Phola weather in October

In October, Phola sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 73 mm of rain across 10 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 13 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Phola's 7th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Phola's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
4th warmest
Overnight low
13°
7th coldest
Rainfall
73 mm
10 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:30 AM – 6:08 PM
Cloud cover
44%
7th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.49 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.

A typical October day in Phola reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and on par with November.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12612
22612
32612
42613
52613
62613
72613
82613
92613
102613
112613
122613
132613
142613
152613
162613
172613
182613
192613
202613
212613
222613
232613
242614
252614
262614
272614
282614
292614
302614
312614

Phola weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°11615.113.46.0
Feb26° / 16°931212.96.3
Mar25° / 15°9111.312.26.9
Apr23° / 11°406.211.47.8
May21° / 152.410.78.4
Jun19° / 60.910.48.3
Jul19° / 50.810.58.3
Aug22° / 91.611.18.8
Sep25° / 11°19311.88.5
Oct26° / 13°731012.67.0
Nov26° / 14°9713.813.36.2
Dec26° / 16°12516.313.65.8

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 31%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37624
47624
57426
67426
77327
87327
97228
107129
117129
127030
137030
147030
156931
166931
176931
186931
196832
206733
216733
226733
236634
246634
256535
266535
276535
286535
296535
306337
316337

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Phola gets around 73 mm of rain over 10 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 31% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
120
221
322
423
524
624
725
825
926
1026
1127
1228
1328
1429
1529
1630
1731
1832
1933
2034
2135
2236
2337
2438
2539
2640
2740
2841
2941
3041
3141

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19820
29820
39820
49820
59820
69730
79730
89730
99640
109640
119640
129550
139550
149460
159370
169370
179280
189190
1990100
2089110
2188120
2287130
2386140
2485150
2584160
2683170
2782180
2881190
2979201
3078211
3176231

Wind in October

Winds average 12 km/h in October, the windiest month of the year.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 13 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:46 AM to 5:18 AM, and sunset from 6:00 PM to 6:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.25:466:00
212.35:446:01
312.35:436:01
412.35:426:02
512.35:416:02
612.45:406:02
712.45:396:03
812.45:386:03
912.45:376:04
1012.55:366:04
1112.55:356:05
1212.55:346:05
1312.55:336:06
1412.65:326:07
1512.65:316:07
1612.65:306:08
1712.65:296:08
1812.75:286:09
1912.75:276:09
2012.75:276:10
2112.75:266:10
2212.85:256:11
2312.85:246:12
2412.85:236:12
2512.85:226:13
2612.95:226:14
2712.95:216:14
2812.95:206:15
2912.95:196:15
3013.05:196:16
3113.05:186:17

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 6.49 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.93 kWh/m² to a high of 6.67 kWh/m² in December across the year — October's 6.49 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.4Intense
66.4Intense
76.4Intense
86.4Intense
96.4Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Phola

In seasonPeak

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

Phola'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 October a good time to visit Phola?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

October is one of the better times to visit Phola for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Phola in October

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

In October, Phola sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Phola 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 Phola peaks around January 14 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 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 14UV 14Jun 19UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul6High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Phola 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 Phola is worst in July — around 87 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.6× the cleanest month (January, 24 µg/m³).

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

0306090JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1286 µg/m³Jan 1024 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan24Moderate
Feb31Moderate
Mar39Poor
Apr56Unhealthy
May73Unhealthy
Jun83Unhealthy
Jul87Unhealthy
Aug72Unhealthy
Sep55Poor
Oct35Moderate
Nov26Moderate
Dec25Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Phola?

Phola sits at 26.0°S, 29.0°E, 1,503 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Emalahleni, 25 km away.

Topography around Phola

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Phola has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 98 m around an average of 1,528 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 223 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 907 m.

The land around Phola is covered by grassland (48%) and cropland (20%) within 3 km, grassland (49%) and cropland (36%) within 16 km, and grassland (58%) and cropland (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
98 m
16 km
223 m
80 km
907 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Emalahleni 25 km · Thubelihle 35 km · Kriel 36 km · Bronkhorstspruit 36 km · Delmas 39 km · Leslie 42 km · Lebohang 43 km · Kinross 46 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 Phola (-26.002°, 29.034°, elevation 1,503 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).