The best times to visit Downtown for ideal weather are

January 29th to April 29th

or

September 10th to November 11th

based on average temperature and humidity from NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Read below for more weather and travel details.

 

 


Other Downtown Travel Info

Weather in Downtown

Temperature

Average temperatures in Downtown vary somewhat. Considering humidity, temperatures feel nice most of the year, excluding some cold weeks in the winter, with a low chance of precipitation most of the year. The area is more temperate than most — in the 68th percentile for pleasant weather — compared to tourist destinations worldwide. Weeks with ideal weather are listed above. If you’re looking for the very warmest time to visit Downtown, the hottest months are February, January, and then December. See average monthly temperatures below. The warmest time of year is generally mid December where highs are regularly around 82°F (27.8°C) with temperatures rarely dropping below 58.8°F (14.9°C) at night.

Downtown Temperatures (Fahrenheit)

Key
High
Average
Low

Downtown Temperatures (Celsius)

Key
High
Average
Low

“Feels-Like” Temperatures

The way we experience weather isn’t all about temperature. Higher temperatures affect us much more at higher humidity, and colder temperatures feel piercing with high winds. Our perceived temperatures factor in humidity and wind chill to better represent how hot or cold the day feels to a person.

Downtown Perceived Temperature (F)

Key
High
Average
Low

Downtown Perceived Temperature (C)

Key
High
Average
Low

 

Average Downtown Temperatures by Month

Daily highs (averaged for the month) usually give the best indication of the weather. A significantly lower mean and low generally just means it gets colder at night.

Show Fahrenheit

Month Avg. High (°F) Avg. Mean (°F) Avg. Low (°F)
Jan 79.6 68.9 60.3
Feb 80.4 68.9 59.3
Mar 77.5 66.1 56.9
Apr 72.6 60.1 49.8
May 70.3 55.9 44.4
Jun 64.8 50 38.3
Jul 64.2 49.5 37.6
Aug 70 54.7 41.5
Sep 77.3 62.6 49.3
Oct 78.6 65.4 53.3
Nov 78.9 66.8 55.8
Dec 80.1 68.6 59.2

Show Celsius

Month Avg. High (°C) Avg. Mean (°C) Avg. Low (°C)
Jan 26.4 20.5 15.7
Feb 26.9 20.5 15.2
Mar 25.3 18.9 13.8
Apr 22.6 15.6 9.9
May 21.3 13.3 6.9
Jun 18.2 10 3.5
Jul 17.9 9.7 3.1
Aug 21.1 12.6 5.3
Sep 25.2 17 9.6
Oct 25.9 18.6 11.8
Nov 26.1 19.3 13.2
Dec 26.7 20.3 15.1

 


 

Precipitation (Rain or Snow)

If dry weather is what you’re after, the months with the lowest chance of significant precipitation in Downtown are May, June, and then July. Note that we define “significant precipitation” as .1 inches or more in this section. The lowest chance of rain or snow occurs around mid April. For example, on the week of April 16th there are no days of precipitation on average. By contrast, it’s most likely to rain or snow in late January with an average of 4 days of significant precipitation the week of January 22nd.

When can you find snow in Downtown? Weather stations report no annual snow. Please note that a value of 0 for snow in the graph below may either mean there was no snow, or that snow is unreported.

Chance of Precipitation

The graph below shows the % chance of rainy and snowy days in Downtown.

Key
Days with precipitation

Snow on the Ground

The graph below shows the average snow on the ground in Downtown (in).

Key
Snow depth

Average Rain and Snow by Month

Show Inches

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (in) Total Precipitation (in)
Jan 23% 0 4.2
Feb 20% 0 2.8
Mar 18% 0 2.6
Apr 7% 0 0.7
May 0% 0 0
Jun 0% 0 0
Jul 2% 0 0.1
Aug 5% 0 0.7
Sep 9% 0 1.6
Oct 10% 0 1.3
Nov 26% 0 3.7
Dec 31% 0 4.7

Show Centimeters

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (cm) Total Precipitation (cm)
Jan 23 0 10.7
Feb 20 0 7.1
Mar 18 0 6.6
Apr 7 0 1.8
May 0 0 0
Jun 0 0 0
Jul 2 0 0.3
Aug 5 0 1.8
Sep 9 0 4.1
Oct 10 0 3.3
Nov 26 0 9.4
Dec 31 0 11.9

 

Humidity and Wind

Downtown has some comfortably humid months, and dry months in the opposite season. The least humid month is September (28% relative humidity), and the most humid month is January (59.1%).

