Johannesburg, South Africa Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Johannesburg
Johannesburg records 86 wet days and 10.7 hours of daily sunshine in an average year. Temperatures follow an oceanic pattern, running 63°F (17°C) in July up to 79°F (26°C) in December.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: December - highs near 79°F (26°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 63°F (17°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 97°F (36°C) high · 25°F (-4°C) low
- Wettest month: January (14 rainy days) · Sunniest: January (11.6 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 10°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 12°C
- Average humidity: 55%
Temperatures through the year
July sits at the other end of the year: 63°F (17°C) by day, 39°F (4°C) at night. Warmth peaks in December: highs of 79°F (26°C), lows of 59°F (15°C). 5 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running May through September.
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average December and the average July lie 10°C, a narrower spread than about 76% of the cities we track. Relative humidity averages 55% across the year, drier than all but 10% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. Days and nights are about 12°C apart on average - wider than 93% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. Sunshine averages 10.7 hours a day over the year - sunnier than roughly 88% of the cities we track, peaking in January at 11.6 hours. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 97°F (36°C) and the lowest daily minimum 25°F (-4°C).
How Johannesburg compares
- Johannesburg sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 61°F (16°C) as an annual average, 23.9 inches (606 mm) of precipitation and 10.7 hours of sun a day.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 78° | 58° | 14 | 4.6 in | 11.6 h/day | 13.6 h | 44% | 66% |
| February | 77° | 58° | 13 | 4.1 in | 11.0 h/day | 13.0 h | 46% | 68% |
| March | 76° | 56° | 9 | 2.4 in | 10.7 h/day | 12.3 h | 28% | 65% |
| April | 71° | 51° | 8 | 2.2 in | 10.1 h/day | 11.5 h | 26% | 65% |
| May | 68° | 45° | 2 | 0.6 in | 9.8 h/day | 10.8 h | 7% | 54% |
| June | 63° | 40° | 1 | 0.3 in | 9.8 h/day | 10.5 h | 5% | 51% |
| July | 63° | 39° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.2 h/day | 10.6 h | 2% | 46% |
| August | 70° | 44° | 1 | 0.1 in | 10.6 h/day | 11.2 h | 2% | 40% |
| September | 76° | 50° | 3 | 0.5 in | 11.2 h/day | 12.0 h | 11% | 39% |
| October | 79° | 53° | 7 | 1.5 in | 11.1 h/day | 12.8 h | 22% | 46% |
| November | 79° | 56° | 11 | 3.0 in | 11.5 h/day | 13.4 h | 37% | 56% |
| December | 79° | 59° | 16 | 4.3 in | 11.3 h/day | 13.8 h | 52% | 64% |
Johannesburg month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Johannesburg's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.6 h
February
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
March
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
April
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
May
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.8 h
June
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
July
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
August
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
September
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
October
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.8 h
November
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 13.4 h
December
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 13.8 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Johannesburg
Spring (September through November)
Spring is mild and warm here - highs near 78°F (26°C), nights near 53°F (12°C), and expect showers on roughly 21 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day.
Summer (December through February)
Summer in Johannesburg is mild and warm, with daytime highs averaging 78°F (26°C) and nights around 58°F (15°C); rain falls on around 43 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day.
Fall (March through May)
Fall in Johannesburg is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 71°F (22°C) and nights around 51°F (10°C); expect showers on roughly 19 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.2 hours of sun a day.
Winter (June through August)
Through winter, Johannesburg is mild: 65°F (18°C) by day, 41°F (5°C) after dark, and precipitation is sparse, near 14 mm (0.6 in) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.2 hours of sun a day.
Climate questions, answered
How much sun does Johannesburg get?
How often does it rain in Johannesburg?
Are nights cold in Johannesburg?
What should I pack for Johannesburg?
Best time to visit Johannesburg
April to September is the sweet spot for Johannesburg - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 68°F (20°C) in the afternoon and around 3 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Pack for Johannesburg with rain gear if you travel around January. December nights average 59°F (15°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Johannesburg temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.