Solar & Daylight Data
Sun Path: Welkom, South Africa
How to research sun path for a specific site in Welkom — the controlling authority, source documents, and checks to run before you rely on a number.
Last updated August 31, 2026 · Location data from the [GeoNames ZA dump](https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/ZA.zip) (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 940909). Regulatory starting point: [South African Bureau of Standards and the local authority](https://www.sabs.co.za/). Figures are illustrative — verify against the current locally adopted edition for the site. Solar-method context: [NOAA Solar Calculation Details](https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/calcdetails.html); the Harth monthly table uses a simpler declination and geometric-daylight approximation whose stated limitations must be retained.
Direct answer
For Welkom at -27.9774, 26.7351, the declination-only solar-noon altitude is approximately 38.6° at the June solstice, 62.0° at an equinox and 85.5° at the December solstice. Refine these geometry checks with the project date, civil time, facade azimuth, terrain and local horizon. The reproducible location record is GeoNames ID 940909 in administrative area 03, at -27.9774, 26.7351; replace it with the surveyed parcel point before relying on the result. As a transparent geometry check, declination-only solar-noon altitude is about 38.6° at the June solstice, 62.0° at an equinox and 85.5° at the December solstice. Representative 21st-day geometry ranges from about 10.2 hours in June to 13.8 hours in December; this excludes atmospheric refraction, terrain and obstruction effects. The cited national authority is a discovery starting point; current local documents and a named qualified reviewer control project use of this sun path record.
Prepared by Harth · Prepared from the cited location and country sources; local project inputs remain unreviewed · Published 2026-08-26 · Updated 2026-08-31.
What must be verified for Welkom?
Welkom is represented here at approximately -27.9774, 26.7351 for discovery and workflow planning. A project address, parcel, elevation, exposure, authority, and submission date must replace that city-centre reference before design use.
How should sun path be established?
- Fix the surveyed site and local time basis.
- Select an authoritative weather source or a named solar-position algorithm.
- Record period, percentile or scenario and units.
- Test sensitivity to elevation, exposure, urban form and horizon.
- Save the source file, retrieval date and checker in the model record.
| Input | Project-specific evidence | QA question |
|---|---|---|
| Site | surveyed coordinates, elevation and horizon | Does the point represent the building? |
| Weather/solar method | named dataset, algorithm, period and time basis | Are station, time zone and units explicit? |
| Design scenario | current and future scenario agreed by the team | Is an average being mistaken for an extreme? |
| Compliance | adopted local document and edition | Was applicability confirmed with the authority? |
What are the limits of this worksheet?
This sun-path-workflow page is a project-starting worksheet, not a design value or approval. The controlling authority and qualified professionals for the Welkom site remain authoritative.
Which related searches does this primary location record cover?
This primary route consolidates the location evidence needed for Sun Path, Solar Altitude & Azimuth, Solar Shading Design, Daylight & Orientation. A narrower route should be released only when it adds a materially different official source, calculation, process, threshold or worked example.
Welkom monthly solar geometry check for sun path
| Representative date | Declination | Solar-noon altitude | Geometric daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 January | -20.14° | 82.2° | 13.5 h |
| 21 February | -11.23° | 73.2° | 12.8 h |
| 21 March | -0.40° | 62.4° | 12.0 h |
| 21 April | +11.58° | 50.4° | 11.2 h |
| 21 May | +20.14° | 41.9° | 10.5 h |
| 21 June | +23.45° | 38.6° | 10.2 h |
| 21 July | +20.44° | 41.6° | 10.5 h |
| 21 August | +11.75° | 50.3° | 11.2 h |
| 21 September | -0.20° | 62.2° | 12.0 h |
| 21 October | -11.75° | 73.8° | 12.8 h |
| 21 November | -20.44° | 82.5° | 13.5 h |
| 21 December | -23.45° | 85.5° | 13.8 h |
Month-by-month geometry interpretation
- 21 January: approximate solar-noon altitude 82.2° (zenith angle 7.8°) and 13.5 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.3 hours shorter than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 February: approximate solar-noon altitude 73.2° (zenith angle 16.8°) and 12.8 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.7 hours shorter than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 March: approximate solar-noon altitude 62.4° (zenith angle 27.6°) and 12.0 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.8 hours shorter than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 April: approximate solar-noon altitude 50.4° (zenith angle 39.6°) and 11.2 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.9 hours shorter than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 May: approximate solar-noon altitude 41.9° (zenith angle 48.1°) and 10.5 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.7 hours shorter than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 June: approximate solar-noon altitude 38.6° (zenith angle 51.4°) and 10.2 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.3 hours shorter than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 July: approximate solar-noon altitude 41.6° (zenith angle 48.4°) and 10.5 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.3 hours longer than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 August: approximate solar-noon altitude 50.3° (zenith angle 39.7°) and 11.2 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.7 hours longer than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 September: approximate solar-noon altitude 62.2° (zenith angle 27.8°) and 12.0 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.9 hours longer than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 October: approximate solar-noon altitude 73.8° (zenith angle 16.2°) and 12.8 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.8 hours longer than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 November: approximate solar-noon altitude 82.5° (zenith angle 7.5°) and 13.5 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.7 hours longer than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
- 21 December: approximate solar-noon altitude 85.5° (zenith angle 4.5°) and 13.8 hours of geometric daylight. That is 0.3 hours longer than the preceding representative date in this annual sequence.
Harth calculation for latitude -27.9774°: Cooper declination approximation, 90° - |latitude - declination| at solar noon, and centre-to-centre sunrise hour angle. See NOAA's solar calculation details for fuller method context. This screening table excludes equation-of-time/civil-time conversion, atmospheric refraction, terrain, facade azimuth and obstructions; it is not an hourly shading result.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all solar data guidance
- Sun Path: Klerksdorp, South Africa
- Sun Path: Bloemfontein, South Africa
- Sun Path: Botshabelo, South Africa
- Sun Path: Potchefstroom, South Africa
Sources and method
Location data from the GeoNames ZA dump (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 940909). Regulatory starting point: South African Bureau of Standards and the local authority. Figures are illustrative — verify against the current locally adopted edition for the site. Solar-method context: NOAA Solar Calculation Details; the Harth monthly table uses a simpler declination and geometric-daylight approximation whose stated limitations must be retained.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What does the sun path record for Welkom establish?
The sun path record for Welkom establishes a reproducible discovery point at -27.9774, 26.7351 (GeoNames ID 940909, administrative area 03) and a South Africa source path. It does not establish a final project value, approval or parcel decision.
What must be replaced before using this sun path workflow for a project in Welkom?
For the sun path record in Welkom, replace the -27.9774, 26.7351 city reference with the surveyed site or parcel, identify the competent local authority, and verify the current documents under National Building Regulations and SANS 10400, as applied by the local authority. Record the edition, retrieval date, units, assumptions and named checker before relying on the result.
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