Vaalwater weather in December

In December, Vaalwater sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 96 mm of rain across 14 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% 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 Vaalwater's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Vaalwater's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
5th warmest
Overnight low
18°
10th coldest
Rainfall
96 mm
14 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:19 AM – 6:49 PM
Cloud cover
58%
12th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.56 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Vaalwater reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12817
22817
32817
42817
52817
62817
72817
82817
92817
102817
112817
122817
132817
142818
152818
162818
172818
182818
192818
202818
212818
222818
232818
242818
252818
262818
272818
282818
292818
302818
312818

Vaalwater weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 18°10112.913.35.6
Feb28° / 18°779.612.86.0
Mar27° / 16°589.212.26.8
Apr25° / 13°334.711.48.0
May23° / 112.110.88.9
Jun21° / 5110.58.7
Jul21° / 30.610.68.7
Aug23° / 20.511.29.3
Sep27° / 12°101.811.88.5
Oct28° / 15°376.312.66.9
Nov28° / 17°7310.913.26.0
Dec28° / 18°961413.55.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 46%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25050
35050
44951
54951
64951
75050
85050
95050
105149
115248
125347
135347
145446
155644
165644
175743
185743
195743
205743
215743
225743
235743
245644
255644
265644
275743
285743
295743
305743
315842

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Vaalwater gets around 96 mm of rain over 14 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 45% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
244
344
445
545
646
746
847
947
1047
1148
1248
1348
1447
1547
1646
1746
1845
1944
2044
2144
2243
2343
2443
2542
2642
2742
2841
2941
3041
3141

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 41% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13043260
22944270
32844270
42745280
52545291
62445301
72345311
82245321
92145331
102045341
111945351
121845361
131745371
141645381
151545382
161544392
171443402
181443413
191442413
201441423
211340434
221339434
231339444
241338455
251337465
261336465
271335476
281335476
291334476
301434476
311433466

Wind in December

Winds average 9 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

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 5:15 AM to 5:26 AM, and sunset from 6:39 PM to 6:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:156:39
213.45:166:40
313.45:166:41
413.45:166:41
513.45:166:42
613.45:166:43
713.45:166:43
813.55:166:44
913.55:176:44
1013.55:176:45
1113.55:176:46
1213.55:176:46
1313.55:186:47
1413.55:186:47
1513.55:186:48
1613.55:196:49
1713.55:196:49
1813.55:206:50
1913.55:206:50
2013.55:206:51
2113.55:216:51
2213.55:216:52
2313.55:226:52
2413.55:226:53
2513.55:236:53
2613.55:236:53
2713.55:246:54
2813.55:246:54
2913.55:256:55
3013.55:266:55
3113.55:266:55

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.56 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.06 kWh/m² to a high of 6.73 kWh/m² in October across the year — December's 6.56 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.7Intense
216.7Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.7Intense
256.7Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.7Intense
316.7Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Vaalwater

In seasonPeak

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

Vaalwater's rainy season runs November–March, 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 Vaalwater?

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
6.3
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Vaalwater in December

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

In December, Vaalwater sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Vaalwater 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 Vaalwater peaks around January 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 16 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 highExtremeJan 12UV 15Jun 16UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr9Very high
May6High
Jun5High
Jul6High
Aug8Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Vaalwater 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 Vaalwater is worst in September — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Dec 196 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr12Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Vaalwater?

Vaalwater sits at 24.3°S, 28.1°E, 1,188 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Modimolle, 53 km away.

Topography around Vaalwater

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Vaalwater has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 104 m around an average of 1,170 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 598 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,265 m.

The land around Vaalwater is covered by shrubs (40%) and grassland (32%) within 3 km, shrubs (61%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and shrubs (64%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
104 m
16 km
598 m
80 km
1,265 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
December weather nearby: Modimolle 53 km · Mookgophong 66 km · Bela Bela 68 km · Thabazimbi 78 km · Lephalale 79 km · Marapong 87 km · Mokopane 91 km · Amandelbult 101 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 Vaalwater (-24.2957°, 28.1141°, elevation 1,188 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).