A Cape Town Winter: What To Expect

So, you’re traveling to Cape Town during their winter semester, thinking that 60°F / 15°C temperatures are nothing to worry about—wrong.

Let me explain. I’m a Michigander who went to college in Minnesota. I know winter. I know layers. I know what it’s like to have frostbitten toes.  So when I read that July in Cape Town averages around 19°C highs (66°F) and 11°C lows (52°F), I thought, “Oh, perfect! I’ll be in shorts and a tank top.” That was, of course, a big exaggeration—but more so to say that I figured the weather in Cape Town would feel like a Minnesota/Michigan spring to me. Boy, was I humbled. Very, very quickly.

Because I didn’t want to lug heavy clothes across the ocean, I skipped packing a real winter jacket. Big mistake. If I could go back, I’d absolutely bring at least one good coat. Luckily, Cape Town has plenty of malls, thrift stores, and street vendors that sell jackets, but I definitely learned that I need one the hard way.

Lesson one: The time of day matters. Midday can be pleasant, with temperatures hovering around 18°C (65°F). Between 1 P.M. and 3 P.M., you might feel like you made the right choice leaving your winter coat behind. But don’t get too comfortable. In the winter, the sun doesn’t rise until about 7–8 A.M. and sets around 6 P.M. In the mornings (5–7 A.M.) and evenings (6–9 P.M.), the temperatures drop back down to around 12°C (53°F). And between 10 P.M. and 5 A.M.? It can dip as low as 8°C (46°F). That’s when the chill really sneaks up on you. And trust me—speaking from personal experience—you’ll want more than just a light sweater.

Lesson two: Inside doesn’t necessarily mean warmer. Restaurants often leave their doors open, malls and markets are partially outdoors, and “indoor” air is often just outdoor air with a roof over it. Your best defense is layers, and lots of them. This might sound like common sense, but I truly didn’t expect how much it would matter until I experienced it myself.

This also applies to your living space. The dorms that we stay in do have heaters, but I ended up buying a small one for my room when temps dropped to around 8°C (46°F) late at night. If you’re someone who runs cold (me) or runs hot (not me), plan accordingly based on how much time you might spend in your room.

Lesson three: Never underestimate Cape Town wind. Cape Town sits right alongside the Atlantic Ocean, and that ocean breeze does not play around. Even if the forecast doesn’t look bad, the wind will make it feel much colder. Respect the wind. Fear the wind. Bring a jacket for the wind.

Big shoutout to my IES Abroad squad, who have allowed me to borrow many-a-jacket, especially during the July, August, and September months. Now that it’s October and the weather is warming up, I’ve stopped using the extra heater I bought back in August and have even started turning off the provided heater. Big changes.

Major takeaways: Cape Town’s winter isn’t about scraping ice off windshields or six inches of snow, but it’s definitely not something to be taken lightly either. Make sure to pack those layers and always, always assume on the colder side—especially to account for the wind.