South Africa

South Africa Weather in August

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in South Africa in August.

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Cape Town Johannesburg Durban Gqeberha

Planning a getaway to South Africa this August and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:

What to Expect in South Africa in August

The weather in South Africa in August can be quite varied, with temperatures that range from mild to warm and precipitation levels ranging from almost none to high.

Temperatures

Based on our climate data spanning from 1990-2020, the average maximum temperature is mild in Rhodes at 15°C (59°F) to warm in Kruger National Park at 29°C (84°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 15°C (59°F) in Kruger National Park and 1°C (34°F) in Rhodes. While August might be the chilliest month, South Africa offers areas with temperate climates year-round, ensuring visitors always have a delightful experience.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of South Africa, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In August, precipitation varies across different areas. From almost no rainfall in Twee Rivieren with an average of 0.9 mm (0.04 in) to high rainfall in Paarl with 111 mm (4.4 in).

Average sunshine

August brings good sunshine to many areas. Cape Town sees around 212 hours of sunlight, great for visitors looking for bright days.

Explore South Africa by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in South Africa in August

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across South Africa.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in South Africa

What is the weather like in August for some of the most popular destinations in South Africa?

Temperature range in South Africa (August)

Precipitation variation in South Africa (August)

Cape Town

In August Cape Town generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 10°C (50°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« July
August
September »
July
August
September
Max temperature
17°C (63°F)
17°C (63°F)
18°C (64°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
10°C (50°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly sun hours
193 hours
212 hours
225 hours
Monthly rainfall
110 mm (4.3 in)
98 mm (3.9 in)
63 mm (2.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
13 days
10 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
tolerable
pleasant
Climate in Cape Town →

Johannesburg

In August Johannesburg generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C (72°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 7°C (45°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« July
August
September »
July
August
September
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
22°C (72°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
7°C (45°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly sun hours
284 hours
284 hours
281 hours
Monthly rainfall
3.6 mm (0.1 in)
10 mm (0.4 in)
24 mm (0.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
a single day
2 days
3 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Johannesburg →

Durban

In August Durban generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C (75°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« July
August
September »
July
August
September
Max temperature
23°C (73°F)
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
15°C (59°F)
17°C (63°F)
Monthly sun hours
233 hours
216 hours
173 hours
Monthly rainfall
47 mm (1.9 in)
40 mm (1.6 in)
68 mm (2.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
4 days
6 days
10 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Durban →

Knysna

In August Knysna generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 18°C (64°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« July
August
September »
July
August
September
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
18°C (64°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
11°C (52°F)
11°C (52°F)
12°C (54°F)
Monthly sun hours
241 hours
260 hours
255 hours
Monthly rainfall
52 mm (2 in)
67 mm (2.6 in)
55 mm (2.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
8 days
10 days
11 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
pleasant
pleasant
Climate in Knysna →

Stellenbosch

In August Stellenbosch generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 18°C (64°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 8°C (46°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« July
August
September »
July
August
September
Max temperature
17°C (63°F)
18°C (64°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
7°C (45°F)
8°C (46°F)
9°C (48°F)
Monthly sun hours
193 hours
212 hours
225 hours
Monthly rainfall
121 mm (4.8 in)
105 mm (4.1 in)
74 mm (2.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
13 days
11 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
tolerable
pleasant
Climate in Stellenbosch →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in South Africa.

Popular cities in August

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in South Africa in August.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Cape Town 17°C (63°F) 10°C (50°F) 98 mm (3.9 in)
Johannesburg 22°C (72°F) 7°C (45°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Durban 24°C (75°F) 15°C (59°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Gqeberha 20°C (68°F) 13°C (55°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Bloemfontein 22°C (72°F) 5°C (41°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Mbombela 24°C (75°F) 9°C (48°F) 21 mm (0.8 in)

South Africa weather in August: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in South Africa in August?

Expect tolerable weather across South Africa in August. The popular destination of Cape Town averages 17°C (63°F) by day and 10°C (50°F) at night during this month.

What is the average temperature in South Africa in August?

Cape Town averages a daytime maximum of 17°C (63°F) in August, with overnight lows close to 10°C (50°F).

Does South Africa get a lot of rain in August?

Not particularly. Cape Town averages just 98 mm (3.9 in) of rain in August, making it a mostly dry month for South Africa.

Is August a Good Time to Visit South Africa?

In our opinion, August is a good time to visit South Africa with overall tolerable weather in Cape Town.

On average, the best time to visit South Africa is in January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December with generally perfect weather in Cape Town. The weather in July, on the other hand, tends to be unpleasant.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in South Africa.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to South Africa? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in South Africa.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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