Cape Town weather by month & the best time to visit
South Africa · major city break · Mediterranean climate
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The best time to visit Cape Town is February — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 97/100), with January and December close behind. Cape Town averages about 3,482 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 28°C / 82°F and roughly 15 mm of rain in February.
When is the best time to visit Cape Town?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Cape Town is February, then January and December. The dullest month is July (51/100, 124 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Cape Town?
Cape Town is one of the sunniest places on Earth: about 3,482 hours of sunshine a year. 46 Sunshine Score points separate February (97) from July (51), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #6 of 21 destinations in South Africa for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,871 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around July, carries about 52% of the annual 734 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 96 | 28° / 82°F | 17° / 63°F | 20 mm | 12 | 16° / 61°F |
| February | 97 | 28° / 82°F | 17° / 63°F | 15 mm | 11 | 20° / 68°F |
| March | 95 | 26° / 79°F | 16° / 61°F | 25 mm | 9 | 18° / 64°F |
| April | 91 | 23° / 73°F | 14° / 57°F | 48 mm | 6 | 15° / 59°F |
| May | 87 | 20° / 68°F | 12° / 54°F | 71 mm | 3 | 16° / 61°F |
| June | 56 | 17° / 63°F | 10° / 50°F | 135 mm | 2 | 15° / 59°F |
| July | 51 | 16° / 61°F | 10° / 50°F | 124 mm | 3 | 14° / 57°F |
| August | 58 | 17° / 63°F | 10° / 50°F | 121 mm | 4 | 14° / 57°F |
| September | 74 | 18° / 64°F | 11° / 52°F | 62 mm | 6 | 15° / 59°F |
| October | 91 | 21° / 70°F | 12° / 54°F | 47 mm | 8 | 16° / 61°F |
| November | 91 | 23° / 73°F | 14° / 57°F | 46 mm | 10 | 16° / 61°F |
| December | 96 | 26° / 79°F | 16° / 61°F | 20 mm | 12 | 19° / 66°F |
Sea temperature in Cape Town by month
The sea off Cape Town is warmest in February at around 20°C / 68°F, and coolest in July at 14°C / 57°F. It never reaches comfortable swimming temperatures (21°C+). Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
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Head-to-head
How Cape Town compares month by month: Cape Town vs Johannesburg · Cape Town vs Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) · Cape Town vs Windhoek · Cape Town vs Gaborone · all comparisons
Cape Town: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Cape Town?
Cape Town is a major city break in South Africa with a Mediterranean climate — the sea reaches 20°C at its warmest.
How many hours of sunshine does Cape Town get a year?
Cape Town gets about 3,482 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around February.
When is the best time to visit Cape Town?
The sunniest time to visit Cape Town is February, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 97/100 (with January and December close behind). Expect daytime highs around 28°C / 82°F.
What is the least sunny month in Cape Town?
July is the least sunny month in Cape Town, scoring 51/100 with about 124 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Cape Town?
The sea in Cape Town ranges from about 14°C (July) to 20°C (February). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Cape Town?
The typical midday UV index in Cape Town peaks around 12 (extreme) in January, easing to about 2 (low) in June. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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