Senekal weather in January

In January, Senekal sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 117 mm of rain across 13.7 wet days and about 13.6 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 45% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Senekal's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Senekal's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
16°
12th coldest
Rainfall
117 mm
13.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 36 min
5:30 AM – 7:07 PM
Cloud cover
47%
11th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
7.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Senekal is South African town.

Founded
1877

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 Senekal reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 13°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 about 1°C warmer than February.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12916
22916
32916
42916
52916
62916
72916
82916
92916
102916
112916
122916
132916
142916
152916
162916
172916
182916
192916
202816
212816
222816
232816
242816
252816
262816
272816
282816
292816
302816
312816

How January really feels in Senekal

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Senekal 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° / 16°11713.713.65.4
Feb28° / 16°8512136.0
Mar26° / 14°8010.812.26.8
Apr23° / 10°517.511.37.7
May21° / 233.310.68.1
Jun18° / 131.810.27.7
Jul18° / 71.110.47.8
Aug21° / 182.6118.4
Sep25° / 162.911.88.6
Oct26° / 12°718.712.77.2
Nov27° / 13°8710.313.46.6
Dec28° / 15°12214.113.85.6

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 26% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 28%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17327
27327
37327
47327
57327
67327
77327
87426
97426
107426
117426
127327
137327
147327
157228
167228
177228
187228
197129
207030
217030
227030
237030
247030
257030
267030
277030
287030
297030
307129
317228

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Senekal gets around 117 mm of rain over 13.7 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 44% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
341
441
541
641
740
840
940
1041
1141
1242
1342
1443
1543
1644
1744
1845
1945
2046
2146
2246
2347
2447
2547
2647
2746
2846
2945
3045
3144

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 42% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
1424314
2424314
3424315
4424315
5424315
6434215
7434215
8434215
9434215
10434216
11434216
12424116
13424117
14414117
15414218
16404219
17394219
18384220
19374221
20374221
21364222
22354223
23354223
24344224
25344224
26334224
27334224
28334324
29334324
30334324
31334323

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 13 h 48 min at the start of January to 13 h 24 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 5:20 AM to 5:42 AM, and sunset from 7:06 PM to 7:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:207:06
213.85:207:06
313.85:217:06
413.85:217:07
513.75:227:07
613.75:237:07
713.75:247:07
813.75:247:07
913.75:257:07
1013.75:267:07
1113.75:267:07
1213.75:277:07
1313.75:287:07
1413.65:297:07
1513.65:307:07
1613.65:307:07
1713.65:317:07
1813.65:327:07
1913.65:337:07
2013.65:337:07
2113.55:347:07
2213.55:357:06
2313.55:367:06
2413.55:377:06
2513.55:377:06
2613.55:387:05
2713.45:397:05
2813.45:407:05
2913.45:417:04
3013.45:417:04
3113.45:427:03

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 7.17 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.71 kWh/m² to a high of 7.4 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 7.17 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.4Intense
27.4Intense
37.4Intense
47.4Intense
57.4Intense
67.3Intense
77.3Intense
87.3Intense
97.3Intense
107.3Intense
117.3Intense
127.3Intense
137.3Intense
147.3Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.1Intense
207.1Intense
217.1Intense
227.0Intense
237.0Intense
247.0Intense
257.0Intense
267.0Intense
277.0Intense
287.0Intense
296.9Intense
306.9Intense
316.9Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Senekal

In seasonPeak

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

Senekal'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 January a good time to visit Senekal?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Senekal in January

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

In January, Senekal sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Senekal in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Senekal peaks around January 14 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 5 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 14UV 15Jun 21UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug7High
Sep9Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Senekal 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 Senekal is worst in August — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1222 µg/m³Dec 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep20Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Senekal?

Senekal sits at 28.3°S, 27.6°E, 1,431 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Marquard, 43 km away.

Topography around Senekal

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Senekal has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 88 m around an average of 1,444 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 453 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,133 m.

The land around Senekal is covered by grassland (49%) and cropland (36%) within 3 km, grassland (63%) and cropland (34%) within 16 km, and grassland (66%) and cropland (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
88 m
16 km
453 m
80 km
1,133 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
January weather nearby: Marquard 43 km · Phomolong 63 km · Winburg 64 km · Ficksburg 66 km · Hlohlolwane 66 km · Fouriesburg 67 km · Bethlehem 68 km · Maputsoe 69 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 Senekal (-28.3197°, 27.6208°, elevation 1,431 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).