Weather in May in South Africa
Planning a journey to South Africa this May and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:
What is the weather like in South Africa in May?
In May, South Africa experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from mild to warm and precipitation levels ranging from low to moderate.
Temperatures
The average maximum daytime temperatures vary from mild in Rhodes at 16°C to warm in Kruger National Park at 29°C. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 16°C in Kruger National Park and 3°C in Rhodes.
Precipitation
In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From low rainfall in Kotzeshoop with an average of 5 mm to moderate rainfall in Paarl with 99 mm.Average sunshine
The city Cape Town usually sees around 205 hours of sunlight, indicating many sunny days.For specific regional insights in South Africa for May, refer to the map provided below. For an in-depth overview of the yearly weather conditions, do visit our South Africa climate page.
Where to go in South Africa in May
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
Popular destinations
What is the weather like in May for the 5 most popular destinations in South Africa?
Cape Town
In May Cape Town generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Johannesburg
In May Johannesburg generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 7°C and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Durban
In May Durban generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 25°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 17°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Knysna
In May Knysna generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Stellenbosch
In May Stellenbosch generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 10°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in South Africa.
Is May the best time to visit South Africa?
We believe that May is one of the best times to visit South Africa with overall 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 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.
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 travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.