Jeffreys Bay weather in January

In January, Jeffreys Bay sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 39 mm of rain across 7.5 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% 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 Jeffreys Bay's 6th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Jeffreys Bay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
18°
11th coldest
Rainfall
39 mm
7.5 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:28 AM – 7:31 PM
Cloud cover
45%
6th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.7
out of 10

Jeffreys Bay is town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Density
1,562/km²
people per km²
Founded
1849

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 24°C through the month.

A typical January day in Jeffreys Bay reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12418
22418
32418
42418
52418
62418
72418
82418
92418
102418
112418
122418
132418
142418
152418
162418
172418
182419
192419
202419
212419
222419
232419
242419
252419
262419
272419
282419
292419
302419
312419

Jeffreys Bay weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 18°397.5147.7
Feb24° / 19°417.313.37.5
Mar24° / 18°467.712.37.6
Apr22° / 16°437.211.27.3
May21° / 14°366.310.37.3
Jun19° / 12°366.19.87.1
Jul19° / 12°366.3107.1
Aug19° / 12°527.510.76.8
Sep19° / 13°387.311.86.7
Oct20° / 14°508.312.96.7
Nov21° / 16°568.513.86.9
Dec23° / 17°438.214.27.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 33%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16832
26832
36832
46832
56832
66832
76832
86832
96832
106733
116733
126733
136634
146733
156634
166634
176634
186634
196634
206634
216634
226634
236634
246634
256634
266634
276634
286733
296733
306733
316733

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Jeffreys Bay gets around 39 mm of rain over 7.5 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 24% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
228
327
427
527
627
726
826
926
1025
1125
1225
1324
1424
1523
1623
1723
1823
1922
2022
2122
2222
2322
2422
2522
2623
2723
2823
2923
3023
3124

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 39% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 27% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1102741210
2102741220
3102641220
492641230
592641231
692640241
792639241
892739251
992738251
1092737261
1192737261
1292736261
1392836271
1492835271
1592835271
1692835281
1782735281
1882736281
1972736291
2072737291
2172637291
2262538291
2362539291
2462440281
2562441281
2652342281
2752243281
2852244281
2952145282
3052145282
3142046282

Wind in January

Winds average 16 km/h in January.

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

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light 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 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 5:16 AM to 5:43 AM, and sunset from 7:30 PM to 7:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.25:167:30
214.25:177:31
314.25:187:31
414.25:197:31
514.25:197:31
614.25:207:31
714.25:217:31
814.25:227:31
914.15:237:31
1014.15:237:31
1114.15:247:31
1214.15:257:31
1314.15:267:31
1414.15:277:31
1514.15:287:31
1614.05:287:31
1714.05:297:30
1814.05:307:30
1914.05:317:30
2014.05:327:30
2113.95:337:29
2213.95:347:29
2313.95:357:29
2413.95:367:28
2513.85:377:28
2613.85:387:27
2713.85:397:27
2813.85:407:26
2913.85:417:26
3013.75:427:25
3113.75:437:25

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.64 kWh/m² to a high of 7.05 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 6.88 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.0Intense
27.0Intense
37.0Intense
47.0Intense
57.0Intense
67.0Intense
77.0Intense
87.0Intense
97.0Intense
107.0Intense
117.0Intense
126.9Intense
136.9Intense
146.9Intense
156.9Intense
166.9Intense
176.9Intense
186.9Intense
196.9Intense
206.9Intense
216.8Intense
226.8Intense
236.8Intense
246.8Intense
256.8Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Jeffreys Bay?

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

7.7
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Jeffreys Bay for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Jeffreys Bay in January

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

In January, Jeffreys Bay sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 18°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 8 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

Sea temperature near Jeffreys Bay 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 offshore is warmest in February at about 21°C and coldest in August near 17°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 23 to Mar 23 — about 3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

16°18°20°22°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar20Refreshing
Apr19Cool
May19Cool
Jun18Cool
Jul18Cool
Aug17Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct18Cool
Nov19Cool
Dec20Cool

UV index in Jeffreys Bay 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 Jeffreys Bay peaks around January 15 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 — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 15UV 13Jun 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Jeffreys Bay 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 Jeffreys Bay is worst in June — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (February, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1618 µg/m³Feb 97 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr10Good
May14Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Jeffreys Bay?

Jeffreys Bay sits at 34.0°S, 24.9°E, 49 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Humansdorp, 14 km away.

Somerset EastGrahamstownKnysna

Topography around Jeffreys Bay

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Jeffreys Bay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 122 m around an average of 31 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 449 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,657 m.

The land around Jeffreys Bay is covered by water (39%), grassland (26%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, water (46%) and grassland (32%) within 16 km, and water (37%) and grassland (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
122 m
16 km
449 m
80 km
1,657 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Humansdorp 14 km · Kruisfontein 18 km · Kariega 55 km · Port Elizabeth 65 km · Plettenberg Bay 143 km · Somerset East 160 km · Grahamstown 170 km · Knysna 173 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 Jeffreys Bay (-34.0453°, 24.9215°, elevation 49 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).