If your festive plans involve light dresses, braais or beach days, consider this your heads-up. According to Weather Man Pete’s latest forecast, Cape Town is heading into a seriously windy stretch, even without a classic cold front in play.
High-pressure ridges are lining up offshore, driving a persistent and sometimes moody south-easter.
The result? Blustery conditions, elevated fire risk and a brief spell of moisture in the mix midweek – what Weatherman Pete calls a “black south-easter”.
Christmas forecast for Cape Town
Christmas Eve, Wednesday, 24 December:
- A 34% chance of rain, with cloudier skies and a cool edge.
- High 20°C, low 17°C, SE winds up to 35km/h.
Christmas Day, Thursday, 25 December:
- Sunny, warm and windy – classic Cape Town Christmas conditions.
- High 24°C, low 18°C, SE winds up to 35km/h.
While Christmas Day looks relatively good for outdoor plans, expect the wind to be a constant companion. As a result, fire danger remains high, so caution is key.
ALSO SEE: Joburg’s festive weather outlook
Time Out Tip: The summer solstice lands on Sunday, delivering the longest day of the year. It's the perfect time to take a dip in any one of these tidal pools across the Mother City.
South African Weather Service Summer Outlook: A wetter, riskier summer ahead
On a national scale, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has released its seasonal outlook for December 2025 to April 2026, and the message is clear: this is a summer to stay weather-aware.
SAWS confirms South Africa is shifting towards a weak La Niña phase – a climate pattern that typically brings above-normal rainfall to large parts of the country, especially the north-east.
What this means across SA
- Hotter daytime temperatures expected in parts of the south-west, including the Western Cape.
- Above-normal rainfall is likely over Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Free State and North West.
- Warmer nights across most regions, with cooler daytime temperatures in wetter areas due to cloud cover.
- Increased risk of localised flooding, particularly in flood-prone areas and informal settlements.
SAWS issued the update against the backdrop of a year already marked by severe weather, including deadly flooding in the Eastern Cape and damaging storms across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
So there you have it. Forewarned is forearmed. Enjoy the holidays, but don’t ignore the weather.
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