Newcastle climate
Newcastle (South Africa) has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa). The average temperature over the year is 18 °C65 °F, and about 747 mm29 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Newcastle climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3086 | 1560 | 2373 | 1285.1 | 0 |
| Feb | 2985 | 1559 | 2272 | 983.9 | 0 |
| Mar | 2882 | 1457 | 2169 | 863.4 | 0 |
| Apr | 2576 | 1151 | 1864 | 451.8 | 0 |
| May | 2272 | 745 | 1559 | 110.4 | 0 |
| Jun | 1967 | 440 | 1253 | 100.4 | 1 |
| Jul | 1967 | 439 | 1253 | 110.4 | 1 |
| Aug | 2373 | 643 | 1558 | 180.7 | 1 |
| Sep | 2780 | 949 | 1865 | 341.3 | 0 |
| Oct | 2983 | 1253 | 2068 | 793.1 | 0 |
| Nov | 2985 | 1356 | 2170 | 1054.1 | 0 |
| Dec | 3086 | 1559 | 2373 | 1214.8 | 0 |
| Year | 3086 | 439 | 1865 | 74729 | 3 |
“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 | 67% | 67% | 6.6 | 13:43 |
| Feb | 68% | 64% | 6.3 | 13:05 |
| Mar | 68% | 58% | 5.6 | 12:19 |
| Apr | 65% | 51% | 4.7 | 11:28 |
| May | 57% | 35% | 4.2 | 10:46 |
| Jun | 55% | 28% | 3.8 | 10:24 |
| Jul | 52% | 26% | 4.1 | 10:32 |
| Aug | 48% | 30% | 4.9 | 11:08 |
| Sep | 48% | 36% | 5.8 | 11:58 |
| Oct | 56% | 55% | 6.1 | 12:49 |
| Nov | 61% | 63% | 6.6 | 13:32 |
| Dec | 64% | 69% | 6.7 | 13:53 |
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 Newcastle is like
The warmest month is January, with an average high of 30 °C86 °F and a low of 15 °C60 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 19 °C67 °F and lows 4 °C39 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 11.1 °C20 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 747 mm29 in. The wettest three-month stretch is November–January, which brings 47% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: May–August. The wettest month is January (128 mm5.1 in), the driest is June (10 mm0.4 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 48% in September to 68% in February. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 26%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 8 km/h (5 mph) in March to 12 km/h (7 mph) in September. Daylight lasts from about 10.4 hours in June to 13.9 hours in December.
Best time to visit Newcastle
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are March–October. Average highs then reach 19 °C67 °F to 29 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 10 mm0.4 in to 86 mm3.4 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 Newcastle
- Summer (December–February) — highs 2985 to 30 °C86 °F, lows around 15 °C59 °F, about 116 mm4.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (March–May) — highs 2272 to 28 °C82 °F, lows 745 to 14 °C57 °F, about 47 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 1967 to 23 °C73 °F, lows 439 to 6 °C43 °F, about 13 mm0.5 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 29 °C85 °F, lows 949 to 13 °C56 °F, about 73 mm2.9 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.
How Newcastle compares
The nearest larger place is Pietermaritzburg, about 212 km to the south. Compared with it, Newcastle has practically the same average temperature. It receives 36% less precipitation (747 mm29 in vs 1,170 mm46 in). The difference is largest in June (2.3 °C4.1 °F cooler).
World Climates covers 49 places in South Africa. By annual mean temperature, Newcastle is the 23rd warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 10th 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 Córdoba (Argentina, Cwa), Yuxi (China, Cwa) and Wenshan City (China, Cwa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Vryheid 85 km · 17 °C63 °F · 765 mm30 in
- Climate in Ladysmith 90 km · 19 °C66 °F · 792 mm31 in
- Climate in Standerton 114 km · 16 °C61 °F · 649 mm26 in
- Climate in Ermelo 136 km · 15 °C59 °F · 796 mm31 in
- Climate in eMbalenhle 161 km · 16 °C61 °F · 639 mm25 in
- Climate in Manzini 200 km · 21 °C70 °F · 735 mm29 in
- Climate in Nigel 206 km · 17 °C62 °F · 619 mm24 in
- Climate in Pietermaritzburg 212 km · 18 °C65 °F · 1,170 mm46 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Newcastle?
January is the warmest month in Newcastle. Its average high is 30 °C (86 °F) and its average low is 15 °C (60 °F).
What is the coldest month in Newcastle?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 19 °C (67 °F) and its average low is 4 °C (39 °F).
When does it rain the most in Newcastle?
January is the wettest month with about 128 mm (5.1 in) of precipitation. June is the driest with about 10 mm (0.4 in).
What is the best time to visit Newcastle?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are March–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.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 1,309 m, while Newcastle lies at about 1,195 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +0.7 °C1.3 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.