AI-generatedPolokwane at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Oct
- Warmest month
- Feb · 28°
- Sunshine a year
- 3,080 h
- Rain a year
- 663 mm
- Climate
- Subtropical
- Time zone
- UTC+2
- Elevation
- 1,315 m
Climate in Polokwane
Polokwane has a subtropical climate with warm summers and mild winters. February is the warmest month with average highs of 28 °C, while July is the coolest at 20 °C. With around 3,080 hours of sunshine a year, Polokwane is very sunny; August is the sunniest month with 9.3 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Polokwane
The best time to visit Polokwane is from April to October. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from February to October. Rain is frequent from November to January; the wettest month is December with 142 mm.
Polokwane through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Polokwane in spring
Sep – Nov
Excellent
- 26–27 °C by day
- 8.5 h of sun a day
- 24 rainy days in all
Polokwane in summer
Dec – Feb
Good
- 27–28 °C by day
- 7.9 h of sun a day
- 42 rainy days in all
Polokwane in autumn
Mar – May
Excellent
- 23–27 °C by day
- 8.2 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days in all
Polokwane in winter
Jun – Aug
Excellent
- 20–23 °C by day
- 9.1 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Feb – Oct
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Nov – Jan
Rainy season or more than 12 rainy days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Polokwane for you.
Your best months: May – June, August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Excellent
Best time to visit: April – October
Good forSightseeing & walks
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 20°
- Midday, 13:00: about 27°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 26°
- Evening, 20:00: about 19°
- Night, 23:00: about 17°
05:2918:06
Pleasant evenings; a light layer can help.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 05:15–06:00 · evening 17:36–18:20
- Blue hour
- Morning 05:06–05:15 · evening 18:20–18:29
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Polokwane compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs stay at about 27° from start to end. The days get 0.7 h longer.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 27° | 27° |
| Night-time low | 12° | 14° |
| Daylight | 12.3 h | 12.9 h |
What is the weather like in Polokwane in October?
In October, Polokwane is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sun shines for around 8.6 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 47 mm. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 12 h 37 min05:29 – 18:06
- UV index
- 12 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 17 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 40 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 8 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+2offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %93 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %73 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- A jumper for the evenings
Compare two months in Polokwane
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
May has the better holiday weather in Polokwane: score 100 against 91. In May, days are 4 °C cooler than in October. May has 5 fewer rainy days.
| Month | October | May |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 91 | 100better |
| Daytime high | 27° | 23° |
| Night-time low | 13° | 8° |
| Sunshine | 8.6 h | 9.0 h |
| Rainy days | 8 | 3better |
| Rainfall | 47 mm | 12 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Polokwane month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
70January28° · 8.0 h
In January, Polokwane is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun shines for around 8.0 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 124 mm. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, January is a good month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in January75February28° · 8.0 h
In February, Polokwane is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sun shines for around 8.0 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 98 mm in total. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, February is a good month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in February84March27° · 7.6 h
In March, Polokwane is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sun shines for around 7.6 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 72 mm in total. All in all, March is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in March93April25° · 8.0 h
In April, Polokwane is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sun shines for around 8.0 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 42 mm. All in all, April is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in April100May23° · 9.0 h
In May, Polokwane is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. With around 9.0 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 12 mm in total. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in May100June21° · 8.9 h
In June, Polokwane is mild: daytime highs average 21 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sun shines for around 8.9 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in June100July20° · 9.1 h
In July, Polokwane is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. With around 9.1 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, July is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in July100August23° · 9.3 h
In August, Polokwane is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. With around 9.3 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. All in all, August is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in August100September26° · 9.1 h
In September, Polokwane is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. With around 9.1 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 12 mm in total. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, September is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in September91October27° · 8.6 h
In October, Polokwane is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sun shines for around 8.6 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 47 mm. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is an excellent month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in October76November27° · 7.8 h
In November, Polokwane is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sun shines for around 7.8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 103 mm in total. On about 8 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, November is a good month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in November66December27° · 7.7 h
In December, Polokwane is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7.7 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 142 mm. On about 7 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, December is a good month for a holiday in Polokwane.
