Thaba Nchu weather in December

In December, Thaba Nchu sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 88 mm of rain across 11.6 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-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 50% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Thaba Nchu's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Thaba Nchu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
15°
10th coldest
Rainfall
88 mm
11.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:13 AM – 7:05 PM
Cloud cover
43%
11th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.7 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Thaba Nchu is town in Free State, South Africa.

Founded
1892

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 29°C through the month.

A typical December day in Thaba Nchu reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12814
22814
32814
42814
52814
62915
72915
82915
92915
102915
112915
122915
132915
142915
152915
162915
172915
182915
192916
202916
213016
223016
233016
243016
253016
263016
273016
283016
293016
303016
313016

How December really feels in Thaba Nchu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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

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

Thaba Nchu weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 17°10213.513.75.1
Feb28° / 16°8712.9135.6
Mar27° / 14°8211.312.26.7
Apr23° / 10°527.711.37.6
May20° / 213.410.67.9
Jun17° / 13210.27.3
Jul17° / 81.710.37.4
Aug20° / 182.6118.2
Sep24° / 162.811.88.6
Oct26° / 11°537.712.77.4
Nov28° / 13°779.213.56.7
Dec29° / 15°8811.613.85.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 26%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27129
37129
47030
57129
67129
77129
87129
97228
107228
117327
127327
137426
147426
157426
167624
177624
187624
197723
207723
217723
227624
237624
247723
257723
267723
277624
287723
297723
307723
317723

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Thaba Nchu gets around 88 mm of rain over 11.6 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 37% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
236
336
437
537
638
738
838
938
1038
1138
1238
1338
1438
1537
1637
1737
1837
1936
2036
2136
2236
2336
2437
2537
2636
2736
2836
2936
3036
3136

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 75% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
187121
286131
386131
485141
584151
684151
783161
883161
982171
1082171
1180182
1279192
1379192
1478202
1577203
1676213
1776213
1874224
1974224
2072235
2171245
2270246
2369256
2468266
2567267
2666277
2765287
2864288
2963298
3063298
3163298

Wind in December

Winds average 13 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of December to 13 h 48 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 5:10 AM to 5:20 AM, and sunset from 6:54 PM to 7:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:106:54
213.75:106:55
313.85:106:56
413.85:106:57
513.85:116:57
613.85:116:58
713.85:116:59
813.85:116:59
913.85:117:00
1013.85:117:01
1113.85:127:02
1213.85:127:02
1313.85:127:03
1413.95:127:03
1513.95:137:04
1613.95:137:05
1713.95:137:05
1813.95:147:06
1913.95:147:06
2013.95:157:07
2113.95:157:07
2213.95:167:08
2313.95:167:08
2413.95:167:09
2513.95:177:09
2613.95:187:09
2713.95:187:10
2813.95:197:10
2913.95:197:11
3013.95:207:11
3113.85:207:11

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 7.7 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.58 kWh/m² to a high of 7.7 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 7.7 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.6Intense
27.6Intense
37.6Intense
47.6Intense
57.6Intense
67.6Intense
77.6Intense
87.7Intense
97.7Intense
107.7Intense
117.7Intense
127.7Intense
137.7Intense
147.7Intense
157.7Intense
167.8Intense
177.8Intense
187.8Intense
197.8Intense
207.8Intense
217.8Intense
227.8Intense
237.8Intense
247.8Intense
257.7Intense
267.7Intense
277.7Intense
287.7Intense
297.7Intense
307.7Intense
317.7Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Thaba Nchu

In seasonPeak

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

Thaba Nchu's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Thaba Nchu?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Thaba Nchu for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Thaba Nchu in December

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

In December, Thaba Nchu sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Thaba Nchu in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December 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 Thaba Nchu peaks around January 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 13UV 15Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun4Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug7High
Sep8Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Thaba Nchu 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 Thaba Nchu is worst in August — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.6× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1128 µg/m³Dec 196 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb10Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr17Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun26Moderate
Jul28Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep24Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Thaba Nchu?

Thaba Nchu sits at 29.2°S, 26.8°E, 1,531 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Botshabelo, 13 km away.

Topography around Thaba Nchu

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Thaba Nchu has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 172 m around an average of 1,519 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 748 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 848 m.

The land around Thaba Nchu is covered by grassland (45%), artificial surfaces (30%) and cropland (23%) within 3 km, grassland (70%) and cropland (22%) within 16 km, and grassland (76%) and cropland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
172 m
16 km
748 m
80 km
848 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Botshabelo 13 km · Ladybrand 60 km · Bloemfontein 61 km · Maseru 64 km · Mabote 67 km · Winnie Mandela 68 km · Hlohlolwane 78 km · Mafeteng 78 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 Thaba Nchu (-29.2093°, 26.839°, elevation 1,531 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).