Thaba Nchu weather in October

In October, Thaba Nchu sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 53 mm of rain across 7.7 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Thaba Nchu's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Thaba Nchu's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
6th warmest
Overnight low
11°
7th coldest
Rainfall
53 mm
7.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
5:36 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
38%
7th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
6.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.4
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 October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.

A typical October day in Thaba Nchu reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 15°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 2°C warmer than September and about 1°C cooler than November.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12510
22610
32610
42610
52610
62611
72611
82611
92611
102611
112611
122611
132611
142611
152611
162612
172612
182612
192612
202712
212712
222712
232712
242712
252712
262712
272712
282712
292712
302712
312713

How October really feels in Thaba Nchu

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October 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

October 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 October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 6th-warmest and 6th-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 October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

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

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 26%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47723
57723
67723
77723
87624
97525
107525
117525
127426
137327
147327
157327
167228
177327
187327
197327
207228
217228
227228
237228
247228
257228
267228
277228
287228
297228
307129
317129

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Thaba Nchu gets around 53 mm of rain over 7.7 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 24% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
116
217
317
418
518
619
720
820
921
1021
1122
1222
1323
1424
1524
1625
1726
1826
1927
2027
2128
2228
2329
2429
2529
2629
2729
2829
2929
3029
3129

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 97% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8982
9982
10982
11973
12973
13973
14964
15964
16964
17964
18964
19955
20955
21955
22955
23955
24955
25955
26955
27955
28955
29955
30955
31946

Wind in October

Winds average 13 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 13 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
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of October to 13 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:53 AM to 5:23 AM, and sunset from 6:10 PM to 6:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:536:10
212.35:526:11
312.35:516:11
412.45:506:12
512.45:486:12
612.45:476:13
712.55:466:13
812.55:456:14
912.55:446:15
1012.55:436:15
1112.65:426:16
1212.65:406:17
1312.65:396:17
1412.75:386:18
1512.75:376:19
1612.75:366:19
1712.75:356:20
1812.85:346:20
1912.85:336:21
2012.85:326:22
2112.95:316:23
2212.95:306:23
2312.95:296:24
2412.95:286:25
2513.05:276:25
2613.05:276:26
2713.05:266:27
2813.05:256:28
2913.15:246:28
3013.15:236:29
3113.15:236:30

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 6.88 kWh/m².

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 — October's 6.88 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.8Intense
116.8Intense
126.8Intense
136.8Intense
146.8Intense
156.9Intense
166.9Intense
176.9Intense
186.9Intense
197.0Intense
207.0Intense
217.0Intense
227.0Intense
237.0Intense
247.1Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.2Intense
297.2Intense
307.2Intense
317.2Intense
Planning a trip in October

Hazard calendar for Thaba Nchu

In seasonPeak

In October, 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 October a good time to visit Thaba Nchu?

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

7.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
7.2
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

October is one of the better times to visit Thaba Nchu for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Thaba Nchu in October

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

In October, Thaba Nchu sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 11°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 8 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Thaba Nchu in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 11 (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 October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October 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
October 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).