Pietermaritzburg in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Pietermaritzburg sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 376 mm of rain over about 52 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 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Pietermaritzburg's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Pietermaritzburg's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 376 mm
- 52 wet days
- Avg wind
- 8 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.3
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Pietermaritzburg in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical summer day in Pietermaritzburg reaches about 26°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Pietermaritzburg 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 | 27° / 17° | 134 | 18 | 13.7 | 5.3 |
| Feb | 27° / 17° | 113 | 14.9 | 13.1 | 5.5 |
| Mar | 26° / 16° | 96 | 14.3 | 12.2 | 6.1 |
| Apr | 24° / 14° | 58 | 9.7 | 11.3 | 7.1 |
| May | 23° / 10° | 29 | 5.1 | 10.5 | 8.1 |
| Jun | 21° / 7° | 20 | 3.4 | 10.1 | 8.2 |
| Jul | 21° / 7° | 29 | 3.8 | 10.3 | 8.1 |
| Aug | 23° / 9° | 32 | 5.9 | 10.9 | 7.9 |
| Sep | 24° / 12° | 56 | 9.5 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| Oct | 24° / 13° | 92 | 15.4 | 12.7 | 6.1 |
| Nov | 25° / 14° | 116 | 17.2 | 13.5 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 26° / 16° | 129 | 19.2 | 13.9 | 5.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Pietermaritzburg gets around 376 mm of rain over 52 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 8 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min in early December to 12 h 42 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 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Pietermaritzburg
In summer, Pietermaritzburg overlaps 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.
Is summer a good time to visit Pietermaritzburg?
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 Pietermaritzburg for sightseeing.
What to pack for Pietermaritzburg in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Pietermaritzburg sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 52 days see rain.
UV index in Pietermaritzburg 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 14 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 5 | High |
| Jun | 4 | Moderate |
| Jul | 4 | Moderate |
| Aug | 6 | High |
| Sep | 7 | High |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Pietermaritzburg 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 22 | 28 | 42 | 60 | 91 | 92 | 100 | 77 | 62 | 39 | 35 | 23 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | Moderate |
| Feb | 28 | Moderate |
| Mar | 42 | Poor |
| Apr | 60 | Unhealthy |
| May | 91 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 92 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 100 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 77 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 62 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 39 | Poor |
| Nov | 35 | Moderate |
| Dec | 23 | Moderate |
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.
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 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.