Lydenburg weather in December

In December, Lydenburg sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 156 mm of rain across 18.6 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Lydenburg's 12th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lydenburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
15°
10th coldest
Rainfall
156 mm
18.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 36 min
5:08 AM – 6:41 PM
Cloud cover
65%
12th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.25 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Lydenburg is town in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Founded
1849

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month.

A typical December day in Lydenburg reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12514
22514
32514
42514
52515
62515
72515
82515
92515
102515
112515
122515
132515
142515
152515
162515
172615
182615
192615
202615
212616
222616
232616
242616
252616
262616
272616
282616
292616
302616
312616

Lydenburg weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°15517.113.45.6
Feb26° / 16°1231412.96.0
Mar25° / 14°9413.612.26.5
Apr23° / 12°447.411.47.5
May21° / 142.710.88.3
Jun19° / 61.710.58.1
Jul19° / 51.210.68.2
Aug21° / 10211.18.5
Sep24° / 10°204.111.88.5
Oct24° / 12°5910.212.67.1
Nov25° / 14°11315.213.26.0
Dec25° / 15°15618.613.55.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23565
33565
43565
53565
63565
73565
83565
93565
103664
113664
123862
133862
143961
153961
164258
174258
184357
194357
204357
214357
224357
234357
244258
254357
264357
274456
284456
294555
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Lydenburg gets around 156 mm of rain over 18.6 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 59% and peaks near 61% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
157
258
358
459
559
660
760
860
961
1061
1161
1261
1361
1460
1560
1659
1759
1859
1959
2059
2159
2259
2359
2459
2559
2659
2759
2859
2959
3058
3158

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 55% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13452140
23353140
33353140
43253150
53154150
63054160
72954170
82855170
92656180
102556190
112457190
122357200
132257210
142257210
152157220
162057230
171957240
181857250
191757260
201657270
211556281
221555291
231455301
241454311
251354321
261353331
271352341
281351351
291351351
301351351
311450361

Wind in December

Winds average 6 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:05 AM to 5:15 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:056:31
213.55:056:32
313.55:056:33
413.55:056:33
513.55:056:34
613.55:056:35
713.55:056:35
813.55:056:36
913.55:066:37
1013.55:066:37
1113.55:066:38
1213.55:066:39
1313.55:076:39
1413.55:076:40
1513.55:076:40
1613.65:086:41
1713.65:086:42
1813.65:096:42
1913.65:096:43
2013.65:096:43
2113.65:106:44
2213.65:106:44
2313.65:116:45
2413.65:116:45
2513.65:126:45
2613.65:126:46
2713.65:136:46
2813.65:136:47
2913.55:146:47
3013.55:156:47
3113.55:156:48

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.25 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.91 kWh/m² to a high of 6.25 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.25 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.1Intense
76.1Intense
86.1Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.2Intense
126.2Intense
136.2Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Lydenburg

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is December a good time to visit Lydenburg?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Lydenburg for sightseeing.

What to pack for Lydenburg in December

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

In December, Lydenburg sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 19 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Lydenburg in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Lydenburg peaks around January 14 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 14UV 14Jun 21UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Lydenburg 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 Lydenburg is worst in July — around 40 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.9× the cleanest month (December, 14 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateJul 2039 µg/m³Dec 2314 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr26Moderate
May35Poor
Jun36Poor
Jul40Poor
Aug38Poor
Sep30Moderate
Oct20Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Lydenburg?

Lydenburg sits at 25.1°S, 30.4°E, 1,371 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Sabie, 34 km away.

Topography around Lydenburg

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lydenburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 145 m around an average of 1,409 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,159 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,911 m.

The land around Lydenburg is covered by grassland (60%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 3 km, grassland (68%) within 16 km, and grassland (46%) and trees (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
145 m
16 km
1,159 m
80 km
1,911 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
December weather nearby: Sabie 34 km · Praktiseer 58 km · White River 63 km · Mbombela 68 km · Mafemani 73 km · Dwarsloop 74 km · Hlanganani 75 km · Belfast 78 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 Lydenburg (-25.096°, 30.4439°, elevation 1,371 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).