Your July weather guide
MildWeather in Cape Town in July
Cape Town in July suits a cool-weather city break, not a summer beach holiday. Average daytime highs of 16.5°C are comfortable for walking with a layer, but nights around 9.4°C call for warmer clothing. The sea is cold at 14.3°C, so swimming is unlikely to be the main draw. Go if you are happy to work around rain and make the most of brighter spells; choose another month if warmth is the priority.
Long-term climate averages for Cape Town, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Cape Town, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Cape Town.
- Average daytime high
- 16.5°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 20°C
- Average night-time low
- 9.4°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 6°C or lower
- Compared with London
- -5.3°C
- London averages 21.8°C in July
- Sea temperature
- 14.3°C
- year to year: 14°C to 15°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.5h
- 55% of 10.0 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 9
- 84 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 80%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 26.1°C
- 2017-07-31
- Record low 1991-2020
- 2.8°C
- 1996-07-17
- Flight from London
- ≈ 12 h 48 min
- 9634 km, long-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How July compares
July is the 11th warmest month of the year in Cape Town and ranks 133rd of 134 destinations we compare for July - see where else is hot in July. Against London's average high of 21.8°C in July, Cape Town is 5.3°C cooler by day and 4.1°C cooler at night.
Daytime and night-time in July
The typical July day in Cape Town peaks at 16.5°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 20.3°C or more. Roughly 1 in 250 days top 25°C. Nights average 9.4°C; one night in ten drops to 6.4°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest July day here reached 26.1°C (2017-07-31) and the coldest night 2.8°C (1996-07-17).
Rain in July
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 9 days with 1 mm or more, 84 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest July was 2001 with 206 mm, the driest 1997 with 19 mm. Humidity averages 80%.
Sea temperature in July
The sea averages 14.3°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 13.5°C to 15.3°C. For the warmest sea here, come in February (18.4°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.5 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 10.0 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:49 and sets about 17:55 local time in mid-July. Average cloud cover is 45%.
Is July a good time to visit Cape Town?
July is not the strongest month here: mild days and frequent rain. The best months for Cape Town on our scoring are February, January, March; months averaging 25°C or more: Jan, Feb.
Expect cooler days than a UK July
This is a winter trip, so do not pack as though you are following the British summer abroad. Cape Town's average daytime high is 5.3°C below London's July average of 21.8°C. Mild afternoons can suit time outdoors without much heat, but sitting outside will call for more clothing than walking. The warmer days reach 20.3°C or more, although that is not the everyday expectation. At the colder end, nights can fall to 6.4°C or lower. Pack trousers, layers and a warm outer layer for evenings. July makes sense if you prefer mild conditions to hot weather, but it is a poor choice for dependable warmth.
Keep outdoor plans flexible
Rain is the main catch: about 9 days have measurable rainfall, so a waterproof jacket and shoes that cope with wet pavements are sensible luggage choices. That does not mean every day is a washout. July averages about 5.5 hours of sunshine within 10 hours of daylight, leaving scope for outdoor time when conditions are favourable. Keep your schedule flexible rather than relying on clear weather for a particular outing, and plan longer walks around the forecast. With a cold sea as well as wet weather, this month suits travellers happy to mix time outdoors with indoor plans rather than spend the holiday swimming or sunbathing.
A little perspective
Cape Town through the year
July is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Januarybest | 25.5°C | 17.4°C | 17.6°C | 10.8 | 12 | 3 | 50% |
| Februarybest | 25.9°C | 17.7°C | 18.4°C | 10.1 | 11 | 2 | 55% |
| Marchbest | 24.5°C | 16.5°C | 16.8°C | 8.5 | 12 | 3 | 41% |
| April | 22.0°C | 14.2°C | 15.4°C | 6.5 | 36 | 5 | 20% |
| May | 19.3°C | 12.2°C | 14.9°C | 5.0 | 56 | 7 | 6% |
| June | 16.8°C | 10.1°C | 14.6°C | 4.9 | 92 | 10 | 0% |
| JulySelected | 16.5°C | 9.4°C | 14.3°C | 5.5 | 84 | 9 | 0% |
| August | 16.5°C | 9.7°C | 14.3°C | 5.8 | 74 | 10 | 1% |
| September | 17.9°C | 10.9°C | 14.5°C | 6.0 | 44 | 8 | 3% |
| October | 20.3°C | 12.8°C | 14.6°C | 7.4 | 32 | 5 | 12% |
| November | 22.0°C | 14.4°C | 15.4°C | 8.6 | 25 | 5 | 20% |
| December | 24.1°C | 16.3°C | 16.5°C | 9.9 | 15 | 3 | 35% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in July
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Cape Town in July FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Cape Town hot in July?
Cape Town is mild in July: the average daytime high is 16.5°C and nights average 9.4°C. Roughly 1 in 250 July days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Cape Town in July?
The sea around Cape Town averages 14.3°C in July, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 14°C to 15°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Cape Town in July?
Cape Town sees about 9 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 84 mm of rain in a typical July. The wettest July between 1991 and 2020 was 2001 (206 mm) and the driest was 1997 (19 mm).
How sunny is Cape Town in July?
Cape Town gets around 5.5 hours of sunshine a day in July out of 10.0 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Cape Town compare with the UK in July?
Cape Town is on average 5.3°C cooler than London by day in July (16.5°C against 21.8°C).
What is the hottest July on record in Cape Town?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest July day in Cape Town reached 26.1°C on 2017-07-31, and the coldest night dropped to 2.8°C on 1996-07-17.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in July?
For most holiday swimmers, no. The sea averages 14.3°C, with a year-to-year range of 14°C to 15°C. That is cold rather than merely bracing. Choose July for reasons other than comfortable sea swimming.
When is a better time to go for holiday weather?
February, January and March are the better choices overall for holiday weather in Cape Town. July is among the city's coolest months and is wet, so it is less suitable if warm, dry conditions are central to your plans.
Is the long flight worthwhile for July weather?
The flight from London takes about 12 hours 48 minutes, so this is a long-haul trip for cooler weather than at home. It can suit a city break, but makes less sense if your main reason for travelling is summer warmth.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Cape Town. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 0.2 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C