Cape Town: Four Seasons in One Day

When is the best time of the year to visit Cape Town?

Cape Town really can have four seasons in one day. But what characterizes the different seasons? What is the best time of the year to come to Cape Town? It’s the question we’re often asked and it’s a loooong answer. But let’s give you a little insight into the seasons, their temperatures and qualities.

Summer in Cape Town

The summers in Cape Town attract lots of tourists. This season is warm and dry. Summer in Cape Town begins in November and December, and lasts till January and February.

What do the climate charts say about the temperatures in Cape Town during summer? The average temperature during summer is 20 degrees. The warmest months are January and February with a maximum temperature of roughly 26 degrees. It won’t get any colder than 14 degrees at night, so don’t bother to bring your fur coat. Or an umbrella, for that matter: rainfall is between 24mm (November) and 14mm (January).

Do bring some sun tan lotion, after sun and a hat. The sun shines approximately 10,5 hours a day during the summer months in November, December, January and Febuary. Humidity is lowest during summer.

Nice fact: the highest temperature measured in Cape Town was a steaming 41,3 degrees in January. Don’t worry; the Cape Doctor will blow a cool breeze your way. A strong south-eastern wind visits the Cape Peninsula during summer. When the Berg Wind (a wind blowing in from the Karoo) hits Cape Town you’ll be feeling hot, hot, hot!

What to do in Cape Town during summer? Definitely pack some swimming gear and head to Cape Town’s most beautiful beaches. Or do you want to do something a bit more challenging? Then opt for a dive with the Great Whites near Hermanus. Or go to Noordhoek for a horse back ride, kite flying or surfing lesson.

Autumn in Cape Town

Autumn in Cape Town – March and April - is one of the most beautiful seasonal periods. The Cape vineyards turn into bright red, brown, orange and yellow while temperatures stay pleasant. The slopes on the countryside transform into fields of gold and scarlet. Some would even say autumn is the best time to visit Cape Town.

The wind drops. The temperatures during autumn in Cape Town are very pleasant and mellow. On the climate charts of Cape Town autumn weather you will see an average temperature of 20 degrees in March and 18 degrees in April.

What to do in Cape Town during autumn? Autumn is the ultimate season for a trip to the Cape Winelands. Many tourists choose this ‘off-season’ to travel to the beautiful Constantia valley and Stellenbosch area. Take a day trip or indulge in the luxury of the Stellenbosch and Constantia winefarms for a whole weekend. Make sure to stop at the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens: you can imagine the colourful splendour displayed here.

Winter in Cape Town

Winter – if you can really call it winter -  has started in Cape Town as soon as the cold front from the Atlantic ocean rolls in. Winter in Cape Town - locally also known as the green season - is a nice distraction from the long season of beach weather. Capetonians vanish on the first winter day and cocoon – only to come out again when it is 22 degrees again.

The wind starts turning from the legendary South Easter or Cape Doctor – to the infamous North West winds.The winter season runs from the end of May to June, July and August. Wind and rain do sweep the streets of Cape Town sometimes, but then on other days the temperature might rise up to 25 degrees!

So if you’re visiting Cape Town during ‘winter’ and you’re wondering what to pack, take something for every season. Sunshine, rain, overcast, wind: you’ll experience it all during a good Capetonian winter.

This is what the facts say: The average high temperature during winter is 17 degrees with a minimum temperature of 8 degrees in June, July and August. Rainfall in Cape Town is between 82mm in August and 105 mm in June. Unique for Cape Town are the ‘bursts’ of rain. The drops fall straight from the sky, like a blanket of small drips. As if nothing has happened, the rain will stop again.

And this is what Capetonians know: facts don’t really say anything. You’ll wake up every morning, take a peek outside, and know excactly what to wear and what not to wear. Capetonians have named winter the ‘secret season’ because of the unexpected delights you can experience during this time of year.

For the girls: Every morning - when putting on that tiny skirt - take into account that the weather during winter in Cape Town may consist of blasts of wind. Especially north-westerly winds. So realize that the gusts of wind might expose more than you wish. Hold on to that skirt! No wonder the first explorers called the Cape Peninsula the ‘Cape of Storms’.

Winter is actually a very nice time to visit Cape Town if you love the great outdoors and don’t need 30 degrees every day. The vegetation soaks up the water and blossoms all across Cape Town. You won’t see the Cape Peninsula any greener. Climb Table Mountain and witness the small waterfalls splashing from the mountainside.

What to do in Cape Town during winter? If you do hit a cold front, Cape Town still has a broad range of restaurants and cafes, where you can warm up with a glass of wine near one of Cape Town’s finest restaurants with fireplaces.

Spring in Cape Town

The temperature in Cape Town starts rising again: spring is in the air. Cape Town bursts into bloom. The west coast is world famous for its flower season. The colourful display north of Cape Town is a major spring attraction which you must not miss.

Spring season is a perfect time to visit Cape Town. The spring weather in the Cape is soft and mild. Average temperatures range between 15 degrees in September and 17 degrees in October with plenty of days in the [mid] twenties. Days lengthen and you can enjoy the soft crispyness of the Cape Town sun. 

What to do in Cape Town during spring? There are so many options! Spring is the best time for whale watching. So head for Hermanus – the whale capital of the world - or Plettenberg Bay.

For the sporty types spring is the ideal season for hiking. The sun is mild, the surroundings are gorgeous with all the blooming flowers and the wind takes it easy during spring. So put on your hiking boots and take one of the routes that lead up Table Mountain or climb Lion’s Head for full moon.

By Elske van der Velden

For more information, be sure to read Weather in Cape Town, Climate in Cape Town, the Cape Doctor, Top Ten Reasons to Love the Weather and our Weather Forecast.