Richards Bay weather by month & the best time to visit
South Africa · beach resort · tropical — wet & dry seasons climate
The best time to visit Richards Bay is June — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 90/100), with July and May close behind. Richards Bay averages about 2,540 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 25°C / 77°F and roughly 20 mm of rain in June.
When is the best time to visit Richards Bay?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Richards Bay is June, then July and May. The dullest month is January (75/100, 104 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Richards Bay?
Richards Bay gets a lot of sun: around 2,540 hours a year. Conditions barely change through the year — only 15 Sunshine Score points separate June from January. It ranks #19 of 21 destinations in South Africa for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,871 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around December, carries about 41% of the annual 748 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 75 | 32° / 90°F | 21° / 70°F | 104 mm | 11 | 26° / 79°F |
| February | 77 | 32° / 90°F | 21° / 70°F | 92 mm | 11 | 26° / 79°F |
| March | 79 | 31° / 88°F | 20° / 68°F | 80 mm | 9 | 27° / 81°F |
| April | 85 | 29° / 84°F | 18° / 64°F | 47 mm | 6 | 25° / 77°F |
| May | 89 | 27° / 81°F | 15° / 59°F | 27 mm | 5 | 24° / 75°F |
| June | 90 | 25° / 77°F | 13° / 55°F | 20 mm | 3 | 23° / 73°F |
| July | 90 | 25° / 77°F | 12° / 54°F | 23 mm | 4 | 22° / 72°F |
| August | 89 | 27° / 81°F | 13° / 55°F | 26 mm | 5 | 22° / 72°F |
| September | 85 | 28° / 82°F | 15° / 59°F | 50 mm | 6 | 22° / 72°F |
| October | 80 | 29° / 84°F | 17° / 63°F | 78 mm | 7 | 22° / 72°F |
| November | 75 | 30° / 86°F | 18° / 64°F | 100 mm | 9 | 24° / 75°F |
| December | 75 | 31° / 88°F | 20° / 68°F | 101 mm | 10 | 26° / 79°F |
Sea temperature in Richards Bay by month
The sea off Richards Bay is warmest in March at around 27°C / 81°F, and coolest in July at 22°C / 72°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly all year round. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
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Richards Bay: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Richards Bay?
Richards Bay is a beach resort in South Africa with a tropical — wet & dry seasons climate — the sea reaches 27°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Richards Bay get a year?
Richards Bay gets about 2,540 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around June.
When is the best time to visit Richards Bay?
The sunniest time to visit Richards Bay is June, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 90/100 (with July and May close behind). Expect daytime highs around 25°C / 77°F.
What is the least sunny month in Richards Bay?
January is the least sunny month in Richards Bay, scoring 75/100 with about 104 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Richards Bay?
The sea in Richards Bay ranges from about 22°C (July) to 27°C (March). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Richards Bay?
The typical midday UV index in Richards Bay peaks around 11 (extreme) in January, easing to about 3 (moderate) in June. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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