Richmond weather in August

In August, Richmond sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 38 mm of precipitation across 6.6 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 23°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time in August, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 30 min at the start of August to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Richmond's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Richmond's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
38 mm
6.6 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:36 AM – 5:30 PM
Cloud cover
36%
4th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
4.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.6
out of 10

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 23°C by the end.

A typical August day in Richmond reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 1°C warmer than July and about 1°C cooler than September.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1217
2217
3217
4217
5217
6217
7217
8218
9218
10218
11218
12228
13228
14228
15228
16228
17228
18228
19228
20229
21229
22229
23229
24229
25229
26239
27239
28239
29239
302310
312310

Richmond weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August 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
Jan26° / 16°14719.613.75.2
Feb26° / 16°12216.613.15.4
Mar25° / 15°11015.312.26.0
Apr23° / 13°6610.411.36.9
May22° / 315.610.57.8
Jun20° / 24410.17.9
Jul21° / 314.310.37.9
Aug22° / 386.610.97.6
Sep23° / 11°581011.87.0
Oct23° / 12°10316.812.75.7
Nov24° / 14°12318.613.55.3
Dec25° / 15°14320.713.95.1

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 26%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17921
27921
37822
47822
57822
67822
77822
87723
97723
107624
117525
127525
137426
147426
157426
167327
177327
187228
197228
207129
217129
227129
237129
247129
257129
267129
277030
287030
297030
307030
317030

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Richmond gets around 38 mm of rain and snow over 6.6 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 21% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
116
216
316
417
517
617
718
819
919
1020
1120
1221
1321
1421
1522
1622
1722
1822
1922
2023
2123
2223
2323
2423
2523
2623
2723
2824
2924
3024
3125

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 (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
23991
24991
25991
26991
27991
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in August

Winds average 8 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 30 min at the start of August to 11 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 6:49 AM to 6:19 AM, and sunset from 5:21 PM to 5:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.56:495:21
210.66:485:22
310.66:475:23
410.66:465:23
510.66:465:24
610.76:455:24
710.76:445:25
810.76:435:26
910.76:425:26
1010.86:415:27
1110.86:405:27
1210.86:395:28
1310.86:395:29
1410.96:385:29
1510.96:375:30
1610.96:365:30
1710.96:355:31
1811.06:345:32
1911.06:325:32
2011.06:315:33
2111.16:305:33
2211.16:295:34
2311.16:285:35
2411.16:275:35
2511.26:265:36
2611.26:255:36
2711.26:245:37
2811.26:225:37
2911.36:215:38
3011.36:205:39
3111.36:195:39

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 4.12 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.31 kWh/m² to a high of 5.51 kWh/m² in January across the year — August's 4.12 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.9Moderate
94.0Moderate
104.0Moderate
114.0Bright
124.0Bright
134.0Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.1Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.5Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Richmond

In seasonPeak

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

Richmond'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 Richmond?

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

7.6
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

August is one of the better times to visit Richmond for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Richmond in August

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

In August, Richmond sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 8°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 7 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Richmond in August

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 64 km away) is warmest in February at about 26°C and coldest in August near 21°C.

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

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr25Warm
May24Refreshing
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Warm

UV index in Richmond in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August 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 Richmond peaks around January 16 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighExtremeJan 16UV 14Jun 23UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar10Extreme
Apr6High
May5High
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Richmond 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 Richmond is worst in July — around 92 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.9× the cleanest month (December, 23 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1690 µg/m³Dec 2324 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan24Moderate
Feb31Moderate
Mar37Poor
Apr52Poor
May74Unhealthy
Jun77Unhealthy
Jul92Unhealthy
Aug75Unhealthy
Sep57Unhealthy
Oct39Poor
Nov37Poor
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Richmond?

Richmond sits at 29.9°S, 30.3°E, 883 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Pietermaritzburg, 31 km away.

Topography around Richmond

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Richmond has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 289 m around an average of 891 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,258 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,315 m.

The land around Richmond is covered by trees (43%), grassland (26%) and cropland (23%) within 3 km, trees (57%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and grassland (44%) and trees (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
289 m
16 km
1,258 m
80 km
2,315 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
August weather nearby: Pietermaritzburg 31 km · Mpophomeni 35 km · Mpumalanga 36 km · Howick 44 km · Folweni 53 km · Clydesdale 57 km · Pinetown 60 km · eMuziwezinto 62 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 Richmond (-29.872°, 30.2723°, elevation 883 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).