Ncotshane weather in December

In December, Ncotshane sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 126 mm of rain across 15.2 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of December to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Ncotshane's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ncotshane's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
18°
10th coldest
Rainfall
126 mm
15.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
4:58 AM – 6:41 PM
Cloud cover
69%
12th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.59 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical December day in Ncotshane reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12717
22717
32717
42717
52718
62718
72718
82718
92718
102718
112718
122718
132718
142718
152718
162818
172818
182818
192818
202819
212819
222819
232819
242819
252819
262819
272819
282819
292819
302819
312819

Ncotshane weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 19°13315.313.55.1
Feb28° / 19°11312.4135.3
Mar28° / 18°9611.912.26.2
Apr26° / 16°517.711.47.3
May24° / 12°253.810.78.6
Jun23° / 152.410.38.8
Jul22° / 152.910.48.6
Aug24° / 11°254.1118.5
Sep25° / 13°416.711.87.6
Oct25° / 15°8811.912.76.5
Nov26° / 17°12114.713.45.7
Dec28° / 18°12615.213.75.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13367
23367
33367
43367
53268
63268
73268
83268
93367
103367
113367
123466
133466
143565
153565
163565
173763
183763
193763
203763
213763
223763
233862
243862
253763
263862
273862
283961
293961
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Ncotshane gets around 126 mm of rain over 15.2 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 49% and peaks near 51% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
149
249
349
450
550
651
751
851
951
1051
1151
1251
1351
1450
1550
1650
1749
1849
1948
2048
2148
2248
2347
2447
2547
2647
2747
2847
2947
3047
3146

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 41% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 44% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
172242281
272243281
362143281
462044291
552045291
651945301
741845311
841845321
931745341
1031645351
1131644362
1221543372
1321543392
1421442402
1521441412
1621340433
1711339443
1811238454
1911237464
2011137475
2111136475
2211036486
2311035486
241935496
251935497
261934497
271934497
281934497
291934497
301934497
311934497

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 36 min at the start of December to 13 h 42 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 4:55 AM to 5:06 AM, and sunset from 6:31 PM to 6:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.64:556:31
213.64:556:32
313.64:556:33
413.64:566:34
513.64:566:34
613.74:566:35
713.74:566:36
813.74:566:36
913.74:566:37
1013.74:576:38
1113.74:576:38
1213.74:576:39
1313.74:576:40
1413.74:586:40
1513.74:586:41
1613.74:586:41
1713.74:596:42
1813.74:596:42
1913.74:596:43
2013.75:006:43
2113.75:006:44
2213.75:016:44
2313.75:016:45
2413.75:026:45
2513.75:026:46
2613.75:036:46
2713.75:036:47
2813.75:046:47
2913.75:056:47
3013.75:056:48
3113.75:066:48

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.59 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.49 kWh/m² to a high of 5.66 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 5.59 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.7Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Ncotshane

In seasonPeak

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

Ncotshane'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 Ncotshane?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Ncotshane for sightseeing.

What to pack for Ncotshane in December

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

In December, Ncotshane sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Ncotshane 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 Ncotshane peaks around February 11 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighVery highExtremeFeb 11UV 13Jun 20UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr7High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug6High
Sep8Very high
Oct8Very high
Nov10Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Ncotshane 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 Ncotshane is worst in July — around 34 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.9× the cleanest month (January, 9 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateJul 2134 µg/m³Jan 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May32Moderate
Jun31Moderate
Jul34Moderate
Aug33Moderate
Sep29Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ncotshane?

Ncotshane sits at 27.3°S, 31.6°E, 314 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Frischgewaagd, 62 km away.

Topography around Ncotshane

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ncotshane has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 336 m around an average of 369 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 897 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,609 m.

The land around Ncotshane is covered by cropland (33%) and shrubs (21%) within 3 km, trees (28%), grassland (26%) and shrubs (24%) within 16 km, and grassland (41%) and trees (39%) within 80 km.

3 km
336 m
16 km
897 m
80 km
1,609 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Frischgewaagd 62 km · Piet Retief 85 km · Vryheid 91 km · Manzini 96 km · Lobamba 104 km · Mondlo 111 km · Ulundi 112 km · Driefontein 121 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 Ncotshane (-27.342°, 31.58°, elevation 314 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).