Mossel Bay weather in October

In October, Mossel Bay sees average daytime highs of 18°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 43 mm of rain across 7.4 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 18°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Mossel Bay's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mossel Bay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
18°
8th warmest
Overnight low
15°
6th coldest
Rainfall
43 mm
7.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:50 AM – 6:43 PM
Cloud cover
47%
12th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Mossel Bay is town in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Density
1,871/km²
people per km²
Founded
1848

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

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 18°C through the month.

A typical October day in Mossel Bay reaches about 18°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 1°C warmer than September and about 1°C cooler than November.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11715
21715
31715
41815
51815
61815
71815
81815
91815
101815
111815
121815
131815
141815
151815
161815
171815
181815
191816
201816
211816
221816
231816
241816
251816
261816
271816
281916
291916
301916
311916

Mossel Bay weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 8th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 19°377.5147.4
Feb22° / 20°306.713.37.4
Mar21° / 19°417.412.37.3
Apr20° / 17°436.711.26.9
May19° / 15°406.210.26.9
Jun17° / 14°376.99.86.4
Jul17° / 13°387.2106.1
Aug17° / 13°477.610.75.9
Sep17° / 14°336.511.86.1
Oct18° / 15°437.412.96.5
Nov19° / 17°527.713.86.7
Dec21° / 18°356.814.27.2

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in October, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 35%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16436
26436
36436
46436
56337
66337
76337
86337
96238
106337
116337
126337
136337
146436
156436
166436
176535
186634
196634
206733
216733
226733
236733
246832
256733
266733
276832
286733
296733
306733
316733

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Mossel Bay gets around 43 mm of rain over 7.4 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 24% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
222
322
422
522
622
723
823
924
1024
1125
1225
1325
1426
1526
1626
1726
1826
1926
2026
2125
2225
2324
2424
2524
2623
2723
2823
2923
3023
3123

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 47% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
160364
259374
357385
457385
555396
655396
753407
852408
952408
1051409
11504010
12494011
13484011
14484012
15474112
16464113
17454114
18454114
19444115
20434116
21434116
22424117
23414118
24414118
25404119
26404120
27394120
28384121
29384121
30374221
31374221

Wind in October

Winds average 19 km/h in October, the windiest month of the year.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:10 AM to 5:34 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:106:31
212.46:096:31
312.46:076:32
412.46:066:33
512.56:056:34
612.56:036:34
712.66:026:35
812.66:016:36
912.65:596:37
1012.75:586:38
1112.75:576:38
1212.75:556:39
1312.85:546:40
1412.85:536:41
1512.85:526:42
1612.95:506:43
1712.95:496:43
1812.95:486:44
1913.05:476:45
2013.05:466:46
2113.05:446:47
2213.15:436:48
2313.15:426:49
2413.15:416:50
2513.25:406:50
2613.25:396:51
2713.25:386:52
2813.35:376:53
2913.35:366:54
3013.35:356:55
3113.45:346:56

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.99 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.6 kWh/m² to a high of 7.58 kWh/m² in December across the year — October's 5.99 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
156.0Bright
166.0Intense
176.0Intense
186.1Intense
196.1Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.5Intense
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Mossel Bay?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
2.2
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Mossel Bay for sightseeing.

What to pack for Mossel Bay in October

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

In October, Mossel Bay sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: sun protection. About 7 days see rain.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Mossel Bay in October

The nearest coast averages about 17°C in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 21 km away) is warmest in January at about 21°C and coldest in August near 16°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 15 to Mar 18 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

14°16°18°20°22°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar20Refreshing
Apr18Cool
May17Cool
Jun16Cool
Jul16Cool
Aug16Cool
Sep16Cool
Oct17Cool
Nov19Cool
Dec20Refreshing

UV index in Mossel Bay in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mossel Bay peaks around January 14 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateExtremeJan 14UV 13Jun 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb10Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Mossel Bay?

Mossel Bay sits at 34.2°S, 22.1°E, 43 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Groot-Brakrivier, 17 km away.

Swellendam

Topography around Mossel Bay

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mossel Bay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 175 m around an average of 28 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 336 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,504 m.

The land around Mossel Bay is covered by water (70%) within 3 km, water (69%) within 16 km, and water (35%), shrubs (27%) and grassland (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
175 m
16 km
336 m
80 km
1,504 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Groot-Brakrivier 17 km · George 38 km · Oudtshoorn 65 km · Dysselsdorp 73 km · Riversdale 82 km · Knysna 85 km · Plettenberg Bay 114 km · Swellendam 158 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 Mossel Bay (-34.1831°, 22.146°, elevation 43 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).