Northam weather in December

In December, Northam sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 104 mm of rain across 13.4 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% 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 Northam's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Northam's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
20°
10th coldest
Rainfall
104 mm
13.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:21 AM – 6:53 PM
Cloud cover
54%
12th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Northam reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13019
23019
33019
43019
53019
63019
73019
83019
93019
103019
113019
123020
133020
143020
153020
163020
173020
183020
193020
203020
213020
223020
233020
243020
253020
263020
273020
283020
293020
303020
313020

Northam weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 20°9912.313.44.8
Feb30° / 20°869.812.95.1
Mar29° / 18°738.812.26.2
Apr26° / 15°365.211.47.8
May24° / 10°152.110.89.0
Jun22° / 60.810.58.9
Jul21° / 30.610.68.9
Aug25° / 10°30.611.19.3
Sep29° / 14°121.911.87.5
Oct30° / 17°416.812.65.6
Nov30° / 19°7710.713.24.8
Dec30° / 20°10413.413.54.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15743
25743
35743
45644
55644
65644
75743
85842
95941
105941
115941
126040
136040
146139
156139
166238
176238
186238
196238
206139
216139
226040
236040
246040
256040
266040
276040
286040
296139
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Northam gets around 104 mm of rain over 13.4 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 42% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
343
443
544
644
744
844
944
1044
1144
1243
1343
1442
1542
1641
1741
1841
1941
2041
2141
2241
2341
2441
2541
2641
2741
2841
2940
3040
3140

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 42% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 9% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12834353
22735353
32635363
42435373
52336384
62236394
72136404
82036414
91936414
101835424
111735435
121735435
131635436
141535446
151535447
161435447
171335448
181334449
1912344410
2012344411
2111334412
2210334413
2310324414
249324415
259314416
268314416
278314417
288314417
298304418
308304418
318304418

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 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
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 5:18 AM to 5:28 AM, and sunset from 6:44 PM to 7:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:186:44
213.45:186:45
313.55:186:45
413.55:186:46
513.55:186:47
613.55:186:47
713.55:186:48
813.55:186:49
913.55:196:49
1013.55:196:50
1113.55:196:50
1213.55:196:51
1313.55:206:52
1413.55:206:52
1513.55:206:53
1613.55:216:53
1713.55:216:54
1813.55:226:54
1913.55:226:55
2013.65:226:56
2113.65:236:56
2213.65:236:56
2313.65:246:57
2413.65:246:57
2513.55:256:58
2613.55:256:58
2713.55:266:59
2813.55:266:59
2913.55:276:59
3013.55:287:00
3113.55:287:00

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.73 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.95 kWh/m² to a high of 6.73 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.73 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.6Intense
86.6Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.8Intense
156.8Intense
166.8Intense
176.8Intense
186.8Intense
196.8Intense
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 Northam

In seasonPeak

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

Northam'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 Northam?

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

4.7
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Northam in December

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

In December, Northam sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Northam 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 Northam 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
Jun5Moderate
Jul6High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Northam 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 Northam is worst in July — around 35 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.5× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1135 µg/m³Dec 208 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb12Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr22Moderate
May31Moderate
Jun34Moderate
Jul35Poor
Aug29Moderate
Sep30Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Northam?

Northam sits at 25.0°S, 27.3°E, 1,016 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Amandelbult, 16 km away.

Topography around Northam

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Northam has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 40 m around an average of 1,010 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 342 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,207 m.

The land around Northam is covered by shrubs (39%) and grassland (30%) within 3 km, shrubs (50%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and shrubs (55%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
40 m
16 km
342 m
80 km
1,207 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Amandelbult 16 km · Thabazimbi 43 km · Hartbeestfontein-A 59 km · Rustenburg 79 km · Letlhabile 82 km · Marikana 85 km · Brits 91 km · Mabopane 101 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 Northam (-24.9578°, 27.2654°, elevation 1,016 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).