Middelburg weather in December

In December, Middelburg sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 51 mm of rain across 7.8 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of December to 14 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Middelburg's 6th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Middelburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
13°
10th coldest
Rainfall
51 mm
7.8 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:15 AM – 7:17 PM
Cloud cover
37%
6th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
8.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Middelburg is town in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Founded
1852

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical December day in Middelburg reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 15°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12812
22812
32812
42812
52812
62813
72813
82813
92813
102813
112813
122913
132913
142913
152913
162913
172913
182914
192914
202914
212914
222914
232914
242914
252914
263014
273014
283014
293014
303014
313014

How December really feels in Middelburg

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Middelburg weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 2nd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 15°7610.513.85.6
Feb29° / 15°7310.513.25.9
Mar26° / 13°599.112.27.1
Apr22° / 336.111.37.7
May19° / 153.310.47.5
Jun16° / 132.3106.2
Jul16° / 122.310.26.2
Aug18° / 142.610.97.3
Sep22° / 182.811.88.2
Oct24° / 305.212.88.1
Nov27° / 11°466.313.67.5
Dec29° / 13°517.8146.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17624
27624
37525
47525
57525
67624
77624
87624
97723
107723
117723
127822
137822
147822
157822
167822
177921
187921
197921
207921
218020
228020
238020
248020
258020
268020
278020
288020
298020
308020
317822

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Middelburg gets around 51 mm of rain over 7.8 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 25% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
123
223
323
424
524
624
725
825
925
1025
1125
1225
1325
1425
1525
1625
1725
1825
1925
2025
2125
2225
2326
2426
2527
2627
2728
2828
2928
3029
3129

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 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19550
29550
39550
49550
59550
69550
79460
89460
99460
109460
119460
129460
139460
149370
159370
169370
179181
189181
199181
209181
219181
229091
239091
248992
2588102
2688102
2788102
2886113
2986113
3086113
3185123

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.

05101520151015202531
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 13 h 54 min at the start of December to 14 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:13 AM to 5:22 AM, and sunset from 7:07 PM to 7:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:137:07
213.95:137:08
313.95:137:08
413.95:137:09
514.05:137:10
614.05:137:11
714.05:137:11
814.05:137:12
914.05:137:13
1014.05:137:14
1114.05:147:14
1214.05:147:15
1314.05:147:16
1414.05:147:16
1514.05:157:17
1614.05:157:17
1714.05:157:18
1814.05:167:19
1914.15:167:19
2014.15:167:20
2114.15:177:20
2214.15:177:21
2314.15:187:21
2414.15:187:21
2514.15:197:22
2614.05:197:22
2714.05:207:23
2814.05:217:23
2914.05:217:23
3014.05:227:24
3114.05:227:24

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 8.18 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.26 kWh/m² to a high of 8.18 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 8.18 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
18.1Intense
28.1Intense
38.1Intense
48.1Intense
58.1Intense
68.1Intense
78.1Intense
88.1Intense
98.1Intense
108.2Intense
118.2Intense
128.2Intense
138.2Intense
148.2Intense
158.2Intense
168.2Intense
178.2Intense
188.2Intense
198.2Intense
208.2Intense
218.2Intense
228.2Intense
238.2Intense
248.2Intense
258.2Intense
268.2Intense
278.2Intense
288.2Intense
298.1Intense
308.1Intense
318.1Intense
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Middelburg?

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

6.3
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
7.6
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Middelburg for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Middelburg in December

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

In December, Middelburg sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 13°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Middelburg 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 Middelburg peaks around January 14 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 14UV 15Jun 21UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr7High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep7Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Middelburg?

Middelburg sits at 31.5°S, 25.0°E, 1,253 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Cradock, 94 km away.

QueenstownAliwal NorthWhittlesea

Topography around Middelburg

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Middelburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 150 m around an average of 1,263 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 686 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,530 m.

The land around Middelburg is covered by grassland (61%) within 3 km, grassland (85%) within 16 km, and grassland (90%) within 80 km.

3 km
150 m
16 km
686 m
80 km
1,530 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Cradock 94 km · Graaff Reinet 96 km · De Aar 133 km · Burgersdorp 137 km · Somerset East 147 km · Queenstown 182 km · Aliwal North 185 km · Whittlesea 188 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 Middelburg (-31.4929°, 25.0063°, elevation 1,253 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).