Best time to visit Johannesburg
The best time to visit Johannesburg is April–October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25.8 °C / 78 °F | 15.9 °C / 61 °F | 142 mm / 5.6 in | good month |
| February | 25.8 °C / 78 °F | 15.7 °C / 60 °F | 114 mm / 4.5 in | good month |
| March | 24.7 °C / 76 °F | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | 86 mm / 3.4 in | good month |
| April | 22.2 °C / 72 °F | 10.7 °C / 51 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | best month |
| May | 20.8 °C / 69 °F | 7.1 °C / 45 °F | 18 mm / 0.7 in | best month |
| June | 18.4 °C / 65 °F | 3.9 °C / 39 °F | 6 mm / 0.3 in | best month |
| July | 18.4 °C / 65 °F | 3.6 °C / 38 °F | 3 mm / 0.1 in | best month |
| August | 21.4 °C / 71 °F | 6.4 °C / 44 °F | 7 mm / 0.3 in | best month |
| September | 25.2 °C / 77 °F | 10.5 °C / 51 °F | 17 mm / 0.7 in | best month |
| October | 25.9 °C / 79 °F | 12.7 °C / 55 °F | 69 mm / 2.7 in | best month |
| November | 25.6 °C / 78 °F | 14 °C / 57 °F | 98 mm / 3.9 in | good month |
| December | 25.9 °C / 79 °F | 15.6 °C / 60 °F | 138 mm / 5.4 in | good month |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: good
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: good
- Best
- April–October
- Good
- November–March
Johannesburg's dry season from April through October is consistently mild, sunny and nearly rain-free, making it the best run for exploring on foot, with only chilly nights in June-July as a drawback. The wetter summer months (November-March) stay warm and pleasant by day but bring frequent, sometimes heavy afternoon rain, keeping them at good rather than best.
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.7 °C / 82 °F, average daily high 25.8 °C / 78 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, average daily low 15.9 °C / 61 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: wet days 16.2 days, precipitation 142 mm / 5.6 in, days with heavy rain 4.5 days.
Watch out for: South African school holidays (mid-summer).
February · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.5 °C / 82 °F, average daily high 25.8 °C / 78 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 85%, average daily low 15.7 °C / 60 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: wet days 13.8 days, precipitation 114 mm / 4.5 in, days with heavy rain 3.6 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 47%.
March · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.5 °C / 78 °F, average daily high 24.7 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, average daily low 14.1 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 70%.
Against: wet days 12.2 days, precipitation 86 mm / 3.4 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 53%.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.4 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 22.2 °C / 72 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, average daily low 10.7 °C / 51 °F, relative humidity 68%.
Against: wet days 8.1 days, precipitation 60 mm / 2.4 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 48%.
Watch out for: South African school holidays (April).
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.4 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 20.8 °C / 69 °F, precipitation 18 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, wet days 3 days, days with heavy rain 0.4 days, relative humidity 58%, average daily low 7.1 °C / 45 °F.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 14.7 °C / 58 °F, average daily high 18.4 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 6 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 1.5 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, relative humidity 54%.
Against: average daily low 3.9 °C / 39 °F.
Watch out for: South African school holidays (June–July).
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 14.7 °C / 58 °F, average daily high 18.4 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 3 mm / 0.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 0.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, relative humidity 49%.
Against: average daily low 3.6 °C / 38 °F.
Watch out for: South African school holidays (June–July).
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 21.4 °C / 71 °F, precipitation 7 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 1 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, relative humidity 43%, average daily low 6.4 °C / 44 °F.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.7 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 25.2 °C / 77 °F, precipitation 17 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 3.3 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily low 10.5 °C / 51 °F, relative humidity 41%.
Watch out for: South African school holidays (September).
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.8 °C / 77 °F, average daily high 25.9 °C / 79 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, average daily low 12.7 °C / 55 °F, relative humidity 52%.
Against: wet days 10.2 days, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, precipitation 69 mm / 2.7 in.
November · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.4 °C / 78 °F, average daily high 25.6 °C / 78 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, average daily low 14 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 61%.
Against: wet days 14 days, precipitation 98 mm / 3.9 in, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 45%.
December · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 26.9 °C / 80 °F, average daily high 25.9 °C / 79 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 82%, average daily low 15.6 °C / 60 °F, relative humidity 68%.
Against: wet days 18.1 days, precipitation 138 mm / 5.4 in, days with heavy rain 5 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 45%.
Watch out for: South African school holidays (mid-summer).
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is אתר סקי הר החרמון, Mount Hermon ski resort, Centro de esquí Monte Hermón, 6667 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 27.7 °C | 27.5 °C | 25.5 °C | 21.4 °C | 18.4 °C | 14.7 °C | 14.7 °C | 18 °C | 22.7 °C | 24.8 °C | 25.4 °C | 26.9 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 4.5 days | 3.6 days | 2.5 days | 1.9 days | 0.4 days | 0.2 days | 0.1 days | 0.2 days | 0.3 days | 2.2 days | 3.1 days | 5 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 10 am | 3 pm | 5 pm | 8 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 11.2 h | 11.1 h | 10.5 h | 9.9 h | 9.8 h | 9.7 h | 10 h | 10.5 h | 11.3 h | 11.1 h | 11.1 h | 11.3 h |
| Relative humidity | 71% | 71% | 70% | 68% | 58% | 54% | 49% | 43% | 41% | 52% | 61% | 68% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 24.2 µg/m³ | 22.2 µg/m³ | 28 µg/m³ | 28.4 µg/m³ | 39.8 µg/m³ | 44.6 µg/m³ | 42.4 µg/m³ | 32.3 µg/m³ | 22.9 µg/m³ | 21.6 µg/m³ | 22.2 µg/m³ | 21.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 50.9 µg/m³ | 45.6 µg/m³ | 56.3 µg/m³ | 57.9 µg/m³ | 85.4 µg/m³ | 102.2 µg/m³ | 96.7 µg/m³ | 69.7 µg/m³ | 46.1 µg/m³ | 43.8 µg/m³ | 47.6 µg/m³ | 47.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Worth knowing before you go
- South African school holidays (mid-summer)
1 December–15 January
- South African school holidays (April)
1–10 April
- South African school holidays (June–July)
15 June–15 July
- South African school holidays (September)
20–30 September