Rustenburg weather in January

In January, Rustenburg sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 94 mm of rain across 14.1 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-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 January, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of January to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Rustenburg's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rustenburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
19°
12th coldest
Rainfall
94 mm
14.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 24 min
5:37 AM – 7:04 PM
Cloud cover
52%
11th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.65 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
out of 10

Rustenburg is South African city, town and mine.

Density
1,323/km²
people per km²
Founded
1851

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 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Rustenburg reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 10°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, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12918
22918
32918
42919
52919
62919
72919
82919
92919
102919
112919
122919
132919
142919
152919
162919
172919
182919
192919
202919
212919
222919
232919
242919
252919
262919
272919
282919
292919
302919
312919

Rustenburg weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 19°9414.113.45.2
Feb29° / 18°8911.812.95.4
Mar27° / 17°7010.412.26.6
Apr25° / 13°335.811.47.9
May23° / 172.310.88.8
Jun20° / 71.310.48.5
Jul20° / 30.610.68.6
Aug23° / 71.211.19.1
Sep27° / 13°141.811.88.4
Oct28° / 15°497.512.66.6
Nov29° / 17°7411.313.35.6
Dec29° / 18°11114.713.65.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16139
26238
36238
46238
56238
66337
76337
86337
96337
106436
116436
126337
136436
146337
156337
166337
176337
186337
196337
206337
216337
226337
236337
246436
256436
266535
276634
286634
296634
306634
316733

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Rustenburg gets around 94 mm of rain over 14.1 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 46% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
145
245
345
445
544
644
744
845
945
1045
1145
1246
1346
1446
1547
1647
1747
1847
1947
2047
2147
2247
2347
2447
2547
2647
2746
2846
2945
3045
3144

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the humid band about 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 6% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
11832455
21833445
31833435
41833436
51834426
61835426
71835416
81836416
91736416
101736426
111736426
121635435
131635445
141634455
151534465
161533475
171433485
181432495
191332505
201332505
211232515
221232506
231232506
241232506
251233506
261233496
271233496
281234486
291235476
301335466
311336456

Wind in January

Winds average 8 km/h in January.

Across January, 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 January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of January to 13 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:27 AM to 5:48 AM, and sunset from 7:01 PM to 7:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:277:01
213.65:287:02
313.65:287:02
413.65:297:02
513.65:297:02
613.55:307:03
713.55:317:03
813.55:317:03
913.55:327:03
1013.55:337:03
1113.55:347:03
1213.55:347:03
1313.55:357:04
1413.55:367:04
1513.55:367:04
1613.45:377:04
1713.45:387:03
1813.45:397:03
1913.45:397:03
2013.45:407:03
2113.45:417:03
2213.45:427:03
2313.35:427:03
2413.35:437:03
2513.35:447:02
2613.35:457:02
2713.35:457:02
2813.35:467:02
2913.25:477:01
3013.25:477:01
3113.25:487:01

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.65 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.92 kWh/m² to a high of 6.8 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 6.65 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.8Intense
36.8Intense
46.8Intense
56.8Intense
66.8Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.8Intense
106.8Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.7Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.5Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Rustenburg

In seasonPeak

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

Rustenburg's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Rustenburg?

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

5.2
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Rustenburg in January

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

In January, Rustenburg sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 19°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Rustenburg in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January 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 Rustenburg peaks around January 11 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 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 11UV 14Jun 17UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr9Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul6High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Rustenburg in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Rustenburg is worst in June — around 69 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.0× the cleanest month (December, 14 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJun 1869 µg/m³Dec 2114 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar31Moderate
Apr46Poor
May62Unhealthy
Jun69Unhealthy
Jul66Unhealthy
Aug53Poor
Sep47Poor
Oct28Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Rustenburg?

Rustenburg sits at 25.7°S, 27.2°E, 1,171 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Marikana, 24 km away.

Topography around Rustenburg

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Rustenburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 201 m around an average of 1,167 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 650 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 m.

The land around Rustenburg is covered by artificial surfaces (56%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, grassland (45%) within 16 km, and grassland (51%) and shrubs (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
201 m
16 km
650 m
80 km
915 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
January weather nearby: Marikana 24 km · Hartbeestfontein-A 37 km · Koster 41 km · Brits 54 km · Bagale 60 km · Hartbeespoort 63 km · Letlhabile 63 km · Krugersdorp 71 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 Rustenburg (-25.6676°, 27.2421°, elevation 1,171 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).