Durban in Winter
In winter (June, July and August), Durban sees average daytime highs around 23°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 104 mm of rain over about 15 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 70% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Durban's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Durban's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 23°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 14°C
- Rainfall
- 104 mm
- 15 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.2
- best season of the year
- Months
- Jun · Jul · Aug
Temperature in Durban in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 23°C.
A typical winter day in Durban reaches about 23°C and drops to 14°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is June, the coolest July.
Durban weather by month
How the three winter months (June, July and August) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27° / 21° | 91 | 13 | 13.7 | 6.0 |
| Feb | 27° / 22° | 84 | 11.3 | 13.1 | 6.1 |
| Mar | 27° / 21° | 90 | 11.4 | 12.2 | 6.5 |
| Apr | 25° / 19° | 74 | 8.6 | 11.3 | 7.3 |
| May | 24° / 16° | 43 | 5.4 | 10.5 | 8.2 |
| Jun | 23° / 14° | 28 | 4.6 | 10.1 | 8.4 |
| Jul | 22° / 13° | 42 | 4.7 | 10.3 | 8.2 |
| Aug | 23° / 14° | 34 | 5.9 | 10.9 | 7.9 |
| Sep | 23° / 16° | 60 | 8.6 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| Oct | 23° / 17° | 90 | 12.5 | 12.7 | 6.4 |
| Nov | 24° / 19° | 96 | 13.4 | 13.5 | 6.2 |
| Dec | 26° / 20° | 94 | 13.1 | 13.9 | 6.1 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 70% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Durban gets around 104 mm of rain over 15 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 12 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min in early June to 11 h 18 min by late August. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 3.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Durban
None of Durban's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Durban sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Is winter a good time to visit Durban?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Durban for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Durban in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Durban sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 15 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Durban in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 22°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in February at about 26°C and coldest in August near 21°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | Warm |
| Feb | 26 | Warm |
| Mar | 26 | Warm |
| Apr | 25 | Warm |
| May | 24 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 22 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 21 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 21 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 22 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 23 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 24 | Warm |
UV index in Durban in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Durban peaks around January 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 4 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Extreme | Very high | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 10 | Extreme |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 5 | Moderate |
| Jun | 4 | Moderate |
| Jul | 4 | Moderate |
| Aug | 5 | High |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Air quality in Durban in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Durban is worst in July — around 148 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 6.1× the cleanest month (January, 24 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 24 | 31 | 50 | 77 | 126 | 144 | 148 | 116 | 88 | 57 | 41 | 30 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24 | Moderate |
| Feb | 31 | Moderate |
| Mar | 50 | Poor |
| Apr | 77 | Unhealthy |
| May | 126 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 144 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 148 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 116 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 88 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 41 | Poor |
| Dec | 30 | Moderate |
Where is Durban?
Durban sits at 29.9°S, 31.0°E, 21 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Pinetown, 14 km away.
Topography around Durban
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Durban.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Durban has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 110 m around an average of 9 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 442 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,547 m.
The land around Durban is covered by water (42%) and artificial surfaces (39%) within 3 km, water (49%), trees (24%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 16 km, and trees (34%), water (32%) and grassland (20%) within 80 km.
South Africa travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / M / N
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 41% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $6,598
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 68%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 43.7
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 22.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very high
- EF EPI 602
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Durban (-29.8579°, 31.0292°, elevation 21 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.