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Cape Town in August: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Cape Town in August will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Cape Town, based on historical data.
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August

Weather in Cape Town in August 2025

OK Weather
Mild
🌧️
Rainy
🌊
Cold water
If you plan to visit Cape Town in August, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +17°C during the day and approximately 10 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 13 rainy days in the month and around 77 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+17°C
Avg. max. temperature
+3°C
Min.
+28°C
Max.
77 mm
Total precipitation
77%
Avg. humidity
4 m/s
Avg. wind
10 ☀️
Sunny Days
7 ⛅️
Cloudy
13 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Cape Town has OK weather in August.

Average temperature in Cape Town in August

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Cape Town for August based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

Going from a maximum of +28°C during the day to a minimum of +7°C during the night, the temperature in August averages around +19°C.

The average maximum temperature goes down 5% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +16°C to +15°C.

Is Cape Town warm or cold in August?

Cape Town is typically mild in August.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +17°C to +17°C. The minimum temperature also goes up from +11°C to +11°C.

Pack a light jacket as it will be warm in the day and cool in the evenings.

August is one of the coolest months in Cape Town, here is the comparison with other months:

Water temperature in Cape Town in August

Water in Cape Town in August is Cold. It varies from +14°C to +16°C, with an average of +15°C. This is almost similar to the air temperature, which averages +17°C.

The water temperature in August is one of the coldest of the entire year:

The warmest water temperatures in Cape Town are reached in January, when the average sea temperature rises to +19°C. The coldest water temperatures are in August, with an average of +15°C.

Can you swim in Cape Town in August?

We would not recommend swimming in Cape Town in August, the water is very cold (+15°C on average). Consider swimming only if you are an experienced cold-water swimmer with proper gear.
🦭
Cold
Below +16°C
🏄‍♂️
Fresh
16°C - 21°C
🏊
Comfortable
21°C - 25°C
👙
Warm
25°C - 28°C
🔥
Very warm
+28°C and up
You will need a full-body wetsuit, cap, gloves, a warm change of clothes, and a hot drink ready for after your swim.

Climate in Cape Town in August

Cape Town weather looks like this, on average, in August and the surrounding months.
JulyAugustSeptember
Avg. temperature
+17°C+17°C+18°C
Min. temperature
+4°C+3°C+4°C
Max. temperature
+29°C+28°C+36°C
Rainfall
87 mm77 mm46 mm
Wind
4 m/s4 m/s5 m/s
Avg. water temperature
+15°C+15°C+15°C
Humidity
77%77%75%
Air pressure
1020 HPa1019 HPa1018 HPa
Sunny days
111010
Cloudy days
679
Rainy days
131312
Snowy days
000

August weather is still as ok as in July. The temperature levels stay the same in the area of +17°C for average maximum temperature during the day. As August arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 87 mm to 77 mm. Humidity levels don’t change as the month goes on, averaging around 77%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during August, staying around 4 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 11 sunny days in July to 10 in August.

But maybe it is worth considering traveling in September as the weather gets better.

Wind

Wind speed in Cape Town in August based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 10 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Cape Town is gradually increasing during August, going from 2 m/s to 5 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during August in Cape Town based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 29% chance of rain on an average day in August, with total rainfall of approximately 146 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 52 mm, which is considered heavy rain. On average, there are about 9 rainy days during August, so prepare to bring an umbrella.
August is one of the rainiest months in Cape Town, here is a comparison with other months, total mm:
Cape Town wettest month is June, where a typical day has a 43% chance of precipitation and 101 mm of rainfall per day. January, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 16% chance of precipitation and 12 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last August in Cape Town?

This is the weather in Cape Town in August 2023:
1 August
☀️
+16°C
2 August
☀️
+21°C
3 August
☀️
+26°C
4 August
☀️
+19°C
5 August
☀️
+17°C
6 August
☀️
+17°C
7 August
☀️
+17°C
8 August
☀️
+17°C
9 August
☀️
+23°C
10 August
☀️
+24°C
11 August
☁️
+23°C
12 August
☁️
+18°C
13 August
☁️
+19°C
14 August
☁️
+15°C
15 August
☀️
+21°C
16 August
☁️
+19°C
17 August
🌧️
+16°C
18 August
☀️
+17°C
19 August
☀️
+18°C
20 August
☀️
+15°C
21 August
🌧️
+16°C
22 August
🌧️
+15°C
23 August
☁️
+17°C
24 August
☀️
+18°C
25 August
🌧️
+16°C
26 August
☁️
+16°C
27 August
☀️
+19°C
28 August
☀️
+25°C
29 August
☀️
+28°C
30 August
☀️
+20°C
31 August
🌧️
+15°C
In August 2023 Cape Town had 19 sunny days, 7 cloudy days, and 5 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +19°C, with an absolute maximum of +28°C and a minimum of +15°C. The average humidity was 81%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 52%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 15 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in August?

Climate Change over Years

This is how Cape Town climate have been changing during last 43 years period.

The climate in Cape Town in August has not changed much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1996 (+18°C) and the highest in 2022 (+22°C). The driest year was 2017 with only 308 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2023 with 1389 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Cape Town in August:

Is August a good time to visit Cape Town?

It’s always a good time to visit Cape Town, but the weather is changeable in August, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in Cape Town in August?

August has mild temperatures in Cape Town. Not ideal for sunbathing, but still good for daytime outdoor activities, but plan for cool evenings. Pack a light jacket and shorts!

Can you swim in Cape Town in August?

Swimming in Cape Town in August is challenging and not recommended for inexperienced swimmers or without proper equipment and preparation.

Is Cape Town rainy in August?

Cape Town is often rainy in August. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Cape Town in August?

The amount of sunny days in Cape Town during August varies; prepare for a mix of clouds and sun.

Other cities in South Africa

Check out the weather for other cities in South Africa.

Monthly weather in Cape Town

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Cape Town, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.