Hermanus Holiday Weather Overview
Hermanus, a town on South Africa's Western Cape, is world famous for its whale watching opportunities - indeed, it was named by the WWF as one of the 12 best places on earth to see whales, and it is particularly acclaimed by visitors who want to watch whales from the shore - its cliff paths boast spectacular views of whales playing as close as 5m from the shore.
Although whale watching is the town's big claim to fame, it also has many other attractions, not least its floral diversity, which is recognised as being one of the highest in the world.
The Climate in Hermanus
Hermanus enjoys a Mediterranean style climate, with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The town is quite windy throughout the year, but this keeps the skies clear and leads to very few overcast days.
Whale Watching
Most tourists don't visit Hermanus for its weather - they're there to see the whales. Whales can be spotted from July onwards, but the peak time for whale watching is between August and October.
At this time, Southern Right Whales breed just off the coast. Humpback whales and dolphins can also been seen regularly, and orcas visit too.
This is the winter and spring period in Hermanus, and the weather is not as hot as it is during the rest of the year. Expect average daily highs in July of around 17°C, falling to a chilly 6°C at night. By late October, temperatures will have risen to 21°C with an overnight low of 11°C - still chilly enough at nights to warrant long sleeves or a jacket.
You may catch the odd shower or rainy day during the peak whale watching season, especially during July or August, but this shouldn't deter you; the rain normally passes quickly.
September sees the annual whale festival in Hermanus, which is packed with lively entertainment, great good and cool music.
Hermanus in Summer
Summer in Hermanus falls between December and February. Here you can expect average daily highs of around 25°C, although temperatures in the low 30s Celsius are not uncommon. Nights are comfortably warm but not hot, and there is little rainfall.
Summer is the perfect time for lazing on the beaches around Hermanus, or for exploring the wonderful floral delights of the surrounding area.
Despite the beautiful weather, summer is not especially busy in Hermanus, as most tourists come specifically to see the whales. This means you can pick up a bargain on accommodation and enjoy the beautiful scenery in relative peace and quiet.
Summer is a good time to explore the nearby vