Cape Town December Weather

Christmas in Cape Town

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December weather in Cape Town is guaranteed to be hot and sunny.

This is the city’s busiest month of the year visitor-wise as the South African schools close for their long summer vacation.

Parking at Clifton is at a premium and ice cream is in demand as temperatures soar!

Days are long again – in December the Cape Town sunrise time is around 05.00 and sunset 20.00.

The evening twilight is lengthy and you can expect to be sundowering on any west-facing beach till after 9pm. Take candles to stick into the sand and stay for dinner!

Any chill is long gone but after dark it can feel cool after the heat of the day so a light beach sarong can double as a shawl around your shoulders.

The rainfall and temperature figures look like this

Average daily maximum temperature: 25-35 degrees C (77-95 degrees F)

Average daily minimum temperature: 15-20 degrees C (59-68 degrees F)

Average monthly rainfall 17 mm (0.7 inches)

Days with > 1 mm rain: 6

December in Cape Town – What’s happening?

This is an action-packed month. The whole city seems to vibrate with energy and you the sense of festive season excitement is almost tangible. Apart from the frenzy of shopping, beaching and chilling, here are a few highlights to watch out for in the local press.

December in Cape Town -- What to pack?

Cape Town is a laid-back city. In summer you will see people in shorts and flip flops everywhere. Bare feet are not uncommon. In upmarket restaurants you will still need to comply with a dress code of sorts, but you’ll never need a tie unless it’s for a specific event.

• a light wrap or long sleeves for cooler evenings
• sleeveless, comfy T-shirts, shorts, sandals, swimming costumes -- you get the picture!
• sunblock, sunglasses, hats
• mosquito repellent

You may find the following related pages helpful:
Cape Town weather NOW
January Weather Cape Town
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