Potchefstroom weather in August

In August, Potchefstroom sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with 11 mm of rain across 1.8 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 84% of the time in August, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 42 min at the start of August to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Potchefstroom's 3rd-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Potchefstroom's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
9th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Rainfall
11 mm
1.8 wet days
Daylight
11 hours
6:44 AM – 5:47 PM
Cloud cover
16%
3rd clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.9
out of 10

Potchefstroom is city in the North West Province of South Africa.

Density
968/km²
people per km²
Founded
1838

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 24°C by the end.

A typical August day in Potchefstroom reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 6°C overnight — a 16°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 3°C warmer than July and about 4°C cooler than September.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1214
2214
3214
4215
5215
6215
7215
8225
9225
10225
11225
12226
13226
14226
15226
16226
17236
18237
19237
20237
21237
22237
23237
24248
25248
26248
27248
28248
29248
30248
31259

How August really feels in Potchefstroom

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

August sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Potchefstroom weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 18°10914.913.55.1
Feb28° / 17°9212.312.95.8
Mar27° / 15°7610.812.26.7
Apr25° / 12°396.811.47.8
May22° / 192.910.78.6
Jun20° / 91.510.48.3
Jul20° / 40.710.58.5
Aug23° / 111.811.18.9
Sep26° / 11°163.111.88.3
Oct28° / 14°659.712.66.6
Nov28° / 15°8212.213.35.6
Dec29° / 17°11216.113.65.0

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 84% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 8%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1928
2928
3928
4928
5928
6928
7928
8928
9928
10928
11928
12928
13928
14937
15937
16928
17928
18928
19928
20919
21919
22919
23928
24928
25928
26928
27928
28928
29928
30928
31919

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Potchefstroom gets around 11 mm of rain over 1.8 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 5% and peaks near 8% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
14
24
34
44
54
64
74
84
94
104
114
125
135
145
155
165
175
185
195
205
216
226
236
246
257
267
277
287
297
308
318

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in August

Winds average 12 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1311calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min at the start of August to 11 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 6:56 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 5:39 PM to 5:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.76:565:39
210.76:555:40
310.86:555:41
410.86:545:41
510.86:535:42
610.86:525:42
710.86:525:43
810.96:515:43
910.96:505:44
1010.96:495:44
1110.96:495:45
1211.06:485:45
1311.06:475:46
1411.06:465:46
1511.06:455:47
1611.06:445:47
1711.16:435:48
1811.16:425:48
1911.16:415:49
2011.16:405:49
2111.26:395:50
2211.26:395:50
2311.26:385:51
2411.26:365:51
2511.36:355:51
2611.36:345:52
2711.36:335:52
2811.36:325:53
2911.46:315:53
3011.46:305:54
3111.46:295:54

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.86 kWh/m² to a high of 7.12 kWh/m² in December across the year — August's 5 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.6Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Potchefstroom

In seasonPeak

None of Potchefstroom's seasonal hazards are active in August. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

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

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

Is August a good time to visit Potchefstroom?

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

8.9
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.4
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

August is one of the better times to visit Potchefstroom for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Potchefstroom in August

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

In August, Potchefstroom sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 6°C. Worth packing: light clothes, a warm layer and sun protection.

light clothesa warm layersun protection

UV index in Potchefstroom in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Potchefstroom peaks around January 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 13UV 15Jun 20UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr9Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Potchefstroom in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Potchefstroom is worst in June — around 57 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.6× the cleanest month (December, 12 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJun 2257 µg/m³Dec 1913 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr34Moderate
May48Poor
Jun57Unhealthy
Jul56Unhealthy
Aug45Poor
Sep38Poor
Oct26Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Potchefstroom?

Potchefstroom sits at 26.7°S, 27.1°E, 1,335 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Stilfontein, 36 km away.

Topography around Potchefstroom

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Potchefstroom has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m around an average of 1,338 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 231 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 528 m.

The land around Potchefstroom is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and grassland (32%) within 3 km, grassland (71%) within 16 km, and grassland (61%) and cropland (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
39 m
16 km
231 m
80 km
528 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
August weather nearby: Stilfontein 36 km · Parys 41 km · Vredefort 42 km · Klerksdorp 46 km · Fochville 47 km · Carletonville 49 km · Orkney 52 km · Ventersdorp 53 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 Potchefstroom (-26.7167°, 27.1°, elevation 1,335 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).