May scores 83/100 for outdoor ceremonies: very low rain risk (1 wet days, 13mm), 20°C afternoons cooling to about 12°C for the reception, and 10.7 hours of daylight for the photography schedule. November is the month to avoid at 44/100.
May outdoor ceremony score: 83/100
Climate normals for Johannesburg rescored on wedding-specific weighting. Once your date falls inside the 14-day window the live forecast on this page takes over.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Best wedding month | May — 83/100 |
| Second choice | June — 81/100 |
| Month to avoid | November — 44/100 |
| Rain risk in the best month | Very low — rain on about 1 days |
| Guest comfort | 93/100 at 20°C |
| Reception temperature | ≈ 12°C after sunset in May |
| Photo light | 6h of sun across a 10.7h day |
| Months scoring 65+ | 6 of 12 |
May keeps seated guests at 20°C in the afternoon and around 12°C after sunset — the closest Johannesburg gets to a ceremony that needs neither shade structures nor patio heaters.
Rain falls on roughly 1 days in May (very low risk, 13mm). A simple marquee-on-standby is usually enough.
May gives 10.7 hours of daylight and about 6 hours of direct sun per day, so a late-afternoon ceremony puts portraits inside golden hour rather than after it.
November scores 44/100 for weddings in Johannesburg: 23°C highs, 117mm of rain and 15°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
Scored on rain risk, guest comfort, evening temperature and photographic light — deliberately different weighting from the travel score.
| Month | Wedding score | Rain risk | Afternoon | Evening | Guest comfort | Photo light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46/100 | High (14 days) | 26°C | 19°C | 83/100 | 29/100 |
| February | 53/100 | Moderate (10 days) | 26°C | 19°C | 83/100 | 28/100 |
| March | 54/100 | Moderate (10 days) | 25°C | 17°C | 87/100 | 26/100 |
| April | 67/100 | Low (6 days) | 23°C | 15°C | 96/100 | 31/100 |
| May | 83/100 | Very low (1 days) | 20°C | 12°C | 93/100 | 60/100 |
| June | 81/100 | Very low (1 days) | 18°C | 10°C | 86/100 | 74/100 |
| July | 79/100 | Very low (1 days) | 17°C | 9°C | 83/100 | 74/100 |
| August | 79/100 | Very low (1 days) | 17°C | 9°C | 83/100 | 75/100 |
| September | 74/100 | Very low (3 days) | 18°C | 10°C | 86/100 | 70/100 |
| October | 58/100 | Moderate (8 days) | 20°C | 12°C | 93/100 | 40/100 |
| November | 44/100 | Moderate (13 days) | 23°C | 15°C | 96/100 | 12/100 |
| December | 47/100 | Moderate (12 days) | 25°C | 17°C | 87/100 | 22/100 |
Wedding weather is scored differently from travel weather: seated guests in formalwear tolerate a narrower band than sightseers, and the ceremony hour matters more than the daily average. Each month in Johannesburg is scored 0–100 on the weighting below.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Dry conditions | 38% | Share of days with measurable rain — the single factor most likely to force a backup plan. |
| Guest comfort | 27% | Distance from a 22°C daytime ideal, with an extra penalty for humid heat above 24°C. |
| Evening temperature | 20% | Modelled reception-hour temperature against an 18°C ideal for an outdoor evening. |
| Photo light | 15% | Sunshine hours and daylight length, which set the length and quality of the golden hour window. |
Based on long-run climate averages rather than a forecast. Plan the ceremony around the golden hour — see golden hour times for Johannesburg linked below.
May, at 83/100. It combines very low rain risk with 20°C afternoons and roughly 12°C evenings, which is the most forgiving combination Johannesburg offers for seated guests.
November scores 44/100: 23°C highs, 117mm of rain over about 13 days and 15°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
In May rain falls on roughly 1 of 30 days, so the single-day probability is about 3%. In November that rises to about 43%.
A marquee on standby is usually enough in May, where rain risk is very low. Outside the 6 months scoring 65 or higher, book real covered space.
May gives 10.7 hours of daylight and about 6 hours of direct sun. Put portraits in the final 60–90 minutes of daylight so they land inside golden hour rather than after it.