Weather Overview for Cape Town

Cape Town is the geographically striking city that lies in the very lower tip of South Africa upon the Cape Peninsula. It is the second largest city in South Africa in terms of population and is famed for its beautiful harbour and its dramatic mountainous topography. The spectacular, 3300 ft ‘Table Mountain’ lies as the extraordinary backdrop to the city, with an unusual flat top and almost vertical cliffs at its sides- Devils Peak and Lion’s Head being two of these. On some says a bizarre thin layer of cloud will form on the top of the mountain, which has become known locally as the ‘tablecloth.’

Along the Cape Peninsula runs a spine of mountain ranges, which is the main reason why precipitations varies so much as you move around the entirety of the city. Cape Town is quite a large city and spans across a reasonably large expanse- resulting in population density being quite low for a city of over 3 million. Due to the varying elevation as you move around, some parts of the city receive around 500mm of precipitation annually, whereas other parts will receive in excess of 1000mm. Seeing as within the official borders of Cape Town you will find 70 mountains over 1000 feet high, so as you can imagine rainfall varies quite dramatically from area to area- with the coastal plains measuring about 515mm average precipitation annually, compared with 1500mm in the mountains. The suburb of Newlands, which lies in the southern realms of the city, is the wettest place in all of South Africa. In saying this, the wettest time of the year is the winter months- which run from May through until September, and the summer months are quite a lot drier- conditions that are typical of a Mediterranean climate.

November to March is summer in Cape Town, though because if its coastal location and in the path of many local prevailing winds. Summers generally see an average maximum of about 27 ºC- which is definitely not uncomfortable. The days are cooled by the locally South Easterly wind which is known as the ‘Cape Doctor’ as when it blows across the city it rids the area of heavy pollution and brings clean air and cooler temperatures. Sometimes in the year, generally in February or March, there may be bouts of uncomfortable high temperatures when the ‘Berg Wind’ (mountain wind) blows from the interior and brings with it high temperatures for a few weeks.

Although wet, winters in Cape Town are still fairly mild, the average daily minimum is normally about 7 ºC so while you will need a jacket to keep warm, it is certainly not unbearable. As mentioned earlier, winter is the wettest time of the year in Cape Town so be sure to pack an umbrella and be prepared for downfalls.