Potchefstroom weather in December

In December, Potchefstroom sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 112 mm of rain across 16.1 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of December to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Potchefstroom's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Potchefstroom's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
17°
10th coldest
Rainfall
112 mm
16.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:18 AM – 6:58 PM
Cloud cover
51%
12th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
7.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.0
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 December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical December day in Potchefstroom reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 33°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)
12816
22816
32816
42816
52816
62816
72816
82916
92916
102917
112917
122917
132917
142917
152917
162917
172917
182917
192917
202917
212917
222917
232917
242917
252917
262917
272917
282917
292917
302917
312917

How December really feels in Potchefstroom

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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

December 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 December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 1st-warmest and 1st-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 December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 27% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26337
36337
46337
56337
66337
76535
86535
96535
106634
116733
126733
136733
146832
156832
166832
176832
186832
196832
206733
216733
226634
236634
246535
256436
266436
276535
286535
296535
306535
316634

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Potchefstroom gets around 112 mm of rain over 16.1 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 51% and peaks near 53% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
148
249
350
450
551
651
751
851
951
1051
1151
1251
1350
1450
1550
1650
1750
1850
1950
2050
2151
2251
2352
2452
2553
2653
2752
2852
2952
3051
3151

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 45% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1534070
2514270
3494380
4484480
5464580
6454690
7444790
8434890
94248100
104149100
114149100
124049110
134049110
143949120
153949120
163848130
173848141
183847151
193746161
203745171
213645181
223544201
233444211
243343221
253243242
263242252
273142262
283141262
293041272
303040282
313040282

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, 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
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of December to 13 h 42 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 5:15 AM to 5:25 AM, and sunset from 6:48 PM to 7:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:156:48
213.65:156:49
313.65:156:50
413.65:156:50
513.65:156:51
613.65:156:52
713.65:156:52
813.65:156:53
913.65:166:54
1013.65:166:54
1113.65:166:55
1213.75:166:56
1313.75:176:56
1413.75:176:57
1513.75:176:57
1613.75:186:58
1713.75:186:58
1813.75:186:59
1913.75:197:00
2013.75:197:00
2113.75:207:01
2213.75:207:01
2313.75:217:01
2413.75:217:02
2513.75:227:02
2613.75:227:03
2713.75:237:03
2813.75:237:03
2913.75:247:04
3013.75:247:04
3113.75:257:04

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.12 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

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 — December's 7.12 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.1Intense
37.1Intense
47.1Intense
57.1Intense
67.1Intense
77.1Intense
87.1Intense
97.1Intense
107.1Intense
117.2Intense
127.2Intense
137.2Intense
147.2Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.2Intense
237.2Intense
247.2Intense
257.2Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Potchefstroom

In seasonPeak

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

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 December a good time to visit Potchefstroom?

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

5.0
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.3
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Potchefstroom for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Potchefstroom in December

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

In December, Potchefstroom sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Potchefstroom 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 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 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 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
December 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).