KwaDukuza weather in December

In December, KwaDukuza sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 99 mm of rain across 14 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is KwaDukuza's 11th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see KwaDukuza's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
20°
9th coldest
Rainfall
99 mm
14 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
4:55 AM – 6:47 PM
Cloud cover
68%
11th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.83 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

KwaDukuza is place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Founded
1825

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical December day in KwaDukuza reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12719
22719
32719
42719
52719
62719
72719
82719
92719
102719
112719
122719
132719
142719
152820
162820
172820
182820
192820
202820
212820
222820
232820
242820
252820
262820
272820
282820
292920
302920
312920

KwaDukuza weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 21°10313.413.75.1
Feb29° / 21°9511.913.15.1
Mar28° / 20°911212.25.9
Apr27° / 18°698.511.37.0
May25° / 15°445.210.68.1
Jun24° / 12°26410.28.6
Jul23° / 12°414.710.38.5
Aug24° / 13°315.810.98.1
Sep25° / 15°598.511.87.3
Oct25° / 17°8712.712.76.4
Nov26° / 18°9913.413.55.9
Dec28° / 20°991413.85.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33367
43367
53268
63268
73268
83367
93367
103367
113466
123565
133565
143565
153565
163763
173763
183862
193862
203862
213961
223961
233961
244060
254159
264159
274159
284258
294159
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

KwaDukuza gets around 99 mm of rain over 14 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 45% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
144
244
345
445
546
646
747
847
947
1047
1147
1247
1346
1446
1546
1645
1745
1845
1944
2044
2144
2244
2344
2444
2544
2644
2744
2844
2944
3044
3143

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 47% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 60% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
141540365
231440376
331340376
421340386
521240397
621140407
711040417
81940428
91939438
101839448
111838459
121737469
131736479
1417354810
1516344910
1616334911
1716325012
1815315013
1915305113
2005295214
2104285315
2204275316
2304265317
2404255318
2504245319
2604235320
2704235221
2804225222
2904225123
3004215223
3104215124

Wind in December

Winds average 11 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112calm
212calm
312calm
412calm
512calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 4:52 AM to 5:02 AM, and sunset from 6:37 PM to 6:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.74:526:37
213.84:526:38
313.84:526:38
413.84:526:39
513.84:526:40
613.84:536:41
713.84:536:41
813.84:536:42
913.84:536:43
1013.84:536:43
1113.84:536:44
1213.84:546:45
1313.94:546:45
1413.94:546:46
1513.94:556:46
1613.94:556:47
1713.94:556:48
1813.94:566:48
1913.94:566:49
2013.94:576:49
2113.94:576:50
2213.94:576:50
2313.94:586:51
2413.94:586:51
2513.94:596:52
2613.94:596:52
2713.95:006:52
2813.95:016:53
2913.95:016:53
3013.95:026:53
3113.95:026:54

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.83 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.2 kWh/m² to a high of 5.89 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 5.83 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for KwaDukuza

In seasonPeak

In December, KwaDukuza sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

KwaDukuza sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

Is December a good time to visit KwaDukuza?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit KwaDukuza for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for KwaDukuza in December

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

In December, KwaDukuza sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near KwaDukuza in December

The nearest coast averages about 24°C in December — 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 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
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr24Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Refreshing

UV index in KwaDukuza 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 KwaDukuza peaks around January 18 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighExtremeJan 18UV 12Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar10Extreme
Apr6High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in KwaDukuza 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 KwaDukuza is worst in July — around 43 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 5.5× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodJul 1442 µg/m³Jan 198 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun40Poor
Jul43Poor
Aug35Poor
Sep29Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is KwaDukuza?

KwaDukuza sits at 29.3°S, 31.3°E, 111 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Shakaskraal, 15 km away.

Topography around KwaDukuza

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around KwaDukuza has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 241 m around an average of 107 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 556 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,539 m.

The land around KwaDukuza is covered by trees (39%), cropland (22%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 3 km, trees (30%), grassland (25%) and cropland (22%) within 16 km, and trees (36%), water (28%) and grassland (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
241 m
16 km
556 m
80 km
1,539 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Shakaskraal 15 km · Mandeni 24 km · Ballitoville 25 km · Tongaat 32 km · Eshowe 52 km · Ntuzuma 56 km · Durban 64 km · Pinetown 67 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 KwaDukuza (-29.3282°, 31.2895°, elevation 111 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).