
3,001 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Wembesi 9.0 km · Mooi River 25 km · Ladysmith 51 km · Howick 63 km · Mpophomeni 69 km · Greytown 71 km · Pietermaritzburg 84 km · Glencoe 97 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 Estcourt (-29.0127°, 29.8662°, elevation 1,214 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).