KwaDukuza weather in January

In January, KwaDukuza sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 103 mm of rain across 13.4 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is KwaDukuza's 9th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see KwaDukuza's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
21°
11th coldest
Rainfall
103 mm
13.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:14 AM – 6:55 PM
Cloud cover
63%
9th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.89 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.1
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 January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in KwaDukuza reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12920
22920
32920
42920
52920
62920
72920
82920
92920
102921
112921
122921
132921
142921
152921
162921
172921
182921
192921
202921
212921
222921
232921
242921
252921
262921
272921
282921
292921
302921
312921

KwaDukuza weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 1st-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 January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24357
34258
44357
54357
64357
74357
84258
94357
104357
114357
124357
134159
144159
154258
164159
174159
184060
194159
204060
214159
224060
234159
244258
254159
264159
274258
284258
294357
304456
314456

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

KwaDukuza gets around 103 mm of rain over 13.4 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 43% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
243
343
442
542
642
742
842
942
1042
1142
1242
1343
1443
1543
1643
1744
1844
1944
2044
2144
2244
2344
2444
2544
2644
2744
2844
2944
3044
3144

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 79% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
14215025
24205125
34205125
44195225
54195225
64195225
74195225
84195225
94195225
104195225
114195225
124195324
134195324
144195324
154195324
164185523
173185623
183185524
193185524
203185524
212185624
222175724
232175625
242175625
252165725
262165626
272155726
281155727
291155628
301155628
311155529

Wind in January

Winds average 11 km/h in January.

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

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
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 January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 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 5:03 AM to 5:26 AM, and sunset from 6:53 PM to 6:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:036:53
213.85:036:54
313.85:046:54
413.85:056:54
513.85:056:54
613.85:066:54
713.85:076:55
813.85:076:55
913.85:086:55
1013.85:096:55
1113.85:106:55
1213.75:106:55
1313.75:116:55
1413.75:126:55
1513.75:136:55
1613.75:146:55
1713.75:146:55
1813.75:156:55
1913.65:166:54
2013.65:176:54
2113.65:186:54
2213.65:186:54
2313.65:196:53
2413.65:206:53
2513.55:216:53
2613.55:226:53
2713.55:236:52
2813.55:236:52
2913.55:246:51
3013.45:256:51
3113.45:266:50

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.89 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

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 — January's 5.89 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
86.0Bright
96.0Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Bright
126.0Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for KwaDukuza

In seasonPeak

In January, 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 January a good time to visit KwaDukuza?

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

5.1
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
6.4
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January 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 January

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

In January, KwaDukuza sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near KwaDukuza in January

The nearest coast averages about 25°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 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 January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January 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 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 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
January 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).