Cape Town records about 515mm of rain across roughly 82 wet days a year, which is a 22% chance on an average day. June is the wettest month at 93mm (18% of the annual total) and November the driest at 14mm. Local rain type: steady rain. Pack one for May through August (Cape Town winter). Summer visitors (November-March) can enjoy almost rain-free conditions perfect for outdoor activities.
Chance of rain on an average day: 22%
Rainfall climatology for Cape Town. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 515mm |
| Rain days per year | 82 |
| Odds on an average day | 22% |
| Wettest month | June — 93mm over 15 days |
| Driest month | November — 14mm over 2 days |
| Rain type | steady rain |
| Best dry window | December through February offers hot, dry conditions ideal for beaches and Table Mountain. |
| Worst rain window | June and July bring cold fronts from the Atlantic with steady rain and strong winds. |
June delivers 564% more rain than November (93mm vs 14mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 18% of the annual total, so rain in Cape Town is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Cape Town rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.
Rain falls on about 15 days in June against 2 in November — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15mm | 2 | 7% | 28°C |
| February | 17mm | 3 | 10% | 28°C |
| March | 20mm | 3 | 10% | 26°C |
| April | 41mm | 7 | 23% | 24°C |
| May | 69mm | 11 | 37% | 21°C |
| June | 93mm | 15 | 50% | 19°C |
| July | 82mm | 13 | 43% | 17°C |
| August | 77mm | 12 | 40% | 17°C |
| September | 40mm | 6 | 20% | 19°C |
| October | 30mm | 5 | 17% | 21°C |
| November | 14mm | 2 | 7% | 24°C |
| December | 17mm | 3 | 10% | 26°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Cape Town we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Cape Town records rain on roughly 82 days a year — about a 22% chance on any given day — totalling around 515mm.
June, with about 93mm over 15 rain days. That is 18% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
November is the driest month at 14mm across roughly 2 days. December through February offers hot, dry conditions ideal for beaches and Table Mountain.
Pack one for May through August (Cape Town winter). Summer visitors (November-March) can enjoy almost rain-free conditions perfect for outdoor activities.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.