Weather in January in South Africa
What is the weather like in South Africa in January?
The weather in South Africa in January ranges from tolerable to perfect depending on the destination. January is a summer month in South Africa.
January has maximum daytime temperatures ranging from moderate in Port Nolloth with 20°C (69°F) to very warm temperatures in Upington with 36°C (96°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 20°C (68°F) in Upington and 13°C (55°F) in Port Nolloth. Temperatures can be very high, so be prepared and make sure to pack light clothes.
Precipitation ranges from almost non in Port Nolloth with 2mm (0.1inch) rainfall to high in Pietermaritzburg with 158mm (6.2inch) rainfall.
January can be the driest month of the year.
In general it is also a
sunny
month with an average of 338 hours of sunshine in Cape Town during the whole month.
We invite you to have a look at the map below to find out more about the different weather conditions per location in South Africa.
Where to go in South Africa in January
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
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Popular destinations in South Africa
What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in South Africa?
Average weather in Cape Town
In January Cape Town generally has warm temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 26°C (79°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 16°C (60°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Johannesburg
In January Johannesburg generally has warm temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 26°C (78°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.
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Average weather in Durban
In January Durban generally has warm temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 21°C (70°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.
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Average weather in Knysna
In January Knysna generally has warm temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C (74°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 17°C (63°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Stellenbosch
In January Stellenbosch generally has warm temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 26°C (79°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 16°C (60°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in South Africa.
Is January the best time to go to South Africa?
In our opinion January is one of the best times to visit South Africa with commonly perfect 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 worst months are July and August that can have tolerable weather conditions.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in South Africa.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
Weather and climate has detailed information for almost all countries 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 suggests which destination suits your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.