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Johannesburg in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Take a look at past year’s weather for Johannesburg in December and see if it is worth visiting.
Check flight prices to Johannesburg on Avionero:
December

Weather in Johannesburg in December 2024

Good Weather
Warm
🌧️
Rainy
Are you considering a trip to Johannesburg in December? Well, the weather is usually on your side with an average maximum temperature of +77°F and about 3 sunny days. Just keep in mind that there may be some rain, with an average of 24 rainy days and 148 mm of precipitation. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
  • December is usually the hottest month of the year in Johannesburg;

Average weather

☀️
+77°F
Avg. max. temperature
+41°F
Min.
+95°F
Max.
148 mm
Total precipitation
70%
Avg. humidity
1 m/s
Avg. wind
3 ☀️
Sunny Days
4 ⛅️
Cloudy
24 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Johannesburg has good weather in December.

Average temperature in Johannesburg in December

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Johannesburg for December based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The temperature in December is +81°F on average, with a range between a maximum of +91°F during the day and a minimum of +52°F at night.

The average maximum temperature goes down 14% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +82°F to +77°F.

Is Johannesburg warm or cold in December?

Johannesburg is typically warm in December.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +75°F to +77°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +55°F to +57°F.

It’s generally warm, but pack a long-sleeve shirt for evenings.

December is the hottest month in Johannesburg, here is the comparison with other months:

Climate in Johannesburg in December

Johannesburg weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+75°F+77°F+77°F
Min. temperature
+39°F+41°F+43°F
Max. temperature
+95°F+95°F+99°F
Rainfall
111 mm148 mm142 mm
Wind
2 m/s1 m/s1 m/s
Humidity
65%70%72%
Air pressure
1016 HPa1015 HPa1014 HPa
Sunny days
534
Cloudy days
543
Rainy days
202424
Snowy days
000

December weather is still as good as in November. It’s getting warmer as December arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +75°F to +77°F during the day. Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 111 mm to 148 mm. Humidity rises from 65% to 70%. Winds are calmer in comparison to November, going down from 2 m/s to 1 m/s on average. The days becoming less sunny, going from 5 sunny days in November to 3 in December.

January brings much the same weather, it remains good.

Wind

Wind speed in Johannesburg in December based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 1 m/s getting up to 2 m/s which is a light breeze; barely moving the tree leaves.

The average wind speed in Johannesburg is gradually increasing during December, going from 1 m/s to 1 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during December in Johannesburg based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in December stands at 65%, leading to total precipitation of around 140 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 30 mm, which is moderate rain. December is a pretty wet month with over 20 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
December is one of the rainiest months in Johannesburg, here is a comparison with other months, total mm:
Johannesburg wettest month is December, where a typical day has a 77% chance of precipitation and 148 mm of rainfall per day. July, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 6% chance of precipitation and 5 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last December in Johannesburg?

This is the weather in Johannesburg in December 2023:
1 December
☀️
+82°F
2 December
☀️
+88°F
3 December
☀️
+90°F
4 December
☁️
+91°F
5 December
☁️
+88°F
6 December
☁️
+78°F
7 December
🌧️
+75°F
8 December
☁️
+85°F
9 December
☀️
+89°F
10 December
🌧️
+65°F
11 December
🌧️
+68°F
12 December
☀️
+79°F
13 December
☀️
+83°F
14 December
☁️
+82°F
15 December
☁️
+78°F
16 December
🌧️
+79°F
17 December
☁️
+82°F
18 December
☁️
+84°F
19 December
☁️
+85°F
20 December
☁️
+85°F
21 December
☀️
+86°F
22 December
☁️
+88°F
23 December
☀️
+90°F
24 December
☁️
+84°F
25 December
🌧️
+64°F
26 December
🌧️
+76°F
27 December
☁️
+63°F
28 December
🌧️
+78°F
29 December
☁️
+75°F
30 December
☀️
+76°F
31 December
☀️
+78°F
In December 2023 Johannesburg had 10 sunny days, 14 cloudy days, and 7 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +81°F, with an absolute maximum of +91°F and a minimum of +63°F. The average humidity was 67%, with a maximum of 98% and a minimum of 26%. The average wind speed was 1 m/s, with a maximum of 9 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in December?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Johannesburg climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Johannesburg in December has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 2000 (+69°F) and the highest in 2015 (+76°F). The driest year was 2015 with only 464 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2022 with 1539 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Johannesburg in December:

Is December a good time to visit Johannesburg?

December is a really good time to go to Johannesburg. The weather is nice so plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring. Check out other good time to visit Johannesburg.

Can you sunbathe in Johannesburg in December?

December is warm in Johannesburg. You may enjoy some beach or pool time in the day, but pack something a tad warmer for the evening.

Is Johannesburg rainy in December?

Johannesburg is often rainy in December. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Johannesburg in December?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Johannesburg in December, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in South Africa

Check out the weather for other cities in South Africa.

Monthly weather in Johannesburg

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Johannesburg, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.