Johannesburg vs Cape Town: which is sunnier?
🇿🇦 South Africa vs 🇿🇦 South Africa · 1,272 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Cape Town is the sunnier overall: about 3,482 hours of sunshine a year to Johannesburg's 3,287. Cape Town has the higher Sunshine Score in 6 of 12 months, Johannesburg in 5 (1 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
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At a glance
| Johannesburg | Cape Town | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,287 | 3,482 |
| Sunniest month | August (97/100) | February (97/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 79/100 | 95/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 81/100 | 55/100 |
| Rain / year | 642 mm | 734 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 12 (extreme) | 12 (extreme) |
Johannesburg vs Cape Town month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | Cape Town | Johannesburg | Cape Town | Johannesburg | Cape Town | |
| January | 76 | 96 | 27° | 28° | 122 | 20 |
| February | 84 | 97 | 27° | 28° | 82 | 15 |
| March | 85 | 95 | 26° | 26° | 73 | 25 |
| April | 91 | 91 | 23° | 23° | 43 | 48 |
| May | 96 | 87 | 20° | 20° | 16 | 71 |
| June | 73 | 56 | 17° | 17° | 7 | 135 |
| July | 74 | 51 | 17° | 16° | 3 | 124 |
| August | 97 | 58 | 21° | 17° | 7 | 121 |
| September | 96 | 74 | 25° | 18° | 16 | 62 |
| October | 88 | 91 | 27° | 21° | 57 | 47 |
| November | 82 | 91 | 27° | 23° | 89 | 46 |
| December | 75 | 96 | 27° | 26° | 127 | 20 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Cape Town · Feb Cape Town · Mar Cape Town · Apr even · May Johannesburg · Jun Johannesburg · Jul Johannesburg · Aug Johannesburg · Sep Johannesburg · Oct Cape Town · Nov Cape Town · Dec Cape Town.
When to pick which
- November–February: Cape Town (average score 95/100 vs 79). Daytime highs are similar (27°C vs 26°C).
- March–May: too close to call — Johannesburg averages 91/100, Cape Town 91/100. Daytime highs are similar (23°C vs 23°C).
- June–August: Johannesburg (average score 81/100 vs 55). Daytime highs are similar (18°C vs 17°C).
- September–October: Johannesburg (average score 92/100 vs 83). Johannesburg is the warmer, around 26°C daytime highs vs 20°C.
Full month-by-month guides: Johannesburg weather by month · Cape Town weather by month · Best time to visit South Africa.
More comparisons: Johannesburg vs Durban · Johannesburg vs Maputo · Johannesburg vs Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) · Cape Town vs Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) · Cape Town vs Windhoek · Cape Town vs Gaborone · all head-to-heads