Your May weather guide
MildWeather in Cape Town in May
May is a reasonable time to visit Cape Town if you want mild weather for spending time outdoors, rather than a hot beach holiday. Average daytime highs are around 19°C, nights fall to about 12°C and the sea is cold at roughly 15°C. For a UK traveller, the catch is that the extra warmth is modest for a long-haul trip. Pack layers and leave room to rearrange outdoor plans around rain.
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
- 19.3°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 24°C
- Average night-time low
- 12.2°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 10°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +2.7°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 14.9°C
- year to year: 14°C to 16°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.0h
- 49% of 10.2 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 7
- 56 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 80%
- Days over 25°C
- 6%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 28.7°C
- 2017-05-15
- Record low 1991-2020
- 6.3°C
- 1997-05-29
- 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 May compares
May is the 8th warmest month of the year in Cape Town and ranks 127th of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Cape Town is 2.7°C warmer by day and 3.9°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Cape Town peaks at 19.3°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 23.9°C or more. Roughly 1 in 16 days top 25°C. Nights average 12.2°C; one night in ten drops to 9.6°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 28.7°C (2017-05-15) and the coldest night 6.3°C (1997-05-29).
Rain in May
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 7 days with 1 mm or more, 56 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 1998 with 120 mm, the driest 2004 with 4 mm. Humidity averages 80%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 14.9°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 14.1°C to 15.7°C. For the warmest sea here, come in February (18.4°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 10.2 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:32 and sets about 17:54 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 52%.
Is May a good time to visit Cape Town?
May is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Cape Town on our scoring are February, January, March; months averaging 25°C or more: Jan, Feb.
Comfortable days, but keep your plans flexible
The daytime average suits travellers who prefer being outdoors without strong heat, but it is not a promise of shirtsleeve weather throughout your stay. Warmer days can feel quite different from cool evenings, so bring light layers, a jumper and a waterproof jacket rather than relying on summer clothes. About 7 days have measurable rain, making flexible plans more useful than a tightly packed outdoor schedule. Sunshine averages about 5 hours within 10.2 hours of daylight: there is time to get out, but you should not expect clear skies all day. Put weather-dependent plans into the brighter spells and keep something flexible for wet periods. After dark, an extra layer will be useful.
A modest warmth upgrade, not a swimming holiday
Cape Town's average daytime high is only 2.7°C above London's in May, so warmth alone is a weak reason to choose a flight of about 12 h 48 min. The sea averages 14.9°C and remains cold across its usual range of 14°C to 16°C. If comfortable sea swimming is central to your holiday, May is a poor fit; do not assume a pleasant afternoon means inviting water. It makes more sense for travellers happy to spend time beside the sea without swimming, and who value mild days over reliable heat. Treat any especially warm spell as a bonus rather than the basis of your booking.
A little perspective
Cape Town through the year
May 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% |
| MaySelected | 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% |
| July | 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 May
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Cape Town in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Cape Town hot in May?
Cape Town is mild in May: the average daytime high is 19.3°C and nights average 12.2°C. Roughly 1 in 16 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Cape Town in May?
The sea around Cape Town averages 14.9°C in May, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 14°C to 16°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Cape Town in May?
Cape Town sees about 7 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 56 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 1998 (120 mm) and the driest was 2004 (4 mm).
How sunny is Cape Town in May?
Cape Town gets around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 10.2 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Cape Town compare with the UK in May?
Cape Town is on average 2.7°C warmer than London by day in May (19.3°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Cape Town?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Cape Town reached 28.7°C on 2017-05-15, and the coldest night dropped to 6.3°C on 1997-05-29.
Does Cape Town get hot in May?
Occasionally, but do not plan around it. Only 6% of days reach 25°C, while the warmest 10% reach 23.9°C or more. May is better suited to travellers seeking mild conditions than those wanting dependable heat.
How cold can evenings and nights feel?
The average night low is 12.2°C, with the coldest 10% of nights reaching 9.6°C or lower. Bring a jumper and a jacket for evenings out; light daytime clothing alone is unlikely to keep you comfortable.
Would another month be a better choice?
February, January and March are stronger choices overall for holiday weather in Cape Town. May can still suit you if mild temperatures appeal, but choose it with realistic expectations about rain, cool evenings and cold sea water.
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