Climate averages 1991–2020
Bethlehem, South Africa weather
in May.
A mild, fairly dry month: the 10th warmest and the 5th driest of the year. Meets the pleasant-weather rule
Long-term climate patterns, not a forecast for a particular trip.
May is a mild month in Bethlehem, South Africa: daytime highs average 18.2°C and nights cool to about 5.3°C. By daytime temperature it is the 10th warmest of the 12 months.
Expect about 25 mm of rain on roughly 3 days, which makes May a fairly dry month (the 5th driest of the 12 months). Daylight, from sunrise to sunset, lasts about 10 h 44 min on an average May day.
The nearest other city in this atlas is Phuthaditjhaba (60 km away). In May its highs average 17.6°C, 0.6°C cooler than Bethlehem, South Africa, with 25 mm of rain.
Among the 95 cities listed in South Africa, Bethlehem, South Africa ranks 94th of 95 for the warmest May highs and joint 73rd of 95 for the driest May (rainfall, lowest first). The mean May high of those 95 cities is 21.0°C; Bethlehem, South Africa is 2.8°C cooler than that mean.
From May to June, average highs fall by 2.8°C to 15.5°C, and monthly rainfall falls from 25 mm to 13 mm.
The annual picture
May in context
Monthly rainfall
Average total · mmAverages from hourly ERA5 reanalysis data. Actual weather varies from year to year. How these numbers are calculated
Every month, side by side
Bethlehem, South Africa climate table
| Month | Average highHigh / low | Average low | Rainfall mm/month | Rain days ≥1 mm/day | Daylight hours/dayDaylight h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25.5°C14.3°C | 14.3°C | 143 | 16.5 | 13.714 h |
| February | 25.0°C14.1°C | 14.1°C | 97 | 13.4 | 13.113 h |
| March | 23.6°C12.5°C | 12.5°C | 89 | 12.2 | 12.312 h |
| April | 20.9°C9.3°C | 9.3°C | 53 | 7.6 | 11.411 h |
| May, selected | 18.2°C5.3°C | 5.3°C | 25 | 3.4 | 10.711 h |
| June | 15.5°C2.1°C | 2.1°C | 13 | 2.1 | 10.410 h |
| July | 15.6°C1.4°C | 1.4°C | 7.6 | 1.3 | 10.511 h |
| August | 18.7°C3.9°C | 3.9°C | 21 | 3.3 | 11.111 h |
| September | 22.8°C7.7°C | 7.7°C | 22 | 3.7 | 11.912 h |
| October | 24.0°C10.2°C | 10.2°C | 87 | 9.7 | 12.713 h |
| November | 24.5°C11.7°C | 11.7°C | 111 | 12.2 | 13.513 h |
| December | 25.3°C13.5°C | 13.5°C | 147 | 16.7 | 13.914 h |
Rainfall is the average of the 30 separate monthly totals. A rain day is a local calendar day with at least 1 mm of precipitation. Daylight is the calculated sunrise-to-sunset length, not measured sunshine.
Compare places
May in nearby cities
- Phuthaditjhaba in MaySouth Africa · 60 kmHigh 17.6°C · Low 4.3°C · 25 mm rain
- Kroonstad in MaySouth Africa · 124 kmHigh 20.2°C · Low 6.4°C · 20 mm rain
- Virginia in MaySouth Africa · 142 kmHigh 20.6°C · Low 6.8°C · 19 mm rain
- Maseru in MayLesotho · 145 kmHigh 17.6°C · Low 3.5°C · 29 mm rain
- Ladysmith in MaySouth Africa · 149 kmHigh 21.8°C · Low 7.6°C · 21 mm rain
- Welkom in MaySouth Africa · 157 kmHigh 20.2°C · Low 6.3°C · 19 mm rain
- Kutloanong in MaySouth Africa · 159 kmHigh 20.7°C · Low 6.6°C · 20 mm rain
- Odendaalsrus in MaySouth Africa · 164 kmHigh 20.5°C · Low 6.6°C · 20 mm rain
Read the numbers correctly
Climate, not a promise.
These patterns help compare months. They cannot tell you the weather on a specific day of your trip.
Sources, method and limitsHow these numbers are made (what the highs, lows and rain days mean, the sources and the model cell used for Bethlehem) is explained once on the Bethlehem, South Africa year overview and on the Sources, method and limits page.