South Africa
Cape Town in January: weather, sea & travel advice
This month's data profile
Strong month under the current formula
Cape Town in January is climatically well suited to city breaks, active holidays and hiking and family holidays. The average daily high is around 22 °C, and the sea is about 17 °C. With about 3 rainy days it is very dry.
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Rank among 12 monthly averages
78/100 · #2
Warmth
#2
Dryness
#2
Sun
#1
Sea warmth
#1
Published best categories: Overall, Beach, City break, Family
Cape Town · JanuaryPhoto: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0Climate facts
- Average high
- 22 °C
- Average low
- 18 °C
- Sea
- 17 °C
- Rainy days (est.)
- 3 rainy days (est.)
- Sun (est.)
- 11 h/day
- Humidity
- 78 %
Climate evidence with direct month comparison
The highlighted row is the selected month. Precipitation total and rainy days are separate monthly averages.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Precipitation mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Sea °C | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 21 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 10.5 | 78 | 5.5 | 17 | 75 |
| January (selected) | 22 | 18 | 3 | 12 | 10.5 | 78 | 5.7 | 17 | 78 |
| February | 22 | 19 | 2 | 10 | 9.4 | 79 | 5.5 | 17 | 80 |
How do the previous and next months compare?
Baseline: January (78/100)
Positive and negative values show the change from the selected month.
| Score Δ | Average high Δ | Average low Δ | Rainy days Δ | Rain Δ | Sun Δ | Humidity Δ | Wind Δ | Sea Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | -3 | -0.9 °C | -0.9 °C | +0.7 | +1.6 mm | ±0 h | -0.4 % | -0.2 m/s | -0.5 °C |
| February | +2 | +0.3 °C | +0.2 °C | -0.5 | -1.7 mm | -1.1 h | +0.4 % | -0.2 m/s | ±0 °C |
All twelve months in context
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Frequently asked questions
How warm is Cape Town in January?
The average daily high is around 22 °C, with an average daily low of about 18 °C.
Can you swim in Cape Town in January?
The sea is about 17 °C (cold).
Does it rain a lot in Cape Town in January?
The curated estimate is about 3 rainy days per month, not a directly measured long-term average. Total precipitation averages around 12 mm for the month. A rainy day does not mean all-day rain.
When is the best time to visit Cape Town?
By the climate score, January, February, March and December are the strongest months for Cape Town. For a beach trip: January, February, March and December. January is one of them.