Polokwane weather in December

In December, Polokwane sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 131 mm of rain across 15.9 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Polokwane's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Polokwane's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
17°
10th coldest
Rainfall
131 mm
15.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:14 AM – 6:42 PM
Cloud cover
60%
12th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Polokwane is South African city.

Density
2,550/km²
people per km²
Founded
1886

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Polokwane reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12616
22616
32616
42616
52616
62616
72616
82616
92616
102616
112616
122616
132716
142717
152717
162717
172717
182717
192717
202717
212717
222717
232717
242717
252717
262717
272717
282717
292717
302717
312717

Polokwane weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 17°11613.713.36.0
Feb27° / 17°8810.112.86.4
Mar26° / 16°749.512.27.0
Apr24° / 13°395.411.58.0
May23° / 10°112.510.98.7
Jun20° / 40.910.68.6
Jul20° / 30.710.78.5
Aug23° / 40.911.29.1
Sep26° / 12°132.711.98.5
Oct27° / 14°46812.67.2
Nov27° / 16°9813.513.26.0
Dec27° / 17°13115.913.45.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 51%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34456
44456
54357
64357
74456
84456
94555
104654
114753
124753
134852
144852
155050
165050
175248
185248
195248
205248
215248
225248
235248
245248
255248
265248
275248
285248
295347
305347
315347

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Polokwane gets around 131 mm of rain over 15.9 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 50% and peaks near 54% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
148
249
350
450
551
652
752
853
953
1054
1154
1254
1354
1453
1553
1652
1752
1851
1950
2050
2150
2249
2349
2449
2549
2648
2748
2847
2947
3046
3146

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 41% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13041280
22941290
32842300
42742310
52642320
62542330
72343340
82243351
92143351
102043361
111844371
121744371
131744381
141644381
151544392
161544392
171444402
181443402
191443413
201342413
211342424
221341424
231240434
241240444
251239445
261238455
271238455
281237465
291237465
301237465
311237465

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
110calm
210calm
310calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:11 AM to 5:22 AM, and sunset from 6:33 PM to 6:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:116:33
213.45:116:34
313.45:116:34
413.45:116:35
513.45:116:36
613.45:116:36
713.45:126:37
813.45:126:38
913.45:126:38
1013.45:126:39
1113.45:136:39
1213.55:136:40
1313.55:136:41
1413.55:146:41
1513.55:146:42
1613.55:146:42
1713.55:156:43
1813.55:156:43
1913.55:156:44
2013.55:166:44
2113.55:166:45
2213.55:176:45
2313.55:176:46
2413.55:186:46
2513.55:186:47
2613.55:196:47
2713.55:196:48
2813.55:206:48
2913.55:206:48
3013.55:216:49
3113.55:226:49

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.64 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.04 kWh/m² to a high of 6.67 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 6.64 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.7Intense
166.7Intense
176.7Intense
186.7Intense
196.7Intense
206.7Intense
216.8Intense
226.8Intense
236.8Intense
246.8Intense
256.8Intense
266.8Intense
276.8Intense
286.8Intense
296.8Intense
306.8Intense
316.8Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Polokwane

In seasonPeak

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

Polokwane's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Polokwane?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Polokwane for sightseeing.

What to pack for Polokwane in December

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

In December, Polokwane sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 16 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Polokwane in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Polokwane peaks around January 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 17UV 14Jun 18UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr9Very high
May7High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Polokwane in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Polokwane is worst in August — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.5× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1525 µg/m³Dec 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr16Moderate
May22Moderate
Jun23Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug26Moderate
Sep25Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Polokwane?

Polokwane sits at 23.9°S, 29.5°E, 1,315 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Mankweng, 24 km away.

Topography around Polokwane

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Polokwane has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 149 m around an average of 1,293 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 393 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,561 m.

The land around Polokwane is covered by artificial surfaces (61%) within 3 km, grassland (51%) and shrubs (21%) within 16 km, and shrubs (50%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
149 m
16 km
393 m
80 km
1,561 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Mankweng 24 km · Lebowakgomo 46 km · Mokopane 57 km · Tzaneen 71 km · Duiwelskloof 72 km · Nkowakowa 83 km · Mookgophong 102 km · Louis Trichardt 105 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 Polokwane (-23.9045°, 29.4688°, elevation 1,315 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).