Malmesbury weather in December

In December, Malmesbury sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 16 mm of rain across 3.3 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 9th-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 69% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 06 min at the start of December to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Malmesbury's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Malmesbury's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
16°
10th coldest
Rainfall
16 mm
3.3 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
5:35 AM – 7:47 PM
Cloud cover
28%
4th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
8.37 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Malmesbury is town in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Density
2,288/km²
people per km²
Founded
1745

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 29°C through the month.

A typical December day in Malmesbury reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 13°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, December runs about 3°C warmer than November and about 2°C cooler than January.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12815
22815
32815
42815
52815
62815
72916
82916
92916
102916
112916
122916
132916
142916
152916
162916
172916
182916
192916
202916
212916
222916
232916
242916
252916
262917
272917
282917
292917
303017
313017

Malmesbury weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 17°142.6146.2
Feb31° / 18°122.313.26.1
Mar29° / 16°152.712.37.1
Apr25° / 13°414.811.28.0
May22° / 10°667.310.37.2
Jun18° / 1079.99.86.2
Jul18° / 938.9106.2
Aug18° / 829.410.86.3
Sep20° / 527.611.86.9
Oct24° / 11°324.912.88.0
Nov26° / 14°294.713.77.9
Dec29° / 16°163.314.27.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 17%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18119
28218
38218
48218
58218
68218
78218
88218
98218
108218
118218
128218
138218
148218
158218
168218
178218
188119
198218
208218
218218
228218
238317
248317
258416
268515
278614
288614
298614
308713
318713

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Malmesbury gets around 16 mm of rain over 3.3 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 10% and peaks near 12% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
19
29
39
48
59
69
79
89
99
109
1110
1210
1310
1410
1511
1611
1711
1811
1912
2012
2112
2212
2311
2411
2511
2611
2711
2811
2911
3010
3110

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 54% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
169292
268302
367312
465332
563343
662353
760364
860364
958375
1058375
1157385
1256386
1356386
1454397
1554397
1654397
1753398
1852408
1952408
2051409
2150419
2250419
2349429
24484210
25474310
26464311
27454411
28444411
29434512
30434512
31434512

Wind in December

Winds average 13 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min at the start of December to 14 h 12 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 5:33 AM to 5:43 AM, and sunset from 7:37 PM to 7:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.15:337:37
214.15:337:37
314.15:337:38
414.15:337:39
514.15:337:40
614.15:337:41
714.15:337:41
814.15:337:42
914.25:337:43
1014.25:347:44
1114.25:347:44
1214.25:347:45
1314.25:347:46
1414.25:347:46
1514.25:357:47
1614.25:357:47
1714.25:357:48
1814.25:367:49
1914.25:367:49
2014.25:377:50
2114.25:377:50
2214.25:377:51
2314.25:387:51
2414.25:387:52
2514.25:397:52
2614.25:407:52
2714.25:407:53
2814.25:417:53
2914.25:417:53
3014.25:427:54
3114.25:437:54

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 8.37 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.54 kWh/m² to a high of 8.4 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 8.37 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
18.3Intense
28.3Intense
38.3Intense
48.3Intense
58.4Intense
68.4Intense
78.4Intense
88.4Intense
98.4Intense
108.4Intense
118.4Intense
128.4Intense
138.4Intense
148.4Intense
158.4Intense
168.4Intense
178.4Intense
188.4Intense
198.4Intense
208.4Intense
218.4Intense
228.4Intense
238.4Intense
248.4Intense
258.4Intense
268.4Intense
278.4Intense
288.4Intense
298.5Intense
308.5Intense
318.5Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Malmesbury

In seasonPeak

None of Malmesbury's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Malmesbury's rainy season runs May–September, 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 Malmesbury?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
8.6
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Malmesbury for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Malmesbury in December

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

In December, Malmesbury sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 3 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Malmesbury in December

The nearest coast averages about 16°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 37 km away) is warmest in February at about 17°C and coldest in July near 14°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

12°14°16°18°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan17Cool
Feb17Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr15Cool
May15Bracing
Jun15Bracing
Jul14Bracing
Aug14Bracing
Sep15Bracing
Oct15Bracing
Nov16Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Malmesbury 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 Malmesbury peaks around January 13 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateExtremeJan 13UV 13Jun 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb10Very high
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep5High
Oct10Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Malmesbury 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 Malmesbury is worst in May — around 52 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.4× the cleanest month (December, 15 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMay 2152 µg/m³Dec 1516 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar28Moderate
Apr41Poor
May52Poor
Jun50Poor
Jul47Poor
Aug41Poor
Sep33Moderate
Oct29Moderate
Nov18Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Malmesbury?

Malmesbury sits at 33.5°S, 18.7°E, 136 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Atlantis, 25 km away.

Topography around Malmesbury

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Malmesbury has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 188 m around an average of 166 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 892 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,073 m.

The land around Malmesbury is covered by cropland (39%), grassland (26%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, cropland (67%) within 16 km, and cropland (30%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
188 m
16 km
892 m
80 km
2,073 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Atlantis 25 km · Wellington 33 km · Moorreesburg 35 km · Paarl 38 km · Durbanville 42 km · Kraaifontein 43 km · Kuils River 54 km · Stellenbosch 54 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 Malmesbury (-33.4608°, 18.7271°, elevation 136 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. 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).