Riversdale weather in December

In December, Riversdale sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 28 mm of rain across 5.3 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 06 min at the start of December to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Riversdale's 7th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riversdale's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
16°
10th coldest
Rainfall
28 mm
5.3 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
5:23 AM – 7:39 PM
Cloud cover
44%
7th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
7.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.5
out of 10

Riversdale is town in the Western Cape, South Africa.

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 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Riversdale reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12615
22615
32615
42615
52615
62615
72715
82715
92715
102715
112715
122716
132716
142716
152716
162716
172716
182716
192716
202716
212716
222716
232716
242716
252716
262716
272816
282816
292816
302816
312817

Riversdale weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 17°275.3147.4
Feb28° / 17°235.313.37.1
Mar27° / 16°376.412.37.4
Apr24° / 13°355.911.27.7
May22° / 10°285.210.37.6
Jun19° / 265.49.87.2
Jul19° / 275.6107.1
Aug20° / 305.810.77.2
Sep21° / 10°23511.87.5
Oct24° / 12°385.812.97.7
Nov25° / 14°436.113.87.7
Dec27° / 16°285.314.27.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 33%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16436
26436
36535
46535
56535
66535
76535
86535
96535
106535
116535
126535
136535
146634
156634
166733
176733
186733
196832
206832
216832
226931
236931
246931
257030
267030
277030
287129
297129
307129
317030

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Riversdale gets around 28 mm of rain over 5.3 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 18% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
118
218
318
418
518
617
717
817
917
1017
1117
1217
1316
1417
1517
1617
1717
1817
1917
2018
2118
2218
2318
2418
2518
2618
2718
2818
2919
3019
3119

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 43% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1593290
2573490
35535100
45336110
55237110
65038120
74839121
84739131
94639131
104640141
114540141
124440151
134440151
144340161
154340161
164240171
174239181
184239181
194139191
204139191
214038201
223938211
233938222
243838222
253738232
263638242
273538252
283438263
293338263
303238273
313139273

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 12 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
112calm
212calm
312calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min at the start of December to 14 h 12 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 5:21 AM to 5:31 AM, and sunset from 7:28 PM to 7:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.15:217:28
214.15:217:29
314.15:217:30
414.25:217:30
514.25:217:31
614.25:217:32
714.25:217:33
814.25:227:34
914.25:227:34
1014.25:227:35
1114.25:227:36
1214.25:227:36
1314.25:227:37
1414.35:237:38
1514.35:237:38
1614.35:237:39
1714.35:247:40
1814.35:247:40
1914.35:247:41
2014.35:257:41
2114.35:257:42
2214.35:267:42
2314.35:267:43
2414.35:277:43
2514.35:277:44
2614.35:287:44
2714.35:287:44
2814.35:297:45
2914.35:307:45
3014.35:307:45
3114.25:317:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.36 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.63 kWh/m² to a high of 7.36 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 7.36 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.3Intense
27.3Intense
37.3Intense
47.3Intense
57.3Intense
67.3Intense
77.3Intense
87.3Intense
97.4Intense
107.4Intense
117.4Intense
127.4Intense
137.4Intense
147.4Intense
157.4Intense
167.4Intense
177.4Intense
187.4Intense
197.4Intense
207.4Intense
217.4Intense
227.4Intense
237.4Intense
247.4Intense
257.4Intense
267.4Intense
277.4Intense
287.4Intense
297.4Intense
307.4Intense
317.4Intense
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Riversdale?

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

7.5
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
7.5
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Riversdale in December

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

In December, Riversdale sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 16°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 5 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

Sea temperature near Riversdale in December

The nearest coast averages about 20°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 33 km away) is warmest in February at about 22°C and coldest in July near 15°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 13 to Mar 25 — about 3.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan21Refreshing
Feb22Refreshing
Mar21Refreshing
Apr19Cool
May17Cool
Jun16Cool
Jul15Cool
Aug16Cool
Sep16Cool
Oct17Cool
Nov19Cool
Dec20Refreshing

UV index in Riversdale 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 Riversdale peaks around January 14 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateExtremeJan 14UV 13Jun 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb10Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun3Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Riversdale?

Riversdale sits at 34.1°S, 21.3°E, 121 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Swellendam, 76 km away.

Topography around Riversdale

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riversdale has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 160 m around an average of 142 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,339 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,273 m.

The land around Riversdale is covered by cropland (39%) and shrubs (24%) within 3 km, cropland (40%), shrubs (26%) and grassland (24%) within 16 km, and shrubs (32%), grassland (28%) and water (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
160 m
16 km
1,339 m
80 km
2,273 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Swellendam 76 km · Mossel Bay 82 km · Groot-Brakrivier 89 km · Oudtshoorn 103 km · Montagu 110 km · George 112 km · Ashton 115 km · Bredasdorp 122 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 Riversdale (-34.0934°, 21.2572°, elevation 121 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).