Polokwane in DecemberClimate in detail
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Polokwane
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
- Pleasant 15–20°
CoolOctober: nights around 13°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in July (4°), the warmest in January (17°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from November to March. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from June to August, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 70 | 28° | 17° | 8.0 h | 14 | 124 |
| FebruaryFeb | 75 | 28° | 17° | 8.0 h | 11 | 98 |
| MarchMar | 84 | 27° | 15° | 7.6 h | 9 | 72 |
| AprilApr | 93 | 25° | 12° | 8.0 h | 6 | 42 |
| MayMay | 100 | 23° | 8° | 9.0 h | 3 | 12 |
| JuneJun | 100 | 21° | 5° | 8.9 h | 1 | 4 |
| JulyJul | 100 | 20° | 4° | 9.1 h | 1 | 4 |
| AugustAug | 100 | 23° | 7° | 9.3 h | 1 | 3 |
| SeptemberSep | 100 | 26° | 10° | 9.1 h | 3 | 12 |
| OctoberOct | 91 | 27° | 13° | 8.6 h | 8 | 47 |
| NovemberNov | 76 | 27° | 15° | 7.8 h | 14 | 103 |
| DecemberDec | 66 | 27° | 16° | 7.7 h | 17 | 142 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
23.90° S, 29.47° E · 1,315 m · Africa/Johannesburg
Sunshine hours in Polokwane
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 8.6 of 12.6 hours of daylight in Polokwane, 68 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: measured at the weather station 5 km away, averages 1991–2020 (WMO climate normals). Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain in Polokwane: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Polokwane has about 8 rainy days with 47 mm of rain in total.
UV index in Polokwane
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 12 · extremeAvoid the midday sun; SPF 50+, covering clothes, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in December (UV 13).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 10 min
- Fair skin
- about 15 min
- Light brown skin
- about 20 min
- Olive skin
- about 25 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind and clouds in Polokwane
How breezy and how cloudy Polokwane is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Polokwane typically peaks at 17 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, gentle breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 40 % of the sky over Polokwane: mostly sunny, with about 8.6 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat and humidity in Polokwane
How often the day gets hot in Polokwane (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Polokwane has about 8 hot days, with an average daytime high of 27 °C: some hot or muggy days. Single hot or muggy days are possible; a hat and water bottle are enough.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Planning a trip to Polokwane
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Polokwane in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Polokwane has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 100) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 68).
- 90
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Excellent
- 25 °C by day
- 7.9 h of sun a day
- 7 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 100
May half-term
May – Jun
ExcellentBest holidays
- 23 °C by day
- 9.0 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 100
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Excellent
- 22 °C by day
- 9.2 h of sun a day
- 1 rainy day a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 91
October half-term
Oct
Excellent
- 27 °C by day
- 8.6 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 68
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Good
- 28 °C by day
- 7.9 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 11 h 10 min
- Distance
- 8,880 km
- Time zone
- UTC+2
- Jet lag
- Hardly any (under 3 h)
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Compare & alternatives
Polokwane compared
Put Polokwane side by side with another destination.
Polokwane vs Hoedspruit
In October Polokwane has the better holiday weather (score 91 vs 79). During the day Hoedspruit is 2 °C warmer than Polokwane. Hoedspruit gets 2 fewer hours of sunshine a day.
| in October | Polokwane | Hoedspruit |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 91 | 79 |
| Daytime high | 27° | 29° |
| Sunshine | 9 h | 7 h |
| Rainy days | 8 | 5 |
| Best time | Apr – Oct | Apr – Aug |
Through the year
South Africa in October: the best places
In October, Polokwane ranks 3 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
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Near Polokwane
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Polokwane
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Polokwane's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Polokwane
When is the best time to visit Polokwane?
The best time to visit Polokwane is from April to October. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Polokwane?
February is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C and nights around 17 °C. July is the coolest month at 20 °C.
When does it rain most in Polokwane?
Rain is frequent from November to January; the wettest month is December with 142 mm. The driest month is August with 3 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Polokwane get?
Polokwane gets around 3,080 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is August with 9.3 hours a day; in March there are 7.6 hours a day.
What time zone is Polokwane in?
Polokwane is on UTC+2 all year.
How long is the flight from London to Polokwane?
A nonstop flight from London to Polokwane takes about 11 h 10 min, for a straight-line distance of about 8,880 km.
Which school holidays are best for Polokwane?
Polokwane has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 100) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 68). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 90, May half-term 100, summer holidays 100, October half-term 91, Christmas holidays 68.