April in Cape Town -
there’s a lot going on

I’m often asked “What’s the Cape Town weather in April like?”

The easiest way to explain is to show you some of the things we’ve done in April. And to let you know that April is the first month of the year when you will feel the dew-drenched grass beneath your feet first thing in the mornings.

But first of all, I'll give you some...

...Climate Facts and Figures

The days feel short to us but by Northern Hemisphere autumn standards are reasonably long. Dawn arrives just before 0700 and the sunsets (spectacular at this time of year) at around 1830.

Mornings are crisp, evenings cool especially if there is a breeze. But many, even most of the evenings are balmy.

The average April temperature in Cape Town ranges from 23 (maximum) to 12 (minimum) degrees C (that’s 73 to 54 degrees F).

What’s on in April – Cape Town Events in April

The first South African school holidays of the year usually fall in the beginning of April. That means lots going on for the kids at the South African Iziko Museum and the Planetarium.

Of course Easter is dependent on the phases of the moon, but more often than not it falls in April, too. For us that means Two Oceans Marathon time! This enormous road running event always takes place on Easter Saturday and is worth taking in even if you’re not a runner!

The Design for Living Expo is always scheduled in the second half of April, as is the SA Cheese Festival in Franschhoek.

What have we done in April?

We have

• picnicked at Groot Constantia,
• had tea on the lawn at the Deer Park Cafe,
• spent the day on the beach and game-viewed at Cape of Good Hope Reserve at Cape Point,
• enjoyed the outdoor market at Rondebosch, and
• hiked the Orangekloof Table Mountain Trail

and all in delicious sunshine!

The final long weekend of April this year brought the first of the real autumn rains - a monster cold front which loosed a deluge of rain and dropped the day time temperatures to around 15 deg C for 4 days in a row!



What to pack?

April weather in Cape Town calls for a couple of thin layers on your top half, and light trousers or skirts on the bottom. Regular jeans are fine for evenings but may feel too heavy on sunny days.

I spend the month in Capri pants or shorts with sandalled feet, occasionally donning a sweat shirt against the morning or evening chill.

You'll be glad of a light wind breaker for breezy days and a shawl for dressier evenings, but in general you'll find days are warm to hot.

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