Phalaborwa in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Phalaborwa sees average daytime highs around 32°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 255 mm of rain over about 27 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 32°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Phalaborwa's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Phalaborwa's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 32°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 255 mm
- 27 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.2
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Phalaborwa in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 32°C.
A typical summer day in Phalaborwa reaches about 32°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Phalaborwa
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 78 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Phalaborwa weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32° / 22° | 94 | 9.4 | 13.3 | 4.2 |
| Feb | 32° / 22° | 68 | 8 | 12.8 | 4.3 |
| Mar | 31° / 21° | 43 | 6.4 | 12.2 | 5.0 |
| Apr | 29° / 19° | 21 | 3.8 | 11.5 | 6.4 |
| May | 28° / 15° | 9 | 1.7 | 10.9 | 8.1 |
| Jun | 26° / 13° | 4 | 0.8 | 10.6 | 8.9 |
| Jul | 25° / 12° | 5 | 0.6 | 10.7 | 9.0 |
| Aug | 27° / 14° | 4 | 1 | 11.2 | 8.4 |
| Sep | 29° / 17° | 11 | 2 | 11.9 | 6.8 |
| Oct | 30° / 19° | 24 | 4 | 12.6 | 5.8 |
| Nov | 31° / 20° | 62 | 7.9 | 13.2 | 4.7 |
| Dec | 32° / 22° | 93 | 9.8 | 13.5 | 4.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Phalaborwa gets around 255 mm of rain over 27 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 13 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min in early December to 12 h 30 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.9 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Phalaborwa?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer 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 Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Phalaborwa sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 27 days see rain.
UV index in Phalaborwa in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 14 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 5 | High |
| Jul | 5 | High |
| Aug | 7 | Very high |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Phalaborwa in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 8 | Good |
| Mar | 8 | Good |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 15 | Moderate |
| Jun | 13 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 13 | Moderate |
| Sep | 16 | Moderate |
| Oct | 12 | Good |
| Nov | 9 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
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.
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
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.