Monthly climate guide
Cape Town weather in January
With highs near 22°C (71°F) and lows around 19°C (65°F), January feels warm in Cape Town. Rainfall averages about 14 mm (very dry) and the sky is mostly sunny. Daytime highs are about the same as December and about the same as February.
What stands out in January
- January brings mid-summer to Cape Town — the seasons are reversed south of the equator.
- There's little difference between day and night (around 3°C).
- Only one month is warmer in Cape Town than January.
- Rain is well below Cape Town's usual level (around 68% less).
Avg high
22°C
71°F
Avg low
19°C
65°F
Rainfall
14 mm
very dry
Humidity
79%
relative
Sky
19%
cloud · mostly sunny
Cape Town weather by month
Show the monthly averages as a table
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Humidity | Cloud cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22°C / 71°F | 19°C / 65°F | 14 mm | 79% | 19% |
| February | 22°C / 71°F | 19°C / 65°F | 9 mm | 79% | 18% |
| March | 21°C / 69°F | 18°C / 64°F | 20 mm | 81% | 23% |
| April | 19°C / 67°F | 16°C / 61°F | 34 mm | 79% | 25% |
| May | 18°C / 65°F | 15°C / 59°F | 45 mm | 81% | 35% |
| June | 16°C / 62°F | 14°C / 57°F | 121 mm | 79% | 37% |
| July | 16°C / 60°F | 13°C / 56°F | 91 mm | 80% | 31% |
| August | 16°C / 60°F | 13°C / 55°F | 81 mm | 80% | 35% |
| September | 16°C / 62°F | 14°C / 56°F | 41 mm | 79% | 34% |
| October | 18°C / 64°F | 15°C / 58°F | 29 mm | 80% | 28% |
| November | 19°C / 66°F | 16°C / 60°F | 27 mm | 78% | 27% |
| December | 21°C / 69°F | 17°C / 63°F | 11 mm | 78% | 22% |
What to pack for January
- T-shirts plus a light layer for the evening
- Comfortable trainers or sandals for long walks
- Sunglasses
Is January a good time to visit Cape Town?
Our Cape Town guide recommends: November to March, the Southern Hemisphere summer — outside this window, winter (June–August) brings more rain and wind.
Book the Table Mountain cableway or a hike for early in your trip if possible — it closes in high wind, so a flexible schedule helps.
Best time to visit Cape Town →Other South Africa cities in January
Cite or embed this data
Writing about this destination? Copy a ready-made citation or embed a live widget — free, just keep the link.
Cape Town weather in January. WeatherCompare, 2026 (NASA POWER / ERA5, 2011–2020 monthly averages). https://weathercompare.eu/weather/south-africa/cape-town/january
<a href="https://weathercompare.eu/weather/south-africa/cape-town/january">Cape Town weather in January</a> (WeatherCompare)
<iframe src="https://weathercompare.eu/embed/south-africa/cape-town" width="300" height="160" style="border:0;border-radius:12px" loading="lazy" title="Cape Town weather in January"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px"><a href="https://weathercompare.eu/weather/south-africa/cape-town/january">Cape Town weather in January</a> – WeatherCompare</p>
Cape Town in January: quick answers
Is January a good time to visit Cape Town?
Yes. January is one of the best months for Cape Town, with highs around 22°C and about 14 mm of rain.
How warm is Cape Town in January?
Average highs are about 22°C (71°F) and average lows about 19°C (65°F), based on 10 years of daily data.
Does it rain a lot in Cape Town in January?
Cape Town typically gets around 14 mm of rain in January — very dry.
When is the best time to visit Cape Town?
November to March, the Southern Hemisphere summer — outside this window, winter (June–August) brings more rain and wind.
Figures are long-term averages for the area around Cape Town (NASA POWER / ERA5, 2011–2020), not a forecast for a specific year. For upcoming days, see the live multi-source forecast.