Sabie weather in December

In December, Sabie sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 218 mm of rain across 21 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sabie's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sabie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
15°
10th coldest
Rainfall
218 mm
21 wet days
Daylight
13 h 36 min
5:06 AM – 6:40 PM
Cloud cover
68%
12th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
out of 10

Sabie is town in South Africa.

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 24°C through the month.

A typical December day in Sabie reaches about 24°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 19°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12414
22414
32414
42414
52414
62414
72414
82414
92414
102414
112415
122415
132415
142415
152415
162515
172515
182515
192515
202515
212515
222515
232515
242515
252515
262515
272515
282515
292515
302515
312515

Sabie weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 15°2061913.45.5
Feb25° / 15°1711612.95.8
Mar24° / 14°1301612.26.1
Apr22° / 12°7510.511.46.8
May21° / 234.310.87.9
Jun19° / 122.910.57.9
Jul19° / 122.910.67.8
Aug21° / 193.911.18.0
Sep23° / 10°34611.87.9
Oct23° / 12°8313.312.66.5
Nov24° / 13°15617.213.25.7
Dec24° / 15°2182113.55.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33169
43169
53169
63169
73169
83268
93268
103367
113367
123565
133565
143565
153763
163763
173862
183862
193961
203961
213961
224060
234060
244060
254060
263961
274060
284060
294258
304258
314357

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Sabie gets around 218 mm of rain over 21 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 67% and peaks near 69% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
164
265
366
466
567
668
768
869
969
1069
1169
1269
1368
1468
1568
1667
1767
1867
1967
2067
2167
2267
2367
2467
2567
2666
2766
2866
2965
3064
3164

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 46% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12350270
22251270
32151280
42052280
52051290
61951300
71851310
81751320
91650331
101550341
111450351
121450361
131350371
141249381
151148391
161148401
171047422
18946432
19945442
20844452
21843473
22742483
23741493
24741493
25640504
26739504
27738514
28737524
29737524
30836524
31836524

Wind in December

Winds average 6 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 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 5:03 AM to 5:14 AM, and sunset from 6:30 PM to 6:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:036:30
213.55:036:31
313.55:036:31
413.55:036:32
513.55:046:33
613.55:046:33
713.55:046:34
813.55:046:35
913.55:046:35
1013.55:056:36
1113.55:056:37
1213.55:056:37
1313.55:056:38
1413.55:066:38
1513.55:066:39
1613.65:066:40
1713.65:076:40
1813.65:076:41
1913.65:086:41
2013.65:086:42
2113.65:096:42
2213.65:096:43
2313.65:096:43
2413.65:106:44
2513.65:106:44
2613.65:116:44
2713.65:126:45
2813.65:126:45
2913.55:136:46
3013.55:136:46
3113.55:146:46

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.03 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.82 kWh/m² to a high of 6.03 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 6.03 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.9Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
136.0Bright
146.0Bright
156.0Intense
166.0Intense
176.0Intense
186.1Intense
196.1Intense
206.1Intense
216.1Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Sabie

In seasonPeak

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

Sabie's monsoon runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Sabie?

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

5.2
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Sabie for sightseeing.

What to pack for Sabie in December

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

In December, Sabie sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 21 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Sabie in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December 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 Sabie peaks around February 8 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 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 highExtremeFeb 8UV 14Jun 22UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul5High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Very high
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Sabie 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 Sabie is worst in July — around 40 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.9× the cleanest month (December, 14 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateJul 2039 µg/m³Dec 2314 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr26Moderate
May35Poor
Jun36Poor
Jul40Poor
Aug38Poor
Sep30Moderate
Oct20Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sabie?

Sabie sits at 25.1°S, 30.8°E, 1,066 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Lydenburg, 34 km away.

Topography around Sabie

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sabie has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 384 m around an average of 1,103 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,536 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,050 m.

The land around Sabie is covered by trees (61%) and grassland (27%) within 3 km, trees (75%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and grassland (42%), trees (32%) and shrubs (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
384 m
16 km
1,536 m
80 km
2,050 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
December weather nearby: Lydenburg 34 km · White River 35 km · Hlanganani 42 km · Mbombela 46 km · Mafemani 46 km · Dwarsloop 47 km · Calcutta 48 km · Mkhuhlu 48 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 Sabie (-25.0999°, 30.78°, elevation 1,066 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).