Cape Town weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Excellent
Best time to visit: September – May
What is the weather like in Cape Town in May?
In May, Cape Town is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 15.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 54 mm. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Cape Town.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 10 h 24 min07:31 – 17:54
- UV index
- 3 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 18 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 51 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+2Africa/Johannesburg
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %67 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %76 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in May
- Sunscreen
- A jumper for the evenings
Cape Town in May: quick answers
Is Cape Town hot in May?
No. In May, Cape Town is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C and nights drop to about 12 °C.
Can you swim in Cape Town in May?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in May the sea averages just 15.0 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Cape Town in May?
Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 54 mm.
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)