Phalaborwa weather in October

In October, Phalaborwa sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 24 mm of rain across 4 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-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 46% of the time in October, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Phalaborwa's 8th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Phalaborwa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
6th warmest
Overnight low
19°
7th coldest
Rainfall
24 mm
4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:23 AM – 5:58 PM
Cloud cover
49%
8th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.55 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Phalaborwa is town in South Africa.

Founded
1957

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 30°C through the month.

A typical October day in Phalaborwa reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 37°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 1°C warmer than September and about 1°C cooler than November.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13018
23018
33018
43018
53018
63018
73018
83018
93018
103018
113018
123018
133018
143019
153019
163019
173019
183019
193019
203019
213019
223019
233019
243019
253019
263019
273019
283120
293120
303120
313120

How October really feels in Phalaborwa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October 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

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

Phalaborwa weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 22°949.413.34.2
Feb32° / 22°68812.84.3
Mar31° / 21°436.412.25.0
Apr29° / 19°213.811.56.4
May28° / 15°91.710.98.1
Jun26° / 13°40.810.68.9
Jul25° / 12°50.610.79.0
Aug27° / 14°4111.28.4
Sep29° / 17°11211.96.8
Oct30° / 19°24412.65.8
Nov31° / 20°627.913.24.7
Dec32° / 22°939.813.54.2

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 42%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16634
26733
36634
46634
56436
66436
76436
86337
96337
106337
116238
126139
136139
146040
156040
165842
175842
185644
195644
205545
215446
225347
235347
245347
255248
265248
275248
285248
295248
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Phalaborwa gets around 24 mm of rain over 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 13% and peaks near 18% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
19
29
39
49
59
69
79
810
910
1010
1111
1211
1312
1412
1513
1613
1714
1814
1914
2015
2115
2216
2316
2416
2516
2617
2717
2817
2917
3018
3118

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the comfortable band about 42% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
14537171
24437171
34438181
44338181
54239181
64139191
73940191
83841191
93742201
103543201
113444212
123344212
133145222
143045232
152846232
162746243
172646253
182446264
192346274
202245294
212045305
221944315
231943326
241842346
251742357
261741367
271640368
281639378
291638379
3016373810
3116363810

Wind in October

Winds average 13 km/h in October, the windiest month of the year.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:38 AM to 5:12 AM, and sunset from 5:51 PM to 6:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.25:385:51
212.25:375:51
312.35:365:52
412.35:355:52
512.35:345:53
612.35:335:53
712.45:325:53
812.45:315:54
912.45:305:54
1012.45:295:55
1112.55:285:55
1212.55:275:56
1312.55:265:56
1412.55:255:57
1512.55:245:57
1612.65:235:58
1712.65:235:58
1812.65:225:59
1912.65:215:59
2012.75:206:00
2112.75:196:00
2212.75:196:01
2312.75:186:01
2412.75:176:02
2512.85:166:02
2612.85:166:03
2712.85:156:03
2812.85:146:04
2912.85:146:04
3012.95:136:05
3112.95:126:06

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.55 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.76 kWh/m² to a high of 5.98 kWh/m² in December across the year — October's 5.55 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Phalaborwa?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
7.9
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Phalaborwa in October

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

In October, Phalaborwa sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Phalaborwa 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 Phalaborwa peaks around January 20 at about 14 (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 20UV 14Jun 20UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Phalaborwa in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Phalaborwa is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (January, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1516 µg/m³Jan 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar8Good
Apr11Good
May15Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Phalaborwa?

Phalaborwa sits at 23.9°S, 31.1°E, 435 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Acornhoek, 72 km away.

Topography around Phalaborwa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Phalaborwa has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 257 m around an average of 426 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 788 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,179 m.

The land around Phalaborwa is covered by trees (39%) and shrubs (27%) within 3 km, shrubs (64%) within 16 km, and shrubs (65%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
257 m
16 km
788 m
80 km
2,179 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Acornhoek 72 km · Giyani 83 km · Nkowakowa 87 km · Thulamahashi 87 km · Mafemani 94 km · Dwarsloop 95 km · Tzaneen 100 km · Duiwelskloof 106 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 Phalaborwa (-23.943°, 31.1411°, elevation 435 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).