Kimberley climate
Kimberley (South Africa) has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). The average temperature over the year is 19 °C66 °F, and about 417 mm16 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Kimberley climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3493 | 1865 | 2679 | 742.9 | 0 |
| Feb | 3391 | 1864 | 2577 | 682.7 | 0 |
| Mar | 3087 | 1560 | 2373 | 582.3 | 0 |
| Apr | 2679 | 1151 | 1865 | 381.5 | 0 |
| May | 2272 | 643 | 1458 | 140.6 | 1 |
| Jun | 1865 | 236 | 1050 | 100.4 | 4 |
| Jul | 1865 | 135 | 1050 | 30.1 | 7 |
| Aug | 2271 | 439 | 1355 | 80.3 | 3 |
| Sep | 2780 | 847 | 1763 | 100.4 | 0 |
| Oct | 3087 | 1254 | 2170 | 271.1 | 0 |
| Nov | 3290 | 1558 | 2374 | 401.6 | 0 |
| Dec | 3494 | 1763 | 2678 | 662.6 | 0 |
| Year | 3494 | 135 | 1966 | 41716 | 15 |
“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 | 41% | 48% | 7.5 | 13:47 |
| Feb | 45% | 52% | 6.7 | 13:07 |
| Mar | 46% | 43% | 6.0 | 12:20 |
| Apr | 49% | 40% | 4.9 | 11:26 |
| May | 47% | 30% | 4.1 | 10:42 |
| Jun | 50% | 22% | 3.7 | 10:19 |
| Jul | 46% | 20% | 4.1 | 10:29 |
| Aug | 39% | 22% | 4.9 | 11:06 |
| Sep | 31% | 27% | 6.1 | 11:58 |
| Oct | 33% | 36% | 7.0 | 12:50 |
| Nov | 33% | 38% | 7.8 | 13:36 |
| Dec | 35% | 46% | 7.9 | 13:58 |
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 Kimberley is like
The warmest month is January, with an average high of 34 °C93 °F and a low of 18 °C65 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 18 °C65 °F and lows 1 °C35 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 16.4 °C29.6 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 417 mm16 in. The wettest three-month stretch is December–February, which brings 50% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: May–September. The wettest month is January (74 mm2.9 in), the driest is July (3 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 31% in September to 50% in June. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 20%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 8 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 Kimberley
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April and May and August and September. Average highs then reach 22 °C71 °F to 27 °C80 °F. Precipitation is 8 mm0.3 in to 38 mm1.5 in per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is hot, with average highs of 34 °C93 °F.
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 Kimberley
- Summer (December–February) — highs 3391 to 34 °C94 °F, lows 1763 to 18 °C65 °F, about 69 mm2.7 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 2272 to 30 °C87 °F, lows 643 to 15 °C60 °F, about 37 mm1.5 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 1865 to 22 °C71 °F, lows 135 to 4 °C39 °F, about 7 mm0.3 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Spring (September–November) — highs 2780 to 32 °C90 °F, lows 847 to 15 °C58 °F, about 26 mm1.0 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 Kimberley compares
The nearest larger place is Bloemfontein, about 148 km to the east. Compared with it, Kimberley is on average 1.9 °C3.3 °F warmer. It receives 15% less precipitation (417 mm16 in vs 490 mm19 in). The difference is largest in December (2.3 °C4.1 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 49 places in South Africa. By annual mean temperature, Kimberley is the 13th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 49th 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 (with seasons shifted for the other hemisphere). The closest matches are Saltillo (Mexico, BSh), Mendoza (Argentina, BWk) and Chihuahua (Mexico, BSh).
Nearby places
- Climate in Bloemfontein 148 km · 17 °C63 °F · 490 mm19 in
- Climate in Botshabelo 200 km · 16 °C61 °F · 560 mm22 in
- Climate in Welkom 210 km · 18 °C64 °F · 525 mm21 in
- Climate in Virginia 217 km · 18 °C64 °F · 525 mm21 in
- Climate in Kroonstad 271 km · 17 °C63 °F · 545 mm21 in
- Climate in Maseru 272 km · 16 °C60 °F · 670 mm26 in
- Climate in Klerksdorp 281 km · 19 °C66 °F · 528 mm21 in
- Climate in Potchefstroom 321 km · 19 °C66 °F · 554 mm22 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Kimberley?
January is the warmest month in Kimberley. Its average high is 34 °C (93 °F) and its average low is 18 °C (65 °F).
What is the coldest month in Kimberley?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 18 °C (65 °F) and its average low is 1 °C (35 °F).
When does it rain the most in Kimberley?
January is the wettest month with about 74 mm (2.9 in) of precipitation. July is the driest with about 3 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Kimberley?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April and May and August and September.
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.