Ladysmith weather in January

In January, Ladysmith sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 172 mm of rain across 18.9 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-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 30% of the time in January, and the air most often feels humid.

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 Ladysmith's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ladysmith's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
17°
11th coldest
Rainfall
172 mm
18.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 36 min
5:21 AM – 6:59 PM
Cloud cover
57%
10th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.6
out of 10

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 Ladysmith reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12917
22917
32917
42917
52917
62917
72917
82917
92917
102917
112917
122917
132917
142917
152917
162817
172817
182817
192817
202817
212817
222817
232817
242817
252817
262917
272917
282917
292917
302917
312917

Ladysmith 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
Jan29° / 17°17218.913.64.6
Feb28° / 17°14214.6135.2
Mar27° / 15°11713.512.26.2
Apr25° / 12°587.911.37.5
May23° / 213.510.68.6
Jun21° / 142.810.28.4
Jul21° / 162.310.48.4
Aug23° / 284.4118.4
Sep26° / 11°396.911.87.6
Oct27° / 13°10013.812.76.2
Nov27° / 14°13716.813.45.4
Dec28° / 16°17919.613.84.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 46%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15545
25644
35644
45644
55644
65743
75743
85743
95644
105644
115545
125545
135446
145446
155347
165248
175248
185149
195149
205050
215050
225050
235050
245149
255149
265347
275446
285446
295545
305644
315743

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Ladysmith gets around 172 mm of rain over 18.9 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 60% and peaks near 63% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
161
261
360
460
559
659
759
859
958
1058
1159
1259
1359
1460
1560
1661
1761
1861
1962
2062
2162
2262
2362
2463
2562
2662
2762
2861
2961
3060
3159

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 51% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 6% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1939467
2939467
3938467
4938466
51038466
61038466
71038466
81038466
91038466
101137475
111137475
121137485
131136485
141036495
151036495
161036505
17935515
18935515
19935515
20834535
21834535
22734545
23733555
24633565
25633565
26533575
27533575
28533566
29533566
30533566
31533557

Wind in January

Winds average 8 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 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
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

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 5:10 AM to 5:33 AM, and sunset from 6:58 PM to 6:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:106:58
213.85:116:58
313.85:126:58
413.85:126:58
513.85:136:59
613.85:146:59
713.75:146:59
813.75:156:59
913.75:166:59
1013.75:176:59
1113.75:176:59
1213.75:186:59
1313.75:196:59
1413.75:206:59
1513.65:206:59
1613.65:216:59
1713.65:226:59
1813.65:236:59
1913.65:246:59
2013.65:246:59
2113.65:256:58
2213.55:266:58
2313.55:276:58
2413.55:286:58
2513.55:286:57
2613.55:296:57
2713.45:306:57
2813.45:316:56
2913.45:326:56
3013.45:326:56
3113.45:336:55

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.36 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.6 kWh/m² to a high of 6.53 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 6.36 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.4Intense
156.4Intense
166.4Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Ladysmith

In seasonPeak

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

Ladysmith'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 Ladysmith?

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

4.6
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
5.7
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Ladysmith for sightseeing.

What to pack for Ladysmith in January

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

In January, Ladysmith sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Ladysmith 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 Ladysmith peaks around January 14 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 5 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 14UV 15Jun 22UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug5High
Sep8Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Ladysmith 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 Ladysmith is worst in September — around 45 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.5× the cleanest month (January, 10 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodSep 945 µg/m³Jan 1210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May31Moderate
Jun36Poor
Jul41Poor
Aug45Poor
Sep45Poor
Oct24Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ladysmith?

Ladysmith sits at 28.6°S, 29.8°E, 1,010 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Estcourt, 51 km away.

Topography around Ladysmith

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ladysmith has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 180 m around an average of 1,034 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 522 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,875 m.

The land around Ladysmith is covered by grassland (36%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 3 km, grassland (65%) and shrubs (21%) within 16 km, and grassland (68%) within 80 km.

3 km
180 m
16 km
522 m
80 km
2,875 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Estcourt 51 km · Wembesi 55 km · Glencoe 56 km · Dundee 62 km · Harrismith 71 km · Mooi River 75 km · Tshiame 81 km · Newcastle 90 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 Ladysmith (-28.5587°, 29.779°, elevation 1,010 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).