Riversdale weather in January

In January, Riversdale sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 27 mm of rain across 5.3 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 12 min at the start of January to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Riversdale's 3rd-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riversdale's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
17°
11th coldest
Rainfall
27 mm
5.3 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:43 AM – 7:45 PM
Cloud cover
39%
3rd clearest
Wind
12 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.4
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 January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Riversdale reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12817
22817
32817
42817
52817
62817
72817
82817
92817
102817
112817
122817
132817
142817
152817
162817
172817
182817
192817
202817
212817
222817
232817
242817
252817
262817
272817
282817
292817
302817
312817

Riversdale weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-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 January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 28%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
37030
47030
57129
67129
77228
87228
97327
107327
117327
127426
137426
147426
157426
167426
177426
187426
197327
207327
217228
227228
237129
247129
257030
267030
276931
286931
296931
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Riversdale gets around 27 mm of rain over 5.3 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 17% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
119
219
319
419
519
618
718
818
918
1017
1117
1217
1316
1416
1515
1615
1715
1815
1915
2015
2116
2216
2316
2416
2517
2617
2717
2817
2917
3017
3117

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the comfortable band about 41% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 6% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13039283
23039283
32939284
42939284
52939284
62939284
72939284
82839284
92839285
102839275
112839275
122840266
132840266
142840256
152840257
162840257
172740257
182640268
192541268
202441268
212442278
222343278
232243278
242144287
252144287
262045287
271945297
281946297
291846296
301846306
311746306

Wind in January

Winds average 12 km/h in January.

Across January, 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
112calm
212calm
312calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 12 min at the start of January to 13 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:31 AM to 5:57 AM, and sunset from 7:45 PM to 7:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.25:317:45
214.25:327:45
314.25:327:46
414.25:337:46
514.25:347:46
614.25:357:46
714.25:357:46
814.25:367:46
914.25:377:46
1014.15:387:46
1114.15:397:46
1214.15:407:46
1314.15:407:46
1414.15:417:46
1514.15:427:46
1614.05:437:45
1714.05:447:45
1814.05:457:45
1914.05:467:45
2014.05:477:44
2113.95:487:44
2213.95:497:44
2313.95:497:43
2413.95:507:43
2513.95:517:43
2613.85:527:42
2713.85:537:42
2813.85:547:41
2913.85:557:41
3013.75:567:40
3113.75:577:39

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 7.22 kWh/m².

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 — January's 7.22 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.4Intense
47.4Intense
57.3Intense
67.3Intense
77.3Intense
87.3Intense
97.3Intense
107.3Intense
117.3Intense
127.3Intense
137.3Intense
147.3Intense
157.3Intense
167.3Intense
177.3Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.1Intense
237.1Intense
247.1Intense
257.0Intense
267.0Intense
277.0Intense
287.0Intense
296.9Intense
306.9Intense
316.9Intense
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Riversdale?

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

7.4
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
7.9
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

January 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 January

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

In January, Riversdale sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 17°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Riversdale in January

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in January — 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 January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 13 (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
January 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).