Kokstad weather in January

In January, Kokstad sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 140 mm of rain across 19.5 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-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 18% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of January to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kokstad's 10th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kokstad's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
1st warmest
Overnight low
14°
11th coldest
Rainfall
140 mm
19.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:18 AM – 7:05 PM
Cloud cover
69%
10th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Kokstad is place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Density
1,197/km²
people per km²
Founded
1869

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 Kokstad reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12414
22414
32414
42414
52414
62414
72414
82414
92414
102414
112414
122414
132414
142414
152414
162414
172414
182414
192414
202414
212414
222414
232414
242414
252414
262414
272414
282414
292414
302414
312414

How January really feels in Kokstad

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Kokstad weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 14°14019.513.85.4
Feb24° / 14°12316.413.15.6
Mar23° / 13°1071612.26.0
Apr21° / 10°589.811.36.7
May20° / 24510.57.5
Jun18° / 223.410.17.3
Jul18° / 223.110.27.3
Aug19° / 335.610.97.3
Sep21° / 498.611.86.9
Oct22° / 9416.112.75.7
Nov22° / 11°11918.413.55.2
Dec24° / 13°14220.913.95.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33862
43862
53862
63961
73961
84060
94159
104159
114060
124060
133961
143862
153763
163763
173664
183664
193664
203565
213565
223466
233466
243367
253466
263466
273466
283466
293565
303664
313763

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Kokstad gets around 140 mm of rain over 19.5 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 63% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
166
265
365
464
564
663
763
862
962
1061
1161
1261
1361
1462
1562
1662
1762
1863
1963
2063
2163
2263
2363
2463
2563
2663
2763
2862
2962
3061
3160

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the comfortable band about 53% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12050291
21950301
31950301
41950301
51950301
61851301
71851301
81851301
91851301
101753300
111754290
121754290
131655290
141654291
151555291
161555291
171456291
181456291
191356301
201356301
211355311
221355311
231354321
241354321
251354321
261353331
271353331
281352341
291352341
301352341
311352341

Wind in January

Winds average 7 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of January to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:07 AM to 5:31 AM, and sunset from 7:04 PM to 7:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:077:04
213.95:087:04
313.95:087:04
413.95:097:04
513.95:107:05
613.95:117:05
713.95:117:05
813.95:127:05
913.95:137:05
1013.95:147:05
1113.85:147:05
1213.85:157:05
1313.85:167:05
1413.85:177:05
1513.85:187:05
1613.85:187:05
1713.85:197:05
1813.75:207:05
1913.75:217:04
2013.75:227:04
2113.75:237:04
2213.75:237:04
2313.75:247:03
2413.65:257:03
2513.65:267:03
2613.65:277:02
2713.65:287:02
2813.55:297:02
2913.55:297:01
3013.55:307:01
3113.55:317:00

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.34 kWh/m² to a high of 6.02 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 5.88 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Intense
26.0Intense
36.0Intense
46.0Intense
56.0Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.0Intense
106.0Intense
116.0Bright
126.0Bright
136.0Bright
146.0Bright
156.0Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Kokstad

In seasonPeak

In January, Kokstad sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Kokstad's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Kokstad?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.7
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Kokstad for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kokstad in January

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

In January, Kokstad sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 20 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Kokstad in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kokstad peaks around January 14 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighExtremeJan 14UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr7High
May6High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep7High
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Kokstad 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 Kokstad is worst in July — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.3× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 2332 µg/m³Jan 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar12Good
Apr15Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun26Moderate
Jul32Moderate
Aug32Moderate
Sep27Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kokstad?

Kokstad sits at 30.5°S, 29.4°E, 1,316 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Clydesdale, 56 km away.

Topography around Kokstad

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kokstad has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 297 m around an average of 1,308 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,197 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,504 m.

The land around Kokstad is covered by grassland (53%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, grassland (75%) within 16 km, and grassland (71%) within 80 km.

3 km
297 m
16 km
1,197 m
80 km
2,504 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
January weather nearby: Clydesdale 56 km · Qacha’s Nek 85 km · Tlokoeng 89 km · Ga-Malakhe 92 km · Margate 97 km · Port Shepstone 101 km · Richmond 111 km · eMuziwezinto 122 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 Kokstad (-30.5472°, 29.4241°, elevation 1,316 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. 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).