Harrismith in Fall
In fall (March, April and May), Harrismith sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 164 mm of rain over about 25 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 24°C in early March to 18°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels dry.
Fall is Harrismith's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Harrismith's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 9°C
- Rainfall
- 164 mm
- 25 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.2
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Harrismith in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 24°C in early March to 18°C by late May.
A typical fall day in Harrismith reaches about 21°C and drops to 9°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is March, the coolest May.
How fall really feels in Harrismith
Once humidity and wind are folded in, fall brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
fall sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Harrismith weather by month
How the three fall months (March, April and May) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25° / 14° | 171 | 19.5 | 0 | 13.6 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 24° / 14° | 126 | 15 | 0 | 13 | 6.0 |
| Mar | 23° / 13° | 99 | 13.9 | 0 | 12.2 | 6.5 |
| Apr | 21° / 10° | 47 | 7.7 | 0 | 11.3 | 7.2 |
| May | 19° / 6° | 18 | 3 | 0.1 | 10.6 | 7.8 |
| Jun | 17° / 3° | 10 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 10.2 | 7.1 |
| Jul | 17° / 3° | 11 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 10.4 | 7.2 |
| Aug | 19° / 5° | 23 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 11 | 7.7 |
| Sep | 22° / 8° | 32 | 5 | 0.3 | 11.8 | 8.0 |
| Oct | 23° / 10° | 90 | 12.3 | 0 | 12.7 | 6.7 |
| Nov | 24° / 12° | 125 | 15.4 | 0 | 13.4 | 6.1 |
| Dec | 24° / 13° | 173 | 18.8 | 0 | 13.8 | 5.6 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 57% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Harrismith gets around 164 mm of rain over 25 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 10 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min in early March to 10 h 24 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 4.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Harrismith
In fall, Harrismith overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Harrismith's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is fall a good time to visit Harrismith?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is one of the better times to visit Harrismith for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Harrismith in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Harrismith sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: light clothes, a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 25 days see rain.
UV index in Harrismith in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Harrismith peaks around January 14 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 5 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 15 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 5 | Moderate |
| Jul | 5 | Moderate |
| Aug | 6 | High |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Harrismith in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Harrismith is worst in September — around 42 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 5.1× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 8 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 26 | 34 | 35 | 42 | 25 | 10 | 8 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 11 | Good |
| Mar | 13 | Moderate |
| Apr | 16 | Moderate |
| May | 20 | Moderate |
| Jun | 26 | Moderate |
| Jul | 34 | Moderate |
| Aug | 35 | Moderate |
| Sep | 42 | Poor |
| Oct | 25 | Moderate |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 8 | Good |
Where is Harrismith?
Harrismith sits at 28.3°S, 29.1°E, 1,643 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Tshiame, 15 km away.
Topography around Harrismith
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Harrismith.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Harrismith has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 282 m around an average of 1,663 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 802 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,391 m.
The land around Harrismith is covered by grassland (67%) within 3 km, grassland (73%) and cropland (22%) within 16 km, and grassland (73%) and cropland (22%) within 80 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
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 Harrismith (-28.2728°, 29.1295°, elevation 1,643 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.