South Africa weather in May
What is the weather like in South Africa in May?
The weather conditions in South Africa in May vary from tolerable to perfect depending on the destination.
During May in South Africa, the average maximum temperature varies from moderate in Ladybrand with 17°C (63°F) to high in Kruger National Park with 29°C (84°F). Minimum nighttime temperatures generally drop to 13°C (55°F) in Kruger National Park and 3°C (37°F) in Ladybrand.
Precipitation in May varies from low in Overyssel with an average of 7mm (0.3 inches) of rainfall to high in Brackenfell with 103mm (4.1 inches).
It is also generally a
sunny
time of year with an average of 205 hours of sunshine in Cape Town during the entire month.
To learn more about the weather conditions in specific areas of South Africa, check out the map below.
Where to go in South Africa in May
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Popular destinations in South Africa
What is the weather like in May for the 5 most popular destinations in South Africa?
Average weather in Cape Town
In May Cape Town generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C (67°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C (48°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Johannesburg
In May Johannesburg generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C (72°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 6°C (42°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Durban
In May Durban generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 23°C (74°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 18°C (64°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Knysna
In May Knysna generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C (67°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 10°C (50°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Stellenbosch
In May Stellenbosch generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C (67°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 8°C (47°F) and moderate 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 May the best time to go to South Africa?
In our opinion May is one of the best times to visit South Africa with commonly perfect weather in Cape Town. However, the weather conditions may vary depending on your destination.
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 June, July and August that can have unpleasant 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 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 climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.