Tongaat weather in December

In December, Tongaat sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 128 mm of rain across 16.7 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Tongaat's 11th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tongaat's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
4th warmest
Overnight low
19°
9th coldest
Rainfall
128 mm
16.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
4:55 AM – 6:48 PM
Cloud cover
70%
11th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.71 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Tongaat is township in South Africa.

Founded
1945

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical December day in Tongaat reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12518
22518
32518
42518
52518
62518
72518
82518
92518
102518
112518
122518
132518
142519
152519
162619
172619
182619
192619
202619
212619
222619
232619
242619
252619
262619
272619
282619
292619
302619
312619

Tongaat weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 20°12416.113.75.6
Feb27° / 20°11413.713.15.8
Mar26° / 19°10813.712.26.2
Apr25° / 17°7710.311.37.1
May23° / 14°456.110.58.1
Jun22° / 11°284.510.18.2
Jul22° / 11°43510.38.0
Aug22° / 13°396.710.97.7
Sep23° / 14°7010.211.86.9
Oct23° / 16°1061512.76.1
Nov24° / 17°12315.713.55.8
Dec26° / 19°12816.713.95.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13070
23070
33070
43070
53070
63169
73070
83070
93169
103268
113268
123268
133367
143466
153466
163466
173466
183466
193466
203565
213565
223565
233466
243466
253466
263565
273565
283466
293466
303664
313664

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Tongaat gets around 128 mm of rain over 16.7 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 54% and peaks near 56% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
153
254
354
455
555
655
756
856
956
1055
1155
1255
1354
1454
1554
1653
1753
1853
1953
2053
2153
2253
2353
2453
2553
2653
2753
2853
2953
3053
3153

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 44% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 52% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
172040303
261941313
351941323
451841333
541841344
641741354
731640364
831540374
931540394
1031439405
1121338415
1221337435
1321237445
1421236456
1521135466
1621134476
1721033487
1811032498
191932508
201931509
2118305110
2218305011
2318295111
2417295112
2517285113
2617275213
2717275114
2817265115
2916265215
3016265116
3116255216

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 12 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
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of December to 13 h 54 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 4:52 AM to 5:03 AM, and sunset from 6:38 PM to 6:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.84:526:38
213.84:526:39
313.84:536:40
413.84:536:40
513.84:536:41
613.84:536:42
713.84:536:43
813.84:536:43
913.84:536:44
1013.94:536:45
1113.94:546:45
1213.94:546:46
1313.94:546:47
1413.94:546:47
1513.94:556:48
1613.94:556:48
1713.94:556:49
1813.94:566:49
1913.94:566:50
2013.94:576:51
2113.94:576:51
2213.94:586:51
2313.94:586:52
2413.94:596:52
2513.94:596:53
2613.95:006:53
2713.95:006:54
2813.95:016:54
2913.95:016:54
3013.95:026:55
3113.95:036:55

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.71 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.21 kWh/m² to a high of 5.75 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 5.71 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Tongaat

In seasonPeak

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

Tongaat sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

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

Is December a good time to visit Tongaat?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.2
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Tongaat for sightseeing.

What to pack for Tongaat in December

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

In December, Tongaat sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 19°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Tongaat in December

The nearest coast averages about 24°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in February at about 25°C and coldest in August near 21°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°22°24°26°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr24Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct22Refreshing
Nov23Refreshing
Dec24Refreshing

UV index in Tongaat in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Tongaat peaks around January 15 at about 12 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 15UV 12Jun 22UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar10Extreme
Apr6High
May5Moderate
Jun4Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug5High
Sep6High
Oct10Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Tongaat 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 Tongaat is worst in July — around 100 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.5× the cleanest month (January, 22 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1399 µg/m³Jan 1222 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan22Moderate
Feb28Moderate
Mar42Poor
Apr60Unhealthy
May91Unhealthy
Jun92Unhealthy
Jul100Unhealthy
Aug77Unhealthy
Sep62Unhealthy
Oct39Poor
Nov35Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Tongaat?

Tongaat sits at 29.6°S, 31.1°E, 6 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Ballitoville, 10 km away.

Topography around Tongaat

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tongaat has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 173 m around an average of 72 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 573 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,525 m.

The land around Tongaat is covered by trees (35%), cropland (27%) and grassland (21%) within 3 km, trees (30%), water (27%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (36%), water (29%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
173 m
16 km
573 m
80 km
1,525 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Ballitoville 10 km · Shakaskraal 17 km · Ntuzuma 24 km · KwaDukuza 32 km · Durban 33 km · Pinetown 35 km · Mpumalanga 53 km · Folweni 56 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 Tongaat (-29.5737°, 31.1155°, elevation 6 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).