South Africa

South Africa Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in South Africa in December.

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Cape Town Johannesburg Durban Gqeberha

Planning a trip to South Africa this December? Here's what you need to know about the weather:

What to Expect in South Africa in December

The weather in South Africa in December can be quite varied, with temperatures that range from pleasant to very hot and precipitation levels ranging from almost none to heavy.

Temperatures

During the day temperatures vary from pleasant in Paternoster at 20°C (68°F) to very hot in Askham at 36°C (97°F). At night it cools down to 21°C (70°F) in Askham and 17°C (63°F) in Paternoster.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of South Africa, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From almost no rainfall in Kotzeshoop with an average of 3.3 mm (0.1 in) to heavy rainfall in Bonjaneni with 344 mm (14 in).

Average sunshine

Most destinations offer generous amounts of sunshine this December. For example, Cape Town gets approximately 334 hours of sunlight, perfect for anyone wanting bright, sunny days.

Explore South Africa by month

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

Best Places to Visit in South Africa in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across South Africa.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in South Africa

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in South Africa?

Temperature range in South Africa (December)

Precipitation variation in South Africa (December)

Cape Town

In December Cape Town generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C (75°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 16°C (61°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
22°C (72°F)
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
Min temperature
15°C (59°F)
16°C (61°F)
18°C (64°F)
Monthly sun hours
310 hours
334 hours
338 hours
Monthly rainfall
37 mm (1.5 in)
22 mm (0.9 in)
20 mm (0.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
5 days
6 days
5 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Cape Town →

Johannesburg

In December Johannesburg generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 16°C (61°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
27°C (81°F)
27°C (81°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
16°C (61°F)
16°C (61°F)
Monthly sun hours
249 hours
264 hours
250 hours
Monthly rainfall
103 mm (4.1 in)
140 mm (5.5 in)
133 mm (5.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
14 days
14 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
pleasant
pleasant
Climate in Johannesburg →

Durban

In December Durban generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 21°C (70°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
25°C (77°F)
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
19°C (66°F)
21°C (70°F)
22°C (72°F)
Monthly sun hours
168 hours
190 hours
183 hours
Monthly rainfall
102 mm (4 in)
98 mm (3.9 in)
95 mm (3.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
15 days
14 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Durban →

Knysna

In December Knysna generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 23°C (73°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 17°C (63°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
21°C (70°F)
23°C (73°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
15°C (59°F)
17°C (63°F)
18°C (64°F)
Monthly sun hours
320 hours
345 hours
320 hours
Monthly rainfall
72 mm (2.8 in)
51 mm (2 in)
52 mm (2 in)
Monthly rainy days
11 days
11 days
10 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Knysna →

Stellenbosch

In December Stellenbosch generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 26°C (79°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
24°C (75°F)
26°C (79°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
13°C (55°F)
15°C (59°F)
17°C (63°F)
Monthly sun hours
310 hours
334 hours
338 hours
Monthly rainfall
46 mm (1.8 in)
28 mm (1.1 in)
25 mm (1 in)
Monthly rainy days
5 days
6 days
5 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Stellenbosch →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in South Africa.

In our records: South Africa December extremes

Notable December records observed across cities in South Africa in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • In our records, the warmest December day in South Africa reached 44°C (111°F) in Kruger National Park on December 13, 2024.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in South Africa in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Cape Town 24°C (75°F) 16°C (61°F) 22 mm (0.9 in)
Johannesburg 27°C (81°F) 16°C (61°F) 140 mm (5.5 in)
Durban 27°C (81°F) 21°C (70°F) 98 mm (3.9 in)
Gqeberha 23°C (73°F) 18°C (64°F) 48 mm (1.9 in)
Bloemfontein 32°C (90°F) 17°C (63°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Mbombela 28°C (82°F) 18°C (64°F) 165 mm (6.5 in)

South Africa weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in South Africa in December?

Expect perfect weather across South Africa in December. The popular destination of Cape Town averages 24°C (75°F) by day and 16°C (61°F) at night during this month.

What is the average temperature in South Africa in December?

Cape Town averages a daytime maximum of 24°C (75°F) in December, with overnight lows close to 16°C (61°F).

Does South Africa get a lot of rain in December?

Rain is generally moderate to light in South Africa during December, with Cape Town averaging close to 22 mm (0.9 in).

Is December a Good Time to Visit South Africa?

We believe that December is one of the best times to visit South Africa with overall perfect weather in Cape Town.

Generally speaking, January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December provide perfect weather in Cape Town. On the other hand, the weather in July tends to be unpleasant.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in South Africa.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to South Africa? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in South Africa.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.

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