Richmond weather in December

In December, Richmond sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 143 mm of rain across 20.7 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 24°C in the first days to 25°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in December, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Richmond's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Richmond's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
4th warmest
Overnight low
15°
9th coldest
Rainfall
143 mm
20.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
4:58 AM – 6:52 PM
Cloud cover
74%
12th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.5 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.1
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 24°C in the first days to 25°C by the end.

A typical December day in Richmond reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12414
22414
32414
42414
52414
62414
72414
82415
92415
102415
112415
122415
132415
142515
152515
162515
172515
182515
192515
202515
212515
222516
232516
242516
252516
262516
272516
282516
292616
302616
312616

Richmond weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-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 December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 72%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22773
32773
42773
52773
62674
72575
82575
92575
102674
112674
122674
132674
142674
152674
162872
172872
182872
192971
202971
212971
222971
233070
242971
252971
262971
272971
283070
293169
303169
313169

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Richmond gets around 143 mm of rain over 20.7 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 66% and peaks near 68% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
166
266
367
467
568
668
768
868
968
1068
1167
1267
1366
1466
1566
1666
1766
1866
1965
2065
2165
2265
2365
2465
2565
2665
2765
2864
2964
3063
3163

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the humid band about 47% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 11% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12142334
22042344
31942355
41842365
51742375
61641386
71541396
81440406
91339416
101239436
111238446
121137457
131136467
141035477
151034488
161033508
17931519
189305110
198295211
208285311
217275313
227265314
237255315
246245416
256235417
266235318
275225320
285225221
295215321
305215222
315205223

Wind in December

Winds average 8 km/h in December.

Across December, 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.

0246810151015202531
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 December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 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 4:55 AM to 5:05 AM, and sunset from 6:42 PM to 6:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.84:556:42
213.84:556:43
313.84:556:44
413.84:556:44
513.84:556:45
613.84:556:46
713.94:566:47
813.94:566:47
913.94:566:48
1013.94:566:49
1113.94:566:49
1213.94:576:50
1313.94:576:51
1413.94:576:51
1513.94:576:52
1613.94:586:52
1713.94:586:53
1813.94:586:54
1913.94:596:54
2013.94:596:55
2113.95:006:55
2213.95:006:56
2313.95:016:56
2413.95:016:56
2513.95:026:57
2613.95:026:57
2713.95:036:58
2813.95:036:58
2913.95:046:58
3013.95:056:59
3113.95:056:59

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.5 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 — December's 5.5 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Richmond

In seasonPeak

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

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 December a good time to visit Richmond?

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

5.1
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Richmond for sightseeing.

What to pack for Richmond in December

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

In December, Richmond sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 21 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Richmond in December

The nearest coast averages about 24°C in December — 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 December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). 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 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 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
December 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).