Port Elizabeth weather in September

In September, Port Elizabeth sees average daytime highs of 19°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 38 mm of rain across 6.8 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 19°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of September to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Port Elizabeth's 10th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Elizabeth's year-round climate.

Daytime high
19°
10th warmest
Overnight low
14°
4th coldest
Rainfall
38 mm
6.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:18 AM – 6:06 PM
Cloud cover
46%
10th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.8 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Port Elizabeth is city in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Density
569/km²
people per km²
Founded
1820

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

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 19°C through the month.

A typical September day in Port Elizabeth reaches about 19°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs on par with August and about 1°C cooler than October.

10°15°20°25°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11913
21913
31913
41913
51913
61913
71913
81913
91914
101914
111914
121914
131914
141914
151914
161914
171914
181914
191914
201914
211914
221914
231914
241914
251914
261914
272014
282014
292014
302014

Port Elizabeth weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 19°346.9147.8
Feb24° / 20°376.813.37.7
Mar23° / 19°447.512.37.7
Apr22° / 17°437.511.27.3
May21° / 15°386.310.37.3
Jun20° / 13°416.59.87.1
Jul19° / 12°386.4107.1
Aug19° / 13°527.910.76.8
Sep19° / 14°386.811.86.8
Oct20° / 15°487.812.96.8
Nov21° / 16°537.913.86.9
Dec23° / 18°426.914.27.5

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 35%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
36832
46832
56832
66733
76634
86634
96634
106634
116535
126535
136535
146535
156436
166436
176436
186535
196535
206535
216436
226535
236436
246436
256337
266337
276337
286238
296139
306238

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Port Elizabeth gets around 38 mm of rain over 6.8 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 23% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
122
222
322
422
522
622
722
822
922
1022
1122
1222
1322
1422
1522
1622
1722
1822
1922
2023
2123
2223
2324
2424
2524
2624
2725
2825
2925
3025

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the dry band about 71% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
181181
281181
380191
480191
579201
678211
777212
876222
975232
1075232
1173243
1272253
1371254
1470264
1570264
1668275
1768275
1868275
1967285
2067285
2167285
2266286
2366286
2465296
2565296
2664306
2764306
2863316
2962326
3062326

Wind in September

Winds average 20 km/h in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020light breeze
1120light breeze
1220light breeze
1320light breeze
1420light breeze
1520breezy
1620breezy
1720breezy
1820breezy
1920breezy
2020breezy
2120breezy
2220breezy
2320breezy
2420breezy
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820breezy
2920breezy
3020breezy

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of September to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:40 AM to 5:58 AM, and sunset from 5:55 PM to 6:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:405:55
211.36:385:56
311.36:375:56
411.46:355:57
511.46:345:58
611.46:335:59
711.56:315:59
811.56:306:00
911.56:286:01
1011.66:276:01
1111.66:256:02
1211.66:246:03
1311.76:226:03
1411.76:216:04
1511.86:206:05
1611.86:186:06
1711.86:176:06
1811.96:156:07
1911.96:146:08
2011.96:126:08
2112.06:116:09
2212.06:096:10
2312.06:086:11
2412.16:066:11
2512.16:056:12
2612.26:046:13
2712.26:026:14
2812.26:016:14
2912.35:596:15
3012.35:586:16

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.8 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.66 kWh/m² to a high of 7.23 kWh/m² in December across the year — September's 4.8 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.2Bright
24.3Bright
34.3Bright
44.3Bright
54.4Bright
64.4Bright
74.5Bright
84.5Bright
94.5Bright
104.6Bright
114.6Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.3Bright
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Port Elizabeth?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
3.1
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

September is a reasonable time to visit Port Elizabeth for sightseeing.

What to pack for Port Elizabeth in September

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

In September, Port Elizabeth sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: sun protection and a windbreaker. About 7 days see rain.

sun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Port Elizabeth in September

The nearest coast averages about 17°C in September — 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.

16°18°20°22°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar20Refreshing
Apr20Cool
May19Cool
Jun18Cool
Jul17Cool
Aug17Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct18Cool
Nov19Cool
Dec20Cool

UV index in Port Elizabeth in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 15UV 13Jun 23UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Very high
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Port Elizabeth in September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where September 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).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1621 µg/m³Jan 249 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr14Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun22Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug19Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

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.

Fort Beaufort

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.

3 km
105 m
16 km
285 m
80 km
1,357 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
September weather nearby: Kariega 30 km · Jeffreys Bay 65 km · Humansdorp 78 km · Kruisfontein 82 km · Grahamstown 112 km · Port Alfred 124 km · Somerset East 138 km · Fort Beaufort 162 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 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).