Cape Town weather in January
Cape Town in January averages 22°C (71°F), 10 mm of rain and 11.3 hours of sun a day. It is one of the driest months of the year here.
Of the twelve months in Cape Town, January is the second warmest, the driest and the sunniest.
- Average temp
- 22°C (71°F)
17–27°C · 62–81°F
- Rainfall
- 10 mm
Not much rain
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
hours per day
What is Cape Town like in January?
Daytime
Days are warm, typically in the mid-20s°C or above.
Rain
Rain is usually light.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What should I pack for Cape Town in January?
High-factor sun cream
With 11.3 hours of sun a day, burn time is short even in shade.
Sunglasses and a brimmed hat
Midday glare is the part people underpack for, not the heat itself.
A layer for the evening
The day swings about 11°C between its low and its high.
Comfortable walking shoes you can rinse
Dry warm weather is walking weather, and dust gets into everything.
January compared with December and February
January in Cape Town is 1°C warmer than December and about as wet as it, which averages 21°C (69°F).
January in Cape Town is about the same temperature as February and about as wet as it, which averages 22°C (72°F).
Daylight in Cape Town in January
On 15 January the sun is up for 14 hours 10 minutes in Cape Town, rising about 05:50 and setting about 20:00 local time.
January ends 36 minutes shorter than it begins, so the last week of the month is a different length of day from the first.
Where to stay in Cape Town
Dates are a starting point for January.
Travel guides for Cape Town
What to read before you book.
Cape Town weather by month
TemperatureRainfall
How January compares with the rest of the year
January is highlighted. Every other month links to its own page.
| Month | Average | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| January | 22°C / 71°F | 10 mm |
| February | 22°C / 72°F | 11 mm |
| March | 21°C / 69°F | 13 mm |
| April | 18°C / 64°F | 42 mm |
| May | 15°C / 60°F | 65 mm |
| June | 13°C / 56°F | 97 mm |
| July | 13°C / 55°F | 89 mm |
| August | 13°C / 55°F | 76 mm |
| September | 14°C / 58°F | 47 mm |
| October | 17°C / 62°F | 32 mm |
| November | 19°C / 65°F | 27 mm |
| December | 21°C / 69°F | 13 mm |
Check another month
This is the month you are reading. Change either side to look at another.
FAQs about Cape Town in January
January climate averages for Cape Town, 1991–2020.
Cape Town averages 22°C (71°F) in January, ranging from about 17°C (62°F) at night to 27°C (81°F) in the afternoon. That is a 1991–2020 average, so an individual week can run either side of it.
Barely. January sees only about 10 mm, so rain is unlikely to affect your plans.
They are about the same. January averages 22°C (71°F) and February 22°C (72°F), so temperature alone will not decide between them.
January is 1°C warmer than December, and about as wet.
Yes. January falls inside the most comfortable stretch of the year here, November to April, on temperature and rainfall together.
About 11.3 hours of sun a day on the 1991–2020 average — among the brighter months anywhere.
This page does not show today's weather. It is a 1991–2020 climate normal from Meteostat — a long-run average of what January is usually like, which is what you want when booking months ahead. For today or the coming week, check a live forecast.
About 14 hours 10 minutes of daylight in mid-January, against 14 hours 24 minutes in December and 9 hours 54 minutes in June.
On 15 January, sunrise is about 05:50 and sunset about 20:00 local time. Both shift across the month — the month ends 36 minutes shorter than it starts.
