Cape Town weather in January
Temperature, sea and sunshine in January: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in January
Excellent
Best time to visit: September – May
What is the weather like in Cape Town in January?
In January, Cape Town is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 17 °C. The sea averages 17.1 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. With around 12 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 12 mm in total. On about 5 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, January is an excellent month for a holiday in Cape Town.
January compared
How the weather changes from December to February. Tap a month to open it.
| DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | FebruaryFeb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Day | 25° | 26° | 27° |
| Night | 16° | 17° | 17° |
| Sea | 17° | 17° | 17° |
| Sun | 12 h | 12 h | 11 h |
| Rain days | 3 | 3 | 2 |
More details for January
- Daylight
- 14 h 10 min05:50 – 20:00
- UV index
- 11 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 1 daydew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 26 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 22 %on average
- Hot days
- 5 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+2Africa/Johannesburg
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %100 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %100 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in January
- Wetsuit for longer swims
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
Cape Town in January: quick answers
Is Cape Town hot in January?
Warm rather than hot: in January, daytime highs in Cape Town average 26 °C and nights cool to about 17 °C. On about 5 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Cape Town in January?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in January the sea averages just 17.1 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Cape Town in January?
Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 12 mm in total.
Cape Town month by month
The whole year in Cape TownAll destinations: South Africa
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)