Mbombela climate
Mbombela (South Africa) has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). The average temperature over the year is 21 °C70 °F, and about 685 mm27 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Mbombela climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3087 | 1864 | 2476 | 1375.4 |
| Feb | 3087 | 1864 | 2476 | 953.7 |
| Mar | 3086 | 1763 | 2374 | 813.2 |
| Apr | 2781 | 1458 | 2170 | 502.0 |
| May | 2679 | 1152 | 1965 | 120.5 |
| Jun | 2475 | 847 | 1661 | 80.3 |
| Jul | 2474 | 847 | 1660 | 80.3 |
| Aug | 2679 | 1050 | 1865 | 100.4 |
| Sep | 2984 | 1355 | 2170 | 230.9 |
| Oct | 3086 | 1558 | 2272 | 522.1 |
| Nov | 3187 | 1661 | 2374 | 893.5 |
| Dec | 3188 | 1864 | 2476 | 1214.8 |
| Year | 3188 | 847 | 2170 | 68527 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71% | 70% | 6.2 | 13:34 |
| Feb | 70% | 66% | 6.1 | 12:59 |
| Mar | 69% | 60% | 5.4 | 12:18 |
| Apr | 68% | 52% | 4.6 | 11:31 |
| May | 59% | 33% | 4.3 | 10:53 |
| Jun | 56% | 30% | 4.0 | 10:33 |
| Jul | 53% | 29% | 4.2 | 10:41 |
| Aug | 51% | 31% | 4.9 | 11:14 |
| Sep | 51% | 36% | 5.7 | 11:59 |
| Oct | 58% | 57% | 5.8 | 12:44 |
| Nov | 63% | 68% | 6.0 | 13:24 |
| Dec | 67% | 74% | 6.1 | 13:43 |
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 Mbombela is like
The warmest month is December, with an average high of 31 °C88 °F and a low of 18 °C64 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 24 °C74 °F and lows 8 °C47 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 8.6 °C15.5 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 685 mm27 in. The wettest three-month stretch is December–February, which brings 52% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: May–August. The wettest month is January (137 mm5.4 in), the driest is June (8 mm0.3 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 51% in August to 71% in January. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 29%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 5 km/h (3 mph) in May to 9 km/h (5 mph) in October. Daylight lasts from about 10.6 hours in June to 13.7 hours in December.
Best time to visit Mbombela
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April–September: average highs of 24 °C74 °F to 29 °C84 °F with 8 mm0.3 in to 50 mm2.0 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is hot, with average highs of 30 °C87 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to 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 Mbombela
- Summer (December–February) — highs 3087 to 31 °C88 °F, lows around 18 °C64 °F, about 118 mm4.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (March–May) — highs 2679 to 30 °C86 °F, lows 1152 to 17 °C63 °F, about 48 mm1.9 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 2474 to 26 °C79 °F, lows 847 to 10 °C50 °F, about 9 mm0.3 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.
- Spring (September–November) — highs 2984 to 31 °C87 °F, lows 1355 to 16 °C61 °F, about 55 mm2.1 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 Mbombela compares
Compared with Manzini, about 121 km to the south, Mbombela has practically the same average temperature and receives 7% less precipitation (685 mm27 in vs 735 mm29 in).
Of the 49 places in South Africa covered by World Climates, Mbombela is the 6th warmest by annual mean temperature and the 16th wettest by annual precipitation. See all of them on the South Africa climate page.
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern (seasons shifted for the other hemisphere where needed): Manzini (Eswatini, Cwa), Salta (Argentina, Cwa) and Borama (Somalia, BSh).
Nearby places
- Ressano Garcia 103 km · 24 °C75 °F · 642 mm25 in
- Manzini 121 km · 21 °C70 °F · 735 mm29 in
- Ermelo 153 km · 15 °C59 °F · 796 mm31 in
- Maputo 171 km · 23 °C74 °F · 777 mm31 in
- Phalaborwa 171 km · 23 °C74 °F · 543 mm21 in
- Emalahleni 179 km · 16 °C61 °F · 656 mm26 in
- Somaroboro 215 km · 18 °C65 °F · 603 mm24 in
- eMbalenhle 224 km · 16 °C61 °F · 639 mm25 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Mbombela?
December is the warmest month in Mbombela, with an average high of 31 °C (88 °F) and an average low of 18 °C (64 °F).
What is the coldest month in Mbombela?
July is the coldest month, with an average high of 24 °C (74 °F) and an average low of 8 °C (47 °F).
When does it rain the most in Mbombela?
January is the wettest month with about 137 mm (5.4 in) of precipitation; June is the driest with about 8 mm (0.3 in).
What is the best time to visit Mbombela?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April–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 — most of all 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.