Nkowakowa weather in January

In January, Nkowakowa sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 148 mm of rain across 16.4 wet days and about 13.3 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of January to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Nkowakowa's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nkowakowa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
1st warmest
Overnight low
19°
12th coldest
Rainfall
148 mm
16.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 18 min
5:28 AM – 6:48 PM
Cloud cover
57%
10th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Nkowakowa is human settlement in South Africa.

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical January day in Nkowakowa reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12719
22719
32719
42719
52719
62719
72719
82719
92719
102719
112719
122719
132719
142719
152719
162719
172719
182719
192719
202719
212719
222719
232719
242719
252719
262719
272819
282819
292819
302819
312819

Nkowakowa weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 19°14816.413.35.6
Feb27° / 19°12613.212.85.9
Mar27° / 18°851212.26.5
Apr25° / 15°47811.57.5
May24° / 11°193.810.98.7
Jun22° / 102.310.68.6
Jul21° / 122.510.78.5
Aug23° / 10°163.211.28.6
Sep25° / 13°336.111.98.0
Oct26° / 15°6310.912.66.8
Nov26° / 17°12415.213.25.8
Dec27° / 18°15617.913.45.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 46%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25347
35347
45347
55545
65545
75545
85446
95446
105347
115347
125347
135347
145248
155248
165248
175248
185248
195248
205248
215347
225347
235446
245545
255644
265644
275743
285842
295842
305842
316040

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Nkowakowa gets around 148 mm of rain over 16.4 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 53% and peaks near 55% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
155
254
354
454
554
654
754
854
954
1054
1154
1253
1353
1453
1553
1653
1753
1852
1952
2052
2152
2252
2352
2452
2552
2652
2752
2853
2953
3053
3152

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 43% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 46% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
111242423
211342423
311342413
411342413
511342413
611342413
711342413
811342423
911342423
1011341433
1111341433
1211341432
1311241442
1411240442
1511240442
1611240452
1711240452
1811240452
1911240452
2011140452
2111141452
2211141452
2311141442
2411142442
2511142442
2611143442
2711143432
2811043432
2911044432
3011044432
3111045422

Wind in January

Winds average 6 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of January to 13 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:18 AM to 5:39 AM, and sunset from 6:46 PM to 6:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:186:46
213.45:196:46
313.45:206:46
413.45:206:46
513.45:216:47
613.45:226:47
713.45:226:47
813.45:236:47
913.45:246:47
1013.45:246:48
1113.45:256:48
1213.45:266:48
1313.45:266:48
1413.35:276:48
1513.35:286:48
1613.35:286:48
1713.35:296:48
1813.35:306:48
1913.35:306:48
2013.35:316:48
2113.35:326:48
2213.25:336:48
2313.25:336:47
2413.25:346:47
2513.25:356:47
2613.25:356:47
2713.25:366:47
2813.25:376:46
2913.15:386:46
3013.15:386:46
3113.15:396:45

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.08 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.83 kWh/m² to a high of 6.08 kWh/m² in January across the year — January's 6.08 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.1Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.0Intense
156.0Intense
166.0Intense
176.0Intense
186.0Intense
196.0Intense
206.0Intense
216.0Intense
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Nkowakowa

In seasonPeak

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

Nkowakowa'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 January a good time to visit Nkowakowa?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Nkowakowa for sightseeing.

What to pack for Nkowakowa in January

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

In January, Nkowakowa sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Nkowakowa in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January 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 Nkowakowa peaks around January 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 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 20UV 14Jun 21UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov12Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Nkowakowa in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Nkowakowa is worst in July — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1826 µg/m³Jan 108 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Good
Apr17Moderate
May22Moderate
Jun23Moderate
Jul26Moderate
Aug24Moderate
Sep23Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Nkowakowa?

Nkowakowa sits at 23.9°S, 30.3°E, 584 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Tzaneen, 14 km away.

Topography around Nkowakowa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nkowakowa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 122 m around an average of 553 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 734 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,790 m.

The land around Nkowakowa is covered by artificial surfaces (33%) and trees (20%) within 3 km, shrubs (38%) and trees (32%) within 16 km, and shrubs (54%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
122 m
16 km
734 m
80 km
1,790 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Tzaneen 14 km · Duiwelskloof 26 km · Mankweng 59 km · Praktiseer 77 km · Giyani 79 km · Polokwane 83 km · Phalaborwa 87 km · Lebowakgomo 93 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 Nkowakowa (-23.8878°, 30.2871°, elevation 584 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).