Wembesi weather in December

In December, Wembesi sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 150 mm of rain across 19.9 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-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 19% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

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 Wembesi's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wembesi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
15°
10th coldest
Rainfall
150 mm
19.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:02 AM – 6:52 PM
Cloud cover
65%
12th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.39 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

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

A typical December day in Wembesi reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12514
22514
32514
42514
52514
62514
72514
82514
92514
102514
112514
122614
132614
142615
152615
162615
172615
182615
192615
202615
212615
222615
232615
242615
252615
262615
272715
282715
292715
302715
312715

Wembesi weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 16°15919.613.65.2
Feb26° / 16°13516.4135.5
Mar25° / 14°10814.812.26.2
Apr23° / 11°55911.37.2
May21° / 193.810.67.9
Jun18° / 132.610.27.7
Jul18° / 152.510.37.7
Aug20° / 233.9117.9
Sep23° / 305.911.87.8
Oct24° / 11°8113.612.76.5
Nov25° / 13°10616.413.55.7
Dec26° / 15°15019.913.85.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 57%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14258
24159
34159
44060
54060
64060
74159
84060
94060
104159
114159
124258
134258
144258
154456
164456
174555
184555
194555
204555
214555
224555
234555
244456
254456
264456
274555
284654
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Wembesi gets around 150 mm of rain over 19.9 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 64% and peaks near 65% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
161
262
363
463
564
664
765
865
965
1065
1165
1265
1365
1465
1564
1664
1764
1863
1963
2063
2163
2263
2364
2464
2564
2664
2764
2864
2964
3063
3163

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 56% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1484660
2464770
3454970
4435070
5425080
6405280
7385390
8375490
93555100
103455110
113257110
123157120
132958130
142858140
152758150
162559160
172459170
182359180
192160190
202060200
211960210
221859221
231759231
241659241
251559251
261458271
271358281
281357291
291356301
301356301
311355311

Wind in December

Winds average 7 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 4:59 AM to 5:09 AM, and sunset from 6:42 PM to 6:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.74:596:42
213.74:596:43
313.74:596:44
413.84:596:45
513.84:596:45
613.84:596:46
713.84:596:47
813.85:006:47
913.85:006:48
1013.85:006:49
1113.85:006:49
1213.85:006:50
1313.85:016:51
1413.85:016:51
1513.85:016:52
1613.85:026:52
1713.95:026:53
1813.95:026:54
1913.95:036:54
2013.95:036:55
2113.95:046:55
2213.95:046:56
2313.95:056:56
2413.95:056:56
2513.95:066:57
2613.95:066:57
2713.95:076:58
2813.85:076:58
2913.85:086:58
3013.85:086:59
3113.85:096:59

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.39 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 6.39 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.39 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.3Intense
46.3Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.4Intense
156.4Intense
166.4Intense
176.4Intense
186.4Intense
196.4Intense
206.4Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Wembesi

In seasonPeak

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

Wembesi'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 December a good time to visit Wembesi?

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

5.2
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Wembesi for sightseeing.

What to pack for Wembesi in December

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

In December, Wembesi sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 20 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Wembesi 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 Wembesi peaks around January 15 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 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 15UV 15Jun 23UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr7Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug6High
Sep8Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Wembesi 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 Wembesi is worst in July — around 71 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.3× the cleanest month (December, 17 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyPoorModerateJul 1769 µg/m³Dec 2317 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar27Moderate
Apr37Poor
May51Poor
Jun57Unhealthy
Jul71Unhealthy
Aug58Unhealthy
Sep49Poor
Oct28Moderate
Nov25Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Wembesi?

Wembesi sits at 29.0°S, 29.8°E, 1,254 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Estcourt, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Wembesi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Wembesi has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 286 m around an average of 1,304 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 966 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,962 m.

The land around Wembesi is covered by grassland (71%) within 3 km, grassland (68%) within 16 km, and grassland (65%) within 80 km.

3 km
286 m
16 km
966 m
80 km
2,962 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Estcourt 9.0 km · Mooi River 27 km · Ladysmith 55 km · Howick 65 km · Mpophomeni 70 km · Greytown 79 km · Pietermaritzburg 87 km · Richmond 103 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 Wembesi (-29.0491°, 29.7823°, elevation 1,254 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).