Parys weather in December

In December, Parys sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 129 mm of rain across 16.6 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

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 Parys's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Parys's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
1st warmest
Overnight low
16°
10th coldest
Rainfall
129 mm
16.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:16 AM – 6:57 PM
Cloud cover
52%
12th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
7.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Parys is town in Free State, South Africa.

Density
2,168/km²
people per km²
Founded
1882

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Parys reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12715
22715
32715
42716
52716
62716
72816
82816
92816
102816
112816
122816
132816
142816
152816
162816
172816
182816
192816
202816
212817
222817
232817
242817
252817
262817
272817
282817
292817
302817
312817

How December really feels in Parys

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Parys weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 17°12015.613.55.5
Feb27° / 17°9512.9136.1
Mar26° / 15°8011.512.26.7
Apr24° / 11°416.911.47.8
May22° / 203.310.78.3
Jun19° / 101.610.38.1
Jul19° / 50.910.58.3
Aug22° / 142.211.18.7
Sep26° / 11°193.411.88.4
Oct27° / 13°7310.212.66.9
Nov27° / 15°9412.713.36.2
Dec28° / 16°12916.613.75.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26238
36238
46238
56337
66337
76337
86337
96436
106436
116535
126535
136535
146535
156634
166634
176634
186634
196634
206535
216436
226436
236337
246337
256337
266337
276337
286337
296436
306436
316436

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Parys gets around 129 mm of rain over 16.6 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 53% and peaks near 55% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
150
251
352
453
553
654
754
854
955
1055
1155
1254
1354
1454
1553
1653
1753
1852
1952
2052
2152
2253
2353
2453
2553
2653
2752
2852
2952
3051
3151

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 48% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
156395
254415
352435
450446
548466
647476
745487
844497
943507
1042517
1141527
1240528
1340528
1439529
1538539
16385210
17375211
18375112
19365113
20355015
21354916
22344818
23334819
24324721
25314722
26304623
27304624
28294525
29294426
30294427
31294428

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

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 5:13 AM to 5:23 AM, and sunset from 6:47 PM to 7:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:136:47
213.65:136:48
313.65:136:48
413.65:136:49
513.65:136:50
613.65:136:51
713.65:136:51
813.65:146:52
913.65:146:53
1013.75:146:53
1113.75:146:54
1213.75:156:54
1313.75:156:55
1413.75:156:56
1513.75:156:56
1613.75:166:57
1713.75:166:57
1813.75:176:58
1913.75:176:58
2013.75:176:59
2113.75:186:59
2213.75:187:00
2313.75:197:00
2413.75:197:01
2513.75:207:01
2613.75:207:02
2713.75:217:02
2813.75:217:02
2913.75:227:03
3013.75:237:03
3113.75:237:03

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.07 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 7.07 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 7.07 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.0Intense
27.0Intense
37.0Intense
47.0Intense
57.0Intense
67.0Intense
77.0Intense
87.0Intense
97.1Intense
107.1Intense
117.1Intense
127.1Intense
137.1Intense
147.2Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.1Intense
237.1Intense
247.1Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.0Intense
317.0Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Parys

In seasonPeak

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

Parys'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 Parys?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Parys in December

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

In December, Parys sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Parys 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 Parys peaks around January 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 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 15Jun 20UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Parys 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 Parys is worst in July — around 103 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.4× the cleanest month (January, 24 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 11103 µg/m³Jan 1124 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan24Moderate
Feb32Moderate
Mar48Poor
Apr64Unhealthy
May88Unhealthy
Jun100Unhealthy
Jul103Unhealthy
Aug83Unhealthy
Sep65Unhealthy
Oct44Poor
Nov31Moderate
Dec25Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Parys?

Parys sits at 26.9°S, 27.5°E, 1,398 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Vredefort, 15 km away.

Topography around Parys

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Parys has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 100 m around an average of 1,396 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 366 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 559 m.

The land around Parys is covered by grassland (38%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 3 km, grassland (57%) and cropland (21%) within 16 km, and grassland (57%) and cropland (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
100 m
16 km
366 m
80 km
559 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Vredefort 15 km · Sasolburg 37 km · Koppies 39 km · Potchefstroom 41 km · Vanderbijlpark 43 km · Fochville 46 km · Vereeniging 53 km · Evaton 57 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 Parys (-26.9033°, 27.4573°, elevation 1,398 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).