Port Shepstone weather in January

In January, Port Shepstone sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 98 mm of rain across 13.2 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-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 24% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 14 hours at the start of January to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Port Shepstone's 9th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Shepstone's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
22°
11th coldest
Rainfall
98 mm
13.2 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:14 AM – 7:01 PM
Cloud cover
64%
9th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.98 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Port Shepstone is town.

Founded
1867

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical January day in Port Shepstone reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12522
22522
32522
42522
52522
62522
72522
82522
92522
102522
112522
122522
132522
142522
152522
162522
172522
182522
192622
202622
212622
222622
232622
242622
252622
262622
272622
282622
292622
302622
312622

Port Shepstone weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 22°9813.213.86.2
Feb26° / 23°8311.713.16.2
Mar25° / 22°9811.812.26.6
Apr24° / 20°869.711.37.2
May23° / 18°455.810.58.0
Jun22° / 16°354.9108.0
Jul21° / 15°394.910.27.8
Aug21° / 16°42610.97.5
Sep21° / 17°638.711.86.8
Oct22° / 18°9313.212.86.1
Nov23° / 19°9813.213.66.1
Dec24° / 21°9413.3146.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
23961
34060
43961
53961
64060
74060
84159
94159
104159
114159
124060
134060
144060
154060
164060
174060
184159
194159
204159
214159
224159
234159
244159
254159
264258
274357
284357
294357
304357
314456

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Port Shepstone gets around 98 mm of rain over 13.2 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 42% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
342
442
542
642
742
842
942
1042
1142
1242
1342
1442
1542
1642
1742
1842
1942
2042
2142
2242
2342
2442
2542
2643
2743
2843
2943
3043
3143

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 45% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 82% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
151744340
251744340
351744340
451744340
551644340
651644340
751644341
851644341
951544341
1051545341
1151545341
1251545341
1351545351
1451545351
1551545351
1641445351
1741446351
1841446361
1941446361
2031446370
2131446370
2231446370
2331446370
2431446371
2521346371
2621347371
2721347381
2821247381
2921246381
3021246391
3121245392

Wind in January

Winds average 19 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light 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
1520light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 hours at the start of January to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:03 AM to 5:27 AM, and sunset from 7:00 PM to 6:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.05:037:00
214.05:037:00
313.95:047:01
413.95:057:01
513.95:057:01
613.95:067:01
713.95:077:01
813.95:087:01
913.95:087:01
1013.95:097:01
1113.95:107:01
1213.85:117:01
1313.85:117:01
1413.85:127:01
1513.85:137:01
1613.85:147:01
1713.85:157:01
1813.85:157:01
1913.75:167:01
2013.75:177:00
2113.75:187:00
2213.75:197:00
2313.75:207:00
2413.65:216:59
2513.65:216:59
2613.65:226:59
2713.65:236:58
2813.65:246:58
2913.55:256:57
3013.55:266:57
3113.55:276:56

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.98 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.08 kWh/m² to a high of 5.98 kWh/m² in January across the year — January's 5.98 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.1Intense
76.1Intense
86.1Intense
96.0Intense
106.0Intense
116.0Intense
126.0Intense
136.0Intense
146.0Intense
156.0Intense
166.0Intense
176.0Intense
186.0Bright
196.0Bright
206.0Bright
216.0Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Port Shepstone

In seasonPeak

In January, Port Shepstone sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Port Shepstone sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

Is January a good time to visit Port Shepstone?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Port Shepstone for sightseeing.

What to pack for Port Shepstone in January

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

In January, Port Shepstone sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 22°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Port Shepstone in January

The nearest coast averages about 26°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 17 km away) is warmest in February at about 26°C and coldest in August near 22°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Warm
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Warm

UV index in Port Shepstone in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January 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 Port Shepstone peaks around January 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighExtremeJan 16UV 13Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May5Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug5High
Sep5High
Oct10Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Port Shepstone in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Port Shepstone is worst in July — around 47 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 4.3× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateJul 1546 µg/m³Jan 2111 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb12Good
Mar18Moderate
Apr24Moderate
May39Poor
Jun43Poor
Jul47Poor
Aug40Poor
Sep30Moderate
Oct22Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Port Shepstone?

Port Shepstone sits at 30.7°S, 30.5°E, 36 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Ga-Malakhe, 14 km away.

Topography around Port Shepstone

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Shepstone has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 134 m around an average of 28 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 520 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,912 m.

The land around Port Shepstone is covered by water (45%) and trees (30%) within 3 km, water (48%), trees (24%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and grassland (35%), water (32%) and trees (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
134 m
16 km
520 m
80 km
1,912 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Ga-Malakhe 14 km · Margate 16 km · eMuziwezinto 52 km · Scottburgh 58 km · eMkhomazi 68 km · Clydesdale 70 km · Folweni 90 km · Richmond 98 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 Shepstone (-30.7414°, 30.455°, elevation 36 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).