Gonubie weather in December

In December, Gonubie sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 83 mm of rain across 12.5 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-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 32% of the time in December, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 14 hours at the start of December to 14 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gonubie's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gonubie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
4th warmest
Overnight low
19°
9th coldest
Rainfall
83 mm
12.5 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
4:59 AM – 7:09 PM
Cloud cover
58%
11th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.

A typical December day in Gonubie reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 4°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, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12218
22219
32219
42219
52219
62219
72319
82319
92319
102319
112319
122319
132319
142319
152319
162320
172320
182320
192320
202320
212320
222320
232420
242420
252420
262420
272420
282420
292420
302420
312420

Gonubie weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 21°8111.613.96.7
Feb25° / 21°8410.913.26.6
Mar24° / 20°9012.112.36.8
Apr23° / 19°859.611.27.0
May22° / 17°345.710.37.7
Jun21° / 15°344.59.97.7
Jul20° / 14°385.1107.6
Aug20° / 14°476.910.87.1
Sep20° / 15°577.611.86.8
Oct21° / 17°7711.312.86.3
Nov22° / 18°8411.613.76.3
Dec23° / 19°8312.514.16.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34951
44852
54852
64852
74852
84852
94852
104951
114951
124951
134951
144951
154951
165050
175149
185149
195149
205149
215149
225248
235248
245248
255248
265248
275248
285248
295248
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Gonubie gets around 83 mm of rain over 12.5 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 40% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
138
238
338
438
539
639
739
839
939
1039
1138
1238
1339
1439
1539
1639
1740
1840
1940
2041
2141
2241
2342
2442
2542
2642
2742
2841
2941
3041
3140

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the humid band about 38% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 38% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1132541211
2122441221
3112441231
4102441241
5102441251
692341261
782341272
872341272
972241282
1072241283
1162141293
1262140304
1352040304
1452040314
1551940325
1641939335
1741839335
1841838346
1941738356
2041638367
2131637377
2231537377
2331536387
2431436398
2531435408
2631334419
2731334419
28313334210
29312334210
30312324211
31311324212

Wind in December

Winds average 19 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 hours at the start of December to 14 h 06 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 4:57 AM to 5:07 AM, and sunset from 6:58 PM to 7:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.04:576:58
214.04:576:59
314.04:577:00
414.14:577:01
514.14:577:01
614.14:577:02
714.14:577:03
814.14:577:04
914.14:587:04
1014.14:587:05
1114.14:587:06
1214.14:587:06
1314.14:587:07
1414.24:597:08
1514.24:597:08
1614.24:597:09
1714.25:007:10
1814.25:007:10
1914.25:007:11
2014.25:017:11
2114.25:017:12
2214.25:027:12
2314.25:027:13
2414.25:037:13
2514.25:037:13
2614.25:047:14
2714.25:047:14
2814.25:057:15
2914.25:057:15
3014.25:067:15
3114.15:077:15

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.28 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.84 kWh/m² to a high of 6.28 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.28 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.2Intense
106.2Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.4Intense
176.4Intense
186.4Intense
196.4Intense
206.4Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Gonubie?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Gonubie for sightseeing.

What to pack for Gonubie in December

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

In December, Gonubie sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 19°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Gonubie in December

The nearest coast averages about 23°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 13 km away) is warmest in February at about 25°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°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan24Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr24Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct21Refreshing
Nov22Refreshing
Dec23Refreshing

UV index in Gonubie in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gonubie peaks around January 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 16UV 13Jun 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug5Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Gonubie 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 Gonubie is worst in August — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (February, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1520 µg/m³Feb 98 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr12Good
May15Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gonubie?

Gonubie sits at 32.9°S, 28.0°E, 30 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is East London, 12 km away.

Topography around Gonubie

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gonubie has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 102 m around an average of 25 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 336 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,505 m.

The land around Gonubie is covered by water (42%) and trees (29%) within 3 km, water (50%) and trees (28%) within 16 km, and water (33%), grassland (32%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
102 m
16 km
336 m
80 km
1,505 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: East London 12 km · Mdantsane 22 km · Ndevana 47 km · Bhisho 55 km · Qonce 58 km · Stutterheim 69 km · Butterworth 69 km · Dimbaza 75 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 Gonubie (-32.9443°, 28.015°, elevation 30 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. 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).