Port Elizabeth in Fall
In fall (March, April and May), Port Elizabeth sees average daytime highs around 22°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 125 mm of rain over about 21 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs ease from about 24°C in early March to 20°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across fall, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Fall is Port Elizabeth's 2nd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Port Elizabeth's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 22°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 125 mm
- 21 wet days
- Avg wind
- 18 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.4
- 2nd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Port Elizabeth in Fall
Over the season highs ease from about 24°C in early March to 20°C by late May.
A typical fall day in Port Elizabeth reaches about 22°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is March, the coolest May.
Port Elizabeth weather by month
How the three fall months (March, April and May) 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 | 24° / 19° | 34 | 6.9 | 14 | 7.8 |
| Feb | 24° / 20° | 37 | 6.8 | 13.3 | 7.7 |
| Mar | 23° / 19° | 44 | 7.5 | 12.3 | 7.7 |
| Apr | 22° / 17° | 43 | 7.5 | 11.2 | 7.3 |
| May | 21° / 15° | 38 | 6.3 | 10.3 | 7.3 |
| Jun | 20° / 13° | 41 | 6.5 | 9.8 | 7.1 |
| Jul | 19° / 12° | 38 | 6.4 | 10 | 7.1 |
| Aug | 19° / 13° | 52 | 7.9 | 10.7 | 6.8 |
| Sep | 19° / 14° | 38 | 6.8 | 11.8 | 6.8 |
| Oct | 20° / 15° | 48 | 7.8 | 12.9 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 21° / 16° | 53 | 7.9 | 13.8 | 6.9 |
| Dec | 23° / 18° | 42 | 6.9 | 14.2 | 7.5 |
Cloud cover in Fall
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time across fall.
Chance of precipitation in Fall
Port Elizabeth gets around 125 mm of rain over 21 wet days across fall. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Fall
Most of fall feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Fall
Winds average 18 km/h across fall.
Sunrise & sunset in Fall
Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min in early March to 9 h 54 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Fall
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across fall, about 4.1 kWh/m².
Is fall a good time to visit Port Elizabeth?
Our two travel scores rate fall for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
fall is one of the better times to visit Port Elizabeth for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Port Elizabeth in Fall
From fall's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In fall, Port Elizabeth sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 21 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Port Elizabeth in Fall
The nearest coast averages about 20°C across fall — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in January at about 21°C and coldest in August near 17°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 26 to Mar 29 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 21 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 20 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 20 | Cool |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 18 | Cool |
| Jul | 17 | Cool |
| Aug | 17 | Cool |
| Sep | 17 | Cool |
| Oct | 18 | Cool |
| Nov | 19 | Cool |
| Dec | 20 | Cool |
UV index in Port Elizabeth in Fall
Clear-sky midday UV across fall averages around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Port Elizabeth peaks around January 15 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 4 | Moderate |
| Jun | 3 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4 | Moderate |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 10 | Very high |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Port Elizabeth in Fall
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where fall falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Port Elizabeth is worst in June — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (January, 9 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) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 14 | Moderate |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 22 | Moderate |
| Jul | 18 | Moderate |
| Aug | 19 | Moderate |
| Sep | 16 | Moderate |
| Oct | 13 | Moderate |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
Where is Port Elizabeth?
Port Elizabeth sits at 34.0°S, 25.6°E, 61 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Kariega, 30 km away.
Topography around Port Elizabeth
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Port Elizabeth.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Elizabeth has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 m around an average of 38 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 285 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,357 m.
The land around Port Elizabeth is covered by artificial surfaces (46%) and water (26%) within 3 km, water (51%) within 16 km, and water (41%), grassland (26%) and trees (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 Port Elizabeth (-33.9611°, 25.6149°, elevation 61 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.