Modimolle weather in December

In December, Modimolle sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 135 mm of rain across 15.7 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December, and the air most often feels humid.

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 Modimolle's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Modimolle's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
5th warmest
Overnight low
18°
10th coldest
Rainfall
135 mm
15.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:17 AM – 6:48 PM
Cloud cover
57%
12th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Modimolle is town.

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 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Modimolle reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12817
22817
32817
42818
52818
62818
72818
82818
92818
102818
112818
122818
132818
142818
152818
162818
172818
182818
192918
202918
212918
222918
232918
242918
252919
262919
272919
282919
292919
302919
312919

Modimolle weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 19°11713.513.45.4
Feb29° / 19°879.712.95.8
Mar27° / 17°869.812.26.7
Apr25° / 14°435.911.47.8
May23° / 10°142.610.88.9
Jun21° / 50.910.58.8
Jul21° / 30.610.68.8
Aug24° / 10°41.311.19.2
Sep28° / 14°142.711.87.9
Oct29° / 16°57912.66.1
Nov28° / 17°10513.313.25.5
Dec28° / 18°13515.713.55.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 45%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25248
35248
45248
55149
65248
75248
85347
95446
105446
115545
125644
135644
145644
155743
165743
175743
185644
195644
205644
215644
225644
235644
245644
255644
265644
275644
285644
295743
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Modimolle gets around 135 mm of rain over 15.7 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 49% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
148
249
350
450
551
651
752
852
952
1052
1152
1252
1352
1451
1551
1650
1749
1849
1948
2048
2148
2248
2348
2448
2548
2648
2748
2847
2947
3047
3146

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the humid band about 44% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12641321
22541331
32442341
42242351
52142361
62042371
71942381
81842391
91742401
101642412
111442422
121442432
131341442
141241443
151141453
161140463
171040464
181039474
191039474
20938485
21937486
22937496
23836497
24835507
25834508
26834508
27833518
28833509
29933509
30932499
31932499

Wind in December

Winds average 8 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

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 5:13 AM to 5:24 AM, and sunset from 6:39 PM to 6:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:136:39
213.45:146:40
313.45:146:40
413.55:146:41
513.55:146:42
613.55:146:42
713.55:146:43
813.55:146:43
913.55:156:44
1013.55:156:45
1113.55:156:45
1213.55:156:46
1313.55:166:47
1413.55:166:47
1513.55:166:48
1613.55:176:48
1713.55:176:49
1813.55:186:49
1913.55:186:50
2013.55:186:50
2113.55:196:51
2213.55:196:51
2313.55:206:52
2413.55:206:52
2513.55:216:53
2613.55:216:53
2713.55:226:54
2813.55:226:54
2913.55:236:54
3013.55:246:55
3113.55:246:55

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.64 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4 kWh/m² to a high of 6.64 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.64 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.6Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.7Intense
156.7Intense
166.7Intense
176.7Intense
186.7Intense
196.7Intense
206.8Intense
216.8Intense
226.8Intense
236.8Intense
246.8Intense
256.8Intense
266.8Intense
276.8Intense
286.8Intense
296.8Intense
306.8Intense
316.8Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Modimolle

In seasonPeak

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

Modimolle'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 Modimolle?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Modimolle in December

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

In December, Modimolle sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Modimolle 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 Modimolle peaks around January 13 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 16 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 13UV 14Jun 16UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr9Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Modimolle 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 Modimolle is worst in July — around 79 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.7× the cleanest month (January, 14 µg/m³).

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

0306090JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1179 µg/m³Jan 1114 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb20Moderate
Mar29Moderate
Apr47Poor
May71Unhealthy
Jun77Unhealthy
Jul79Unhealthy
Aug69Unhealthy
Sep57Unhealthy
Oct31Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Modimolle?

Modimolle sits at 24.7°S, 28.4°E, 1,177 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Bela Bela, 24 km away.

Topography around Modimolle

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Modimolle has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 92 m around an average of 1,182 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 514 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,099 m.

The land around Modimolle is covered by shrubs (32%), grassland (29%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 3 km, shrubs (52%) and grassland (29%) within 16 km, and shrubs (53%) and grassland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
92 m
16 km
514 m
80 km
1,099 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Bela Bela 24 km · Mookgophong 38 km · Vaalwater 53 km · Vaalbank 68 km · Siyabuswa 80 km · Hammanskraal 80 km · Mokopane 83 km · Somaroboro 84 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 Modimolle (-24.7°, 28.4°, elevation 1,177 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).