Weather in Cape Town
Expats will find the weather in Cape Town is one of the city's greatest assets. Located close to the tip of the African continent on the Cape Peninsula, summers (Dec - March) are hot and dry, and winter (June - September) mild, but wet; very much similar to a typical Mediterranean climate.
Locals often joke that "Cape Town's like a baby, if it's not wet, it's windy." To put it more concisely, the weather is strongly affected by winds and pressure systems from the Atlantic Ocean.
Summer is frequently characterised by strong south-easterly gusts known as the Cape Doctor. Winters on the other hand get plenty of cold fronts and storms with lashing rain and powerful north-westerly winds. The mountains of the winelands are dusted with snow in mid-winter, but the temperature remains well above freezing on the ground.
Capetonians love to complain about the weather, but expats will find the city enjoys a pleasant climate with only slight variation between seasons.
Locals often joke that "Cape Town's like a baby, if it's not wet, it's windy." To put it more concisely, the weather is strongly affected by winds and pressure systems from the Atlantic Ocean.
Summer is frequently characterised by strong south-easterly gusts known as the Cape Doctor. Winters on the other hand get plenty of cold fronts and storms with lashing rain and powerful north-westerly winds. The mountains of the winelands are dusted with snow in mid-winter, but the temperature remains well above freezing on the ground.
Capetonians love to complain about the weather, but expats will find the city enjoys a pleasant climate with only slight variation between seasons.
