George weather in January

In January, George sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 51 mm of rain across 9.1 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in January, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 12 min at the start of January to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is George's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see George's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
17°
11th coldest
Rainfall
51 mm
9.1 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:39 AM – 7:40 PM
Cloud cover
41%
4th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.39 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.4
out of 10

George is town in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Density
2,436/km²
people per km²
Founded
1811

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 23°C through the month.

A typical January day in George reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12317
22317
32317
42317
52317
62317
72317
82317
92317
102317
112317
122317
132317
142317
152317
162317
172317
182317
192317
202317
212317
222317
232317
242317
252417
262417
272417
282417
292417
302417
312417

George weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 17°519.1147.4
Feb24° / 17°428.113.37.5
Mar23° / 16°548.712.37.3
Apr21° / 14°537.511.27.0
May20° / 12°456.510.37.0
Jun18° / 10°396.99.86.5
Jul17° / 407.4106.2
Aug17° / 10°538.110.76.2
Sep18° / 11°44811.86.4
Oct19° / 13°628.712.96.5
Nov20° / 14°709.313.86.7
Dec22° / 16°479.114.27.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 29%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17129
27129
37228
47129
57129
67228
77228
87129
97228
107228
117129
127129
137129
147228
157228
167129
177129
187129
197129
207030
217030
226931
237030
247030
256931
267030
277030
286931
297030
307030
317030

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

George gets around 51 mm of rain over 9.1 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 29% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
232
332
432
531
631
731
831
930
1030
1130
1229
1329
1428
1528
1627
1727
1827
1927
2027
2127
2228
2328
2428
2529
2629
2729
2830
2930
3030
3130

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the humid band about 41% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 12% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
11537399
214373910
314373910
414373910
514373910
614363911
714363911
814363911
914363912
1014363912
1114363812
1214353812
1315353812
1415353813
1515353813
1615353813
1714343813
1814343814
1913343914
2013344014
2113334014
2212334114
2312334214
2411334313
2511324313
2611324413
2710324513
2810324613
2910314613
309314713
319304813

Wind in January

Winds average 14 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 12 min at the start of January to 13 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:27 AM to 5:53 AM, and sunset from 7:40 PM to 7:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.25:277:40
214.25:277:40
314.25:287:40
414.25:297:41
514.25:297:41
614.25:307:41
714.25:317:41
814.25:327:41
914.15:337:41
1014.15:337:41
1114.15:347:41
1214.15:357:41
1314.15:367:41
1414.15:377:41
1514.05:387:41
1614.05:397:40
1714.05:397:40
1814.05:407:40
1914.05:417:40
2014.05:427:39
2113.95:437:39
2213.95:447:39
2313.95:457:38
2413.95:467:38
2513.85:477:37
2613.85:487:37
2713.85:497:37
2813.85:507:36
2913.75:517:36
3013.75:527:35
3113.75:537:34

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 7.39 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.66 kWh/m² to a high of 7.59 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 7.39 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.6Intense
27.5Intense
37.5Intense
47.5Intense
57.5Intense
67.5Intense
77.5Intense
87.5Intense
97.5Intense
107.5Intense
117.5Intense
127.5Intense
137.5Intense
147.5Intense
157.4Intense
167.4Intense
177.4Intense
187.4Intense
197.4Intense
207.3Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.3Intense
257.2Intense
267.2Intense
277.2Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit George?

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

7.4
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit George for general sightseeing.

What to pack for George in January

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

In January, George sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 17°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near George in January

The nearest coast averages about 21°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 20 km away) is warmest in January at about 21°C and coldest in August near 16°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 13 to Mar 19 — about 3.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.

14°16°18°20°22°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar20Refreshing
Apr18Cool
May17Cool
Jun17Cool
Jul16Cool
Aug16Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct17Cool
Nov19Cool
Dec20Refreshing

UV index in George in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in George peaks around January 14 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateExtremeJan 14UV 13Jun 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is George?

George sits at 34.0°S, 22.5°E, 232 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Groot-Brakrivier, 24 km away.

Beaufort West

Topography around George

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around George has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 208 m around an average of 227 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,541 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,099 m.

The land around George is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and trees (32%) within 3 km, trees (29%), grassland (27%) and water (20%) within 16 km, and shrubs (30%), grassland (27%) and water (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
208 m
16 km
1,541 m
80 km
2,099 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Groot-Brakrivier 24 km · Mossel Bay 38 km · Dysselsdorp 43 km · Oudtshoorn 47 km · Knysna 55 km · Plettenberg Bay 84 km · Riversdale 112 km · Beaufort West 179 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 George (-33.963°, 22.4617°, elevation 232 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. 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).