Durban records about 1009mm of rain across roughly 88 wet days a year, which is a 24% chance on an average day. January is the wettest month at 134mm (13% of the annual total) and July the driest at 22mm. Local rain type: thunderstorms. Durban gets warm summer thunderstorms — afternoon storms are dramatic but brief. Winter is dry and mild — perfect beach weather.
Chance of rain on an average day: 24%
Rainfall climatology for Durban. 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 | 1009mm |
| Rain days per year | 88 |
| Odds on an average day | 24% |
| Wettest month | January — 134mm over 13 days |
| Driest month | July — 22mm over 2 days |
| Rain type | thunderstorms |
| Best dry window | May through August offers dry, mild conditions — Durban's "secret" best season. |
| Worst rain window | December through March brings summer thunderstorms. |
January delivers 509% more rain than July (134mm vs 22mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 13% of the annual total, so rain in Durban is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Durban rain arrives in short, heavy bursts — shelter and timing matter more than gear.
Rain falls on about 13 days in January against 2 in July — 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 | 134mm | 13 | 43% | 28°C |
| February | 113mm | 11 | 37% | 28°C |
| March | 120mm | 11 | 37% | 27°C |
| April | 73mm | 7 | 23% | 26°C |
| May | 50mm | 5 | 17% | 25°C |
| June | 28mm | 3 | 10% | 24°C |
| July | 22mm | 2 | 7% | 23°C |
| August | 32mm | 3 | 10% | 23°C |
| September | 62mm | 6 | 20% | 24°C |
| October | 80mm | 8 | 27% | 25°C |
| November | 108mm | 10 | 33% | 26°C |
| December | 102mm | 10 | 33% | 27°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Durban 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.
Durban records rain on roughly 88 days a year — about a 24% chance on any given day — totalling around 1009mm.
January, with about 134mm over 13 rain days. That is 13% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
July is the driest month at 22mm across roughly 2 days. May through August offers dry, mild conditions — Durban's "secret" best season.
Durban gets warm summer thunderstorms — afternoon storms are dramatic but brief. Winter is dry and mild — perfect beach weather.
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.