Mbombela in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Mbombela sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 441 mm of rain over about 51 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Mbombela's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mbombela's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 441 mm
- 51 wet days
- Avg wind
- 5 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.4
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Mbombela in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical summer day in Mbombela reaches about 27°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest December.
Mbombela weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27° / 18° | 155 | 17.5 | 13.4 | 5.3 |
| Feb | 27° / 18° | 134 | 14.8 | 12.9 | 5.6 |
| Mar | 27° / 17° | 107 | 14 | 12.2 | 6.2 |
| Apr | 25° / 14° | 53 | 8.4 | 11.4 | 7.4 |
| May | 24° / 11° | 19 | 3.5 | 10.8 | 8.7 |
| Jun | 22° / 8° | 9 | 2.3 | 10.4 | 8.6 |
| Jul | 21° / 7° | 12 | 2.6 | 10.6 | 8.4 |
| Aug | 23° / 9° | 17 | 3.8 | 11.1 | 8.5 |
| Sep | 25° / 12° | 34 | 6.6 | 11.8 | 7.8 |
| Oct | 25° / 14° | 71 | 13.3 | 12.6 | 6.4 |
| Nov | 26° / 16° | 122 | 16.3 | 13.2 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 27° / 17° | 152 | 18.4 | 13.6 | 5.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Mbombela gets around 441 mm of rain over 51 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 5 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min in early December to 12 h 36 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Mbombela
In summer, Mbombela overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Mbombela's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Mbombela?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Mbombela for sightseeing.
What to pack for Mbombela in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Mbombela sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 51 days see rain.
UV index in Mbombela in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mbombela peaks around December 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 5 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 5 | High |
| Jul | 5 | High |
| Aug | 7 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Mbombela in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Mbombela is worst in July — around 52 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 13 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 20 | 18 | 24 | 26 | 34 | 37 | 52 | 43 | 34 | 23 | 30 | 13 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Moderate |
| Feb | 18 | Moderate |
| Mar | 24 | Moderate |
| Apr | 26 | Moderate |
| May | 34 | Moderate |
| Jun | 37 | Poor |
| Jul | 52 | Poor |
| Aug | 43 | Poor |
| Sep | 34 | Moderate |
| Oct | 23 | Moderate |
| Nov | 30 | Moderate |
| Dec | 13 | Moderate |
Where is Mbombela?
Mbombela sits at 25.5°S, 31.0°E, 658 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is White River, 16 km away.
Topography around Mbombela
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mbombela.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mbombela has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 354 m around an average of 709 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 895 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,053 m.
The land around Mbombela is covered by trees (49%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 3 km, trees (48%) and grassland (28%) within 16 km, and grassland (45%) and trees (36%) within 80 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
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 Mbombela (-25.4751°, 30.9693°, elevation 658 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.