Grabouw weather in December

In December, Grabouw sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 26 mm of rain across 5.4 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 06 min at the start of December to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Grabouw's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Grabouw's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
4th warmest
Overnight low
16°
9th coldest
Rainfall
26 mm
5.4 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
5:32 AM – 7:48 PM
Cloud cover
37%
4th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.92 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.8
out of 10

Grabouw is town in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Density
5,638/km²
people per km²
Founded
1856

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month.

A typical December day in Grabouw reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12115
22115
32116
42116
52116
62116
72116
82216
92216
102216
112216
122216
132216
142216
152216
162216
172216
182216
192217
202217
212217
222217
232217
242217
252217
262217
272217
282217
292217
302217
312217

Grabouw weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan23° / 17°255148.2
Feb23° / 18°235.113.38.2
Mar22° / 17°265.512.37.8
Apr20° / 14°496.411.27.1
May18° / 13°648.610.26.3
Jun16° / 11°10210.99.85.1
Jul16° / 10°999.8105.0
Aug16° / 10°8611.110.74.9
Sep17° / 11°568.611.85.6
Oct18° / 13°467.112.96.6
Nov20° / 14°436.613.87.0
Dec22° / 16°265.414.27.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% 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 25%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17327
27426
37426
47426
57327
67426
77426
87426
97327
107327
117327
127327
137327
147327
157327
167327
177327
187327
197327
207426
217426
227525
237525
247525
257723
267723
277723
287822
297921
307921
317921

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Grabouw gets around 26 mm of rain over 5.4 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 17% and peaks near 18% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
118
217
317
417
517
617
717
817
917
1017
1117
1217
1317
1417
1517
1617
1717
1817
1917
2017
2117
2217
2317
2417
2517
2617
2717
2817
2917
3017
3117

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 45% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
14447100
24247110
34048120
43948130
53848140
63649150
73549160
83449170
93348181
103348191
113248191
123148201
133147211
143047221
153046231
163046241
172945251
182944261
192944261
202943271
212943281
222842291
232842301
242742301
252641311
262641321
272541331
282440342
292340342
302340352
312241352

Wind in December

Winds average 16 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min at the start of December to 14 h 12 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 5:30 AM to 5:40 AM, and sunset from 7:37 PM to 7:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.15:307:37
214.15:307:38
314.15:307:39
414.25:307:40
514.25:307:40
614.25:307:41
714.25:307:42
814.25:307:43
914.25:307:43
1014.25:317:44
1114.25:317:45
1214.25:317:46
1314.25:317:46
1414.35:327:47
1514.35:327:47
1614.35:327:48
1714.35:327:49
1814.35:337:49
1914.35:337:50
2014.35:347:50
2114.35:347:51
2214.35:347:51
2314.35:357:52
2414.35:357:52
2514.35:367:53
2614.35:377:53
2714.35:377:53
2814.35:387:54
2914.35:387:54
3014.35:397:54
3114.25:407:55

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.92 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.43 kWh/m² to a high of 7.92 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 7.92 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.8Intense
27.8Intense
37.9Intense
47.9Intense
57.9Intense
67.9Intense
77.9Intense
87.9Intense
97.9Intense
107.9Intense
117.9Intense
127.9Intense
137.9Intense
147.9Intense
157.9Intense
167.9Intense
177.9Intense
187.9Intense
197.9Intense
207.9Intense
217.9Intense
227.9Intense
238.0Intense
248.0Intense
258.0Intense
268.0Intense
278.0Intense
288.0Intense
298.0Intense
308.0Intense
318.0Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Grabouw

In seasonPeak

None of Grabouw's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Grabouw's rainy season runs April–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Grabouw?

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

7.8
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Grabouw for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Grabouw in December

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

In December, Grabouw sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 16°C. Pack sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Grabouw in December

The nearest coast averages about 18°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 January at about 19°C and coldest in July near 15°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

14°16°18°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan19Cool
Feb18Cool
Mar17Cool
Apr16Cool
May16Cool
Jun15Cool
Jul15Bracing
Aug15Bracing
Sep15Cool
Oct16Cool
Nov17Cool
Dec18Cool

UV index in Grabouw in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December 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 Grabouw peaks around January 13 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateExtremeJan 13UV 13Jun 21UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb10Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Grabouw 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 Grabouw is worst in June — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (December, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateModerateGoodJun 1228 µg/m³Dec 1211 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb11Good
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May27Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Grabouw?

Grabouw sits at 34.2°S, 19.0°E, 332 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Somerset West, 19 km away.

Topography around Grabouw

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Grabouw has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 217 m around an average of 328 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,583 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,997 m.

The land around Grabouw is covered by trees (40%) and grassland (26%) within 3 km, grassland (61%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and water (35%) and grassland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
217 m
16 km
1,583 m
80 km
1,997 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Somerset West 19 km · Stellenbosch 28 km · Franschhoek 28 km · Le Roux 30 km · Hermanus 36 km · Kuils River 37 km · Caledon 39 km · Kraaifontein 44 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 Grabouw (-34.1515°, 19.0151°, elevation 332 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).