Wind in Downtown is usually extremely calm. The windiest month is November, followed by October and September. November’s average wind speed of around 2.1 knots (2.4 MPH or 3.9 KPH) is considered “light air.” Maximum sustained winds (the highest speed for the day lasting more than a few moments) are at their highest in late September where average top sustained speeds reach 5.3 knots, which is considered a light breeze.

Relative Humidity (%)

The graph below shows the average % humidity by month in Downtown.

Key
Avg. Relative Humidity

Wind

The graph below shows wind speed (max and average) in knots.

Key
Max Sustained Wind
Average Daily Wind

Average Wind Speeds

Show Wind Speeds

All wind speeds are in knots. 1 knot = 1.15 MPH or 1.85 KPH.

Month Avg. Wind Avg. Wind Feel Sustained High Wind High Wind Feel
Jan 1.7 Barely noticeable 4.2 Light breeze
Feb 1.6 Barely noticeable 4.5 Light breeze
Mar 1.5 Barely noticeable 4.1 Light breeze
Apr 1.4 Barely noticeable 3.8 Barely noticeable
May 1.3 Barely noticeable 3.7 Light breeze
Jun 1.6 Barely noticeable 4.1 Light breeze
Jul 1.4 Barely noticeable 4 Light breeze
Aug 1.7 Barely noticeable 4.4 Light breeze
Sep 2 Barely noticeable 4.8 Light breeze
Oct 2 Barely noticeable 4.8 Light breeze
Nov 2.1 Barely noticeable 4.8 Light breeze
Dec 1.9 Barely noticeable 4.8 Light breeze

Show Relative Humidity by Month

Month Avg. Relative Humidity
Jan 59.1%
Feb 53.1%
Mar 55%
Apr 50.7%
May 41.3%
Jun 39.6%
Jul 35.8%
Aug 30.2%
Sep 28%
Oct 40.1%
Nov 47.4%
Dec 54.4%

 

Is it Safe to Travel to Downtown?

Our best data indicates this area is somewhat safe. As of Dec 04, 2023 there are travel warnings for South Africa; exercise a high degree of caution. Check this page for any recent changes or regions to avoid: Travel Advice and Advisories. This advisory was last updated on Nov 30, 2023.


 

The Busiest and Least Crowded Months

The busiest month for tourism in Downtown, South Africa is August, followed by June and February. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Tourists are unlikely to visit Downtown in December. Those willing to visit at these times will likely find it the least expensive month.

Estimated Tourism by Month

 

Most Popular Months to Visit

Key
Tourists Seeking Accommodations

Tourism graph is based on Google searches for services used by tourists relative to the rest of the year. Tourism data for this area is very reliable. Displayed data is calculated relative to the peak, so a score of 61.9 in December means 61.9% of the tourists vs. August.

 

 

Overall Downtown Travel Experience by Season

Fall (March through May)

Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel moderate. Highs range from 79.3°F (26.3°C) and 67.1°F (19.5°C) with colder temperatures in the later months. Rain is rare with 0 to 5 days of significant precipitation per month. Fall is the second busiest for tourism, which makes it a good time for those looking for things to do.

Winter (June through August)

The middle-year months have cold weather with high temperatures that are comfortable. These months see the least precipitation with 0 to 1 days of precipitation per month. June – August is the busiest season for tourism in Downtown, so lodging and other accommodations may cost more than usual.

Spring (September through November)

Spring daily highs range from 80.2°F (26.8°C) and 76.1°F (24.5°C), which will feel very nice given the humidity and wind. It rains or snows a significant amount: 3 to 8 days per month. Tourism is the slowest during these months due to the weather, so hotels may be affordably priced.

Summer (December through February)

Weather is perfect this time of year in Downtown to be enjoyable for warm weather travelers. The average high during this season is between 82°F (27.8°C) and 78°F (25.6°C). On average, it rains or snows a fair amount: 5 to 10 times per month. These times of year are fairly slow with tourists.

 

Best Times to Travel› South Africa › Downtown, South Africa