Bloemfontein climate
Bloemfontein (South Africa) has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk). The average temperature over the year is 17 °C63 °F, and about 490 mm19 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Bloemfontein climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3289 | 1662 | 2475 | 793.1 | 0 |
| Feb | 3187 | 1660 | 2374 | 742.9 | 0 |
| Mar | 2883 | 1356 | 2170 | 642.5 | 0 |
| Apr | 2475 | 948 | 1662 | 481.9 | 0 |
| May | 2069 | 541 | 1355 | 170.7 | 2 |
| Jun | 1661 | 133 | 947 | 140.5 | 7 |
| Jul | 1662 | 032 | 847 | 50.2 | 10 |
| Aug | 2068 | 236 | 1152 | 110.4 | 6 |
| Sep | 2577 | 744 | 1660 | 100.4 | 1 |
| Oct | 2883 | 1151 | 1967 | 341.4 | 0 |
| Nov | 3086 | 1355 | 2170 | 592.3 | 0 |
| Dec | 3289 | 1559 | 2374 | 753.0 | 0 |
| Year | 3289 | 032 | 1763 | 49019 | 25 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total. Frost days are for the whole grid cell.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48% | 50% | 7.6 | 13:49 |
| Feb | 51% | 52% | 6.8 | 13:08 |
| Mar | 52% | 46% | 5.9 | 12:20 |
| Apr | 55% | 44% | 4.7 | 11:25 |
| May | 53% | 34% | 4.0 | 10:41 |
| Jun | 55% | 29% | 3.6 | 10:17 |
| Jul | 51% | 23% | 3.9 | 10:27 |
| Aug | 44% | 27% | 4.8 | 11:05 |
| Sep | 36% | 32% | 5.9 | 11:58 |
| Oct | 38% | 41% | 6.9 | 12:51 |
| Nov | 41% | 43% | 7.7 | 13:37 |
| Dec | 44% | 48% | 7.9 | 13:00 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Bloemfontein is like
The warmest month is January, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F and a low of 16 °C62 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 16 °C62 °F and lows 0 °C32 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 15.9 °C28.5 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 490 mm19 in. The wettest three-month stretch is December–February, which brings 47% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: May–September. The wettest month is January (79 mm3.1 in), the driest is July (5 mm0.2 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 36% in September to 55% in April. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 23%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 7 km/h (5 mph) in April to 11 km/h (7 mph) in November. Daylight lasts from about 10.3 hours in June to 14.0 hours in December.
Best time to visit Bloemfontein
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are March–May and September and October. Average highs then reach 20 °C69 °F to 28 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 10 mm0.4 in to 64 mm2.5 in per month.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Bloemfontein
- Summer (December–February) — highs 3187 to 32 °C89 °F, lows 1559 to 16 °C62 °F, about 76 mm3.0 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Autumn (March–May) — highs 2069 to 28 °C83 °F, lows 541 to 13 °C56 °F, about 43 mm1.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Winter (June–August) — highs 1661 to 20 °C68 °F, lows 032 to 2 °C36 °F, about 10 mm0.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Spring (September–November) — highs 2577 to 30 °C86 °F, lows 744 to 13 °C55 °F, about 35 mm1.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How Bloemfontein compares
The nearest larger place is Soweto, about 356 km to the northeast. Compared with it, Bloemfontein is on average 0.5 °C0.9 °F warmer. It receives 16% less precipitation (490 mm19 in vs 586 mm23 in). The difference is largest in January (2.7 °C4.9 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 49 places in South Africa. By annual mean temperature, Bloemfontein is the 34th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 44th wettest. See all of them on the South Africa climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are San Luis (Argentina, Cwa), Maseru (Lesotho, Cwa) and Mendoza (Argentina, BWk).
Nearby places
- Climate in Botshabelo 52 km · 16 °C61 °F · 560 mm22 in
- Climate in Maseru 125 km · 16 °C60 °F · 670 mm26 in
- Climate in Virginia 130 km · 18 °C64 °F · 525 mm21 in
- Climate in Welkom 137 km · 18 °C64 °F · 525 mm21 in
- Climate in Kimberley 148 km · 19 °C66 °F · 417 mm16 in
- Climate in Kroonstad 192 km · 17 °C63 °F · 545 mm21 in
- Climate in Klerksdorp 256 km · 19 °C66 °F · 528 mm21 in
- Climate in Potchefstroom 281 km · 19 °C66 °F · 554 mm22 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Bloemfontein?
January is the warmest month in Bloemfontein. Its average high is 32 °C (89 °F) and its average low is 16 °C (62 °F).
What is the coldest month in Bloemfontein?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 16 °C (62 °F) and its average low is 0 °C (32 °F).
When does it rain the most in Bloemfontein?
January is the wettest month with about 79 mm (3.1 in) of precipitation. July is the driest with about 5 mm (0.2 in).
What is the best time to visit Bloemfontein?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are March–May and September and October.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.