The most comfortable time to visit Cape Town is from October to early June. For walking, go from late March to early December. Sunbathing weather is not what it offers.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
Cape Town never quite rates Good for sun. It comes closest in early February, at 43, mostly because it is too cool. Avoid late May to mid September for this: it falls to 1, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in February, when the sky is typically 35% covered at midday (mostly clear).
The being outside season here runs from October to early June. It peaks in early May, at 76. The weakest stretch is from late June to July, when it drops to 40, mostly because it is too cold.
For walking, go from late March to early December. It peaks in early August, at 79. Avoid mid January to mid February for this: it falls to 34, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Cape Town over the whole year is 17°C. February is the hottest month, with highs of about 27°C; July is the coldest, with lows of about 10°C. Cape Town has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 28% in January, the driest month, to 50% in June, the wettest. Winds in Cape Town are highest in January, averaging 4.2 m/s (15 km/h), and lightest in May, at 2.5 m/s (9 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW. The clearest skies in Cape Town come in February, when the sky is typically 41% covered; June is the cloudiest month, at 52%.
Month by month Cape Town climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26°C | 19°C | 24°C | 28% | 42% | 4.2 m/s | 62 | 37 | 39 |
| February | 27°C | 19°C | 25°C | 32% | 41% | 3.9 m/s | 62 | 40 | 37 |
| March | 25°C | 18°C | 23°C | 35% | 47% | 3.5 m/s | 69 | 29 | 48 |
| April | 23°C | 15°C | 21°C | 35% | 46% | 3.0 m/s | 71 | 22 | 59 |
| May | 20°C | 13°C | 18°C | 39% | 49% | 2.5 m/s | 71 | 10 | 71 |
| June | 18°C | 11°C | 15°C | 50% | 52% | 2.8 m/s | 50 | 3 | 77 |
| July | 17°C | 10°C | 14°C | 47% | 49% | 2.7 m/s | 42 | 1 | 77 |
| August | 17°C | 10°C | 14°C | 42% | 49% | 2.9 m/s | 42 | 2 | 76 |
| September | 19°C | 12°C | 16°C | 44% | 51% | 3.2 m/s | 49 | 6 | 74 |
| October | 22°C | 15°C | 19°C | 29% | 47% | 3.6 m/s | 64 | 16 | 64 |
| November | 23°C | 16°C | 20°C | 41% | 45% | 4.0 m/s | 70 | 18 | 61 |
| December | 25°C | 18°C | 22°C | 34% | 43% | 4.1 m/s | 70 | 28 | 51 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Cape Town weather by season
Year round, Cape Town has days of about 17°C at their warmest in July, its coolest month, and 27°C in February, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 10°C to 19°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 17°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around June and least likely around January. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Cape Town weather in winterJune to August
Winter in Cape Town has typical daily highs of about 17°C and lows of about 10°C, with a 46% chance of rain on a given day.
Cape Town weather in springSeptember to November
Spring in Cape Town has typical daily highs of about 22°C and lows of about 14°C, with a 38% chance of rain on a given day.
Cape Town weather in summerDecember to February
Summer in Cape Town has typical daily highs of about 26°C and lows of about 19°C, with a 31% chance of rain on a given day.
Cape Town weather in autumnMarch to May
Autumn in Cape Town has typical daily highs of about 23°C and lows of about 15°C, with a 36% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Cape Town?
Cape Town has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 28% in January, the driest month, to 50% in June, the wettest.
What time of year is Cape Town windiest?
Winds in Cape Town are highest in January, averaging 4.2 m/s (15 km/h), and lightest in May, at 2.5 m/s (9 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW.
What is the average temperature in Cape Town year round?
The average temperature in Cape Town over the whole year is 17°C. February is the hottest month, with highs of about 27°C; July is the coldest, with lows of about 10°C.
Where to go instead in mid July, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.