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Cape Town enjoys a long summer from November to
March. This is the driest season, often with 11
hours sunshine each day and long sunny evenings.
Cape Town summers are infamous for their
south-easterly winds. If the wind does blow and
you’re after a suntan, mornings are usually much
less windy and certain beaches (e.g. Boulders,
Clifton) are more protected than others.
Sun & Temperature
|
Month |
Average Sunlight (hours) |
Temperature |
|
Average |
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Min |
Max |
 |
|
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|
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Jan |
11 |
16 |
26 |
|
Feb |
10 |
16 |
26 |
|
March |
9 |
14 |
25 |
|
April |
8 |
12 |
22 |
|
May |
6 |
9 |
19 |
|
June |
6 |
8 |
18 |
|
July |
6 |
7 |
17 |
|
Aug |
7 |
8 |
18 |
|
Sept |
8 |
9 |
18 |
|
Oct |
9 |
11 |
21 |
|
Nov |
10 |
13 |
23 |
|
Dec |
11 |
14 |
24 |
Spring (September and October) and autumn (April
and May) are when many tourists visit Cape Town.
These “in-between seasons” are less windy. The
spring is best for whale watching and the flowers,
whereas autumn is great for seeing the vineyards at
their best.
Cape Town winters (June to August) have a
reputation for rain and wind, but often produce
perfect days or even weeks. When it’s not raining
the winter is a perfect green season with daytime
temperatures often reaching 20°C or higher.
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Humidity and Rainfall
|
Month |
Relative
humidity |
Average
Rainfall (mm) |
Wet Days
|
|
am |
pm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jan |
72 |
54 |
15 |
3 |
|
Feb |
77 |
54 |
8 |
2 |
|
March |
85 |
57 |
18 |
3 |
|
April |
90 |
60 |
48 |
6 |
|
May |
91 |
65 |
79 |
9 |
|
June |
91 |
64 |
84 |
9 |
|
July |
91 |
67 |
89 |
10 |
|
Aug |
90 |
65 |
66 |
9 |
|
Sept |
87 |
62 |
43 |
7 |
|
Oct |
79 |
58 |
31 |
5 |
|
Nov |
74 |
56 |
18 |
3 |
|
Dec |
71 |
54 |
10 |
3 |
In South African the school summer
holidays run from early December to mid
January. Many South Africans visit Cape Town
during this period and book their visit
months in advance. Restaurants may be full
and accommodation scarce, so you should plan
holiday well in advance, and be prepared for
lots of company. The Easter period is also a
peak holiday time for South Africans.
There is an old joke which says that “Cape
Town has four seasons, sometimes all in the
same day”. It is worth checking the
weather forecast locally in the papers or on
radio. Also, if you wake up in the morning
and Table Mountain is clear; go up it that
morning because it may be covered in cloud
in the afternoon or for several days to
come.
Cape Town hosts many national and
international events. It may be worth
checking these out when planning your
holiday, you may want to participate or to
avoid these events. Remember, these events
can make it harder to get accommodation or
eat out at short notice. Visit the official
Cape Town calendar of events to see
what's on.
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