Mooi River weather in December

In December, Mooi River sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 124 mm of rain across 19.9 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 24°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Mooi River's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mooi River's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
14°
10th coldest
Rainfall
124 mm
19.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:00 AM – 6:52 PM
Cloud cover
68%
12th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.09 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Mooi River is town in 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 24°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical December day in Mooi River reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12413
22413
32413
42413
52413
62414
72414
82514
92514
102514
112514
122514
132514
142514
152514
162514
172514
182514
192515
202515
212615
222615
232615
242615
252615
262615
272615
282615
292615
302615
312615

Mooi River weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 15°13718.213.75.4
Feb26° / 15°11715.2135.7
Mar25° / 14°941412.26.4
Apr22° / 11°528.311.37.1
May20° / 203.710.67.8
Jun18° / 152.510.27.6
Jul18° / 182.510.37.6
Aug20° / 244.4117.7
Sep23° / 336.811.87.5
Oct23° / 11°7713.812.76.3
Nov24° / 13°1081713.55.7
Dec25° / 14°12419.913.85.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% 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 62%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33763
43664
53664
63664
73763
83664
93664
103664
113664
123763
133763
143961
153862
163961
173961
183961
194060
204060
214060
223961
234060
244060
253961
263961
273961
283961
294060
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Mooi River gets around 124 mm of rain over 19.9 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 63% and peaks near 66% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
163
264
364
465
565
665
765
866
965
1065
1165
1265
1364
1464
1564
1663
1763
1863
1963
2063
2162
2262
2362
2463
2563
2662
2762
2862
2962
3061
3161

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 53% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
150446
248456
347467
445477
544488
642498
741509
839529
9385210
10375211
11355411
12345412
13335413
14325414
15315415
16305515
17285616
18275617
19265618
20255619
21235720
22225721
23215623
24205624
25195625
26185626
27185527
28175528
29175429
30175330
31165331

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 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
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 48 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 4:58 AM to 5:08 AM, and sunset from 6:42 PM to 6:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.74:586:42
213.74:586:43
313.84:586:43
413.84:586:44
513.84:586:45
613.84:586:45
713.84:586:46
813.84:586:47
913.84:596:48
1013.84:596:48
1113.84:596:49
1213.84:596:50
1313.84:596:50
1413.95:006:51
1513.95:006:51
1613.95:006:52
1713.95:016:53
1813.95:016:53
1913.95:026:54
2013.95:026:54
2113.95:026:55
2213.95:036:55
2313.95:036:56
2413.95:046:56
2513.95:046:56
2613.95:056:57
2713.95:056:57
2813.95:066:58
2913.95:076:58
3013.95:076:58
3113.85:086:59

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.09 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.47 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.09 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
55.9Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
86.0Bright
96.0Bright
106.0Bright
116.0Intense
126.0Intense
136.0Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.1Intense
196.1Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Mooi River

In seasonPeak

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

Mooi River's rainy season runs October–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 Mooi River?

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
4.8
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Mooi River for sightseeing.

What to pack for Mooi River in December

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

In December, Mooi River sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 20 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Mooi River in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks 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 Mooi River peaks around January 15 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 15UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr7Very high
May6High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep8Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Mooi River 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 Mooi River is worst in July — around 71 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.3× the cleanest month (December, 17 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1769 µg/m³Dec 2317 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar27Moderate
Apr37Poor
May51Poor
Jun57Unhealthy
Jul71Unhealthy
Aug58Unhealthy
Sep49Poor
Oct28Moderate
Nov25Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Mooi River?

Mooi River sits at 29.2°S, 30.0°E, 1,403 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Estcourt, 25 km away.

Topography around Mooi River

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mooi River has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 140 m around an average of 1,420 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 499 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,183 m.

The land around Mooi River is covered by grassland (62%) and cropland (21%) within 3 km, grassland (67%) and cropland (21%) within 16 km, and grassland (56%) and trees (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
140 m
16 km
499 m
80 km
3,183 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Estcourt 25 km · Wembesi 27 km · Howick 38 km · Mpophomeni 44 km · Pietermaritzburg 60 km · Greytown 60 km · Ladysmith 75 km · Richmond 79 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 Mooi River (-29.2082°, 29.9946°, elevation 1,403 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).