Pietermaritzburg weather in November

In November, Pietermaritzburg sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 116 mm of rain across 17.2 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in November, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of November to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, November is Pietermaritzburg's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pietermaritzburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
5th warmest
Overnight low
14°
8th coldest
Rainfall
116 mm
17.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
4:58 AM – 6:29 PM
Cloud cover
71%
11th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.26 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Pietermaritzburg is city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Density
6,661/km²
people per km²
Founded
1839

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

Temperature in November

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month.

A typical November day in Pietermaritzburg reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, November runs about 1°C warmer than October and about 1°C cooler than December.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12414
22414
32414
42414
52414
62414
72514
82514
92514
102514
112514
122514
132514
142514
152515
162515
172515
182515
192515
202515
212515
222515
232515
242515
252515
262515
272515
282515
292515
302515

Pietermaritzburg weather by month

How November compares with the rest of the year at a glance. November is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 17°1341813.75.3
Feb27° / 17°11314.913.15.5
Mar26° / 16°9614.312.26.1
Apr24° / 14°589.711.37.1
May23° / 10°295.110.58.1
Jun21° / 203.410.18.2
Jul21° / 293.810.38.1
Aug23° / 325.910.97.9
Sep24° / 12°569.511.87.2
Oct24° / 13°9215.412.76.1
Nov25° / 14°11617.213.55.5
Dec26° / 16°12919.213.95.2

Cloud cover in November

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in November.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of November, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 71%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33268
43268
53268
63268
73268
83169
93169
103169
113070
123070
132971
142872
152872
162773
172674
182674
192674
202773
212773
222773
232872
242872
252872
262872
272971
282971
292971
302971

Chance of precipitation in November

Any precipitation

Pietermaritzburg gets around 116 mm of rain over 17.2 wet days in November. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 59% and peaks near 62% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
154
254
354
455
555
655
755
855
956
1056
1157
1257
1358
1459
1560
1660
1761
1861
1961
2061
2161
2261
2361
2461
2561
2661
2761
2861
2962
3062

Humidity in November

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, November lands in the comfortable band about 40% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13144241
23044251
32944251
42844261
52744271
62644292
72544302
82443312
92343312
102342323
112242333
122241344
132240344
142139355
152139355
162138366
172137366
182137366
192136366
202236367
212236367
222236357
232236357
242236367
252136366
262137366
272037376
281937386
291837396
301737407

Wind in November

Winds average 8 km/h in November.

Across November, 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.

051015151015202530
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

Sunrise & sunset in November

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of November to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over November. Sunrise moves from 5:07 AM to 4:55 AM, and sunset from 6:17 PM to 6:40 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:076:17
213.25:066:18
313.25:066:19
413.25:056:19
513.35:046:20
613.35:046:21
713.35:036:22
813.35:026:23
913.45:026:23
1013.45:016:24
1113.45:016:25
1213.45:006:26
1313.45:006:27
1413.54:596:27
1513.54:596:28
1613.54:586:29
1713.54:586:30
1813.64:586:31
1913.64:576:32
2013.64:576:32
2113.64:576:33
2213.64:566:34
2313.64:566:35
2413.74:566:36
2513.74:566:36
2613.74:566:37
2713.74:566:38
2813.74:556:39
2913.74:556:40
3013.84:556:40

Solar energy in November

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in November, about 5.26 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.29 kWh/m² to a high of 5.51 kWh/m² in January across the year — November's 5.26 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
Planning a trip in November

Hazard calendar for Pietermaritzburg

In seasonPeak

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

Pietermaritzburg'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 November a good time to visit Pietermaritzburg?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

November is a reasonable time to visit Pietermaritzburg for sightseeing.

What to pack for Pietermaritzburg in November

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

In November, Pietermaritzburg sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 14°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Pietermaritzburg in November

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in November peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Pietermaritzburg peaks around January 16 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighExtremeJan 16UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr6High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep7High
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Pietermaritzburg in November

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Pietermaritzburg is worst in July — around 100 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.5× the cleanest month (January, 22 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1399 µg/m³Jan 1222 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan22Moderate
Feb28Moderate
Mar42Poor
Apr60Unhealthy
May91Unhealthy
Jun92Unhealthy
Jul100Unhealthy
Aug77Unhealthy
Sep62Unhealthy
Oct39Poor
Nov35Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Pietermaritzburg?

Pietermaritzburg sits at 29.6°S, 30.4°E, 636 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Mpophomeni, 21 km away.

Topography around Pietermaritzburg

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Pietermaritzburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 130 m around an average of 653 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,026 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,321 m.

The land around Pietermaritzburg is covered by artificial surfaces (46%) and trees (33%) within 3 km, trees (43%) and grassland (34%) within 16 km, and grassland (40%) and trees (39%) within 80 km.

3 km
130 m
16 km
1,026 m
80 km
2,321 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
November weather nearby: Mpophomeni 21 km · Howick 22 km · Richmond 31 km · Mpumalanga 32 km · Pinetown 53 km · Ntuzuma 55 km · Folweni 58 km · Mooi River 60 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 Pietermaritzburg (-29.6168°, 30.3928°, elevation 636 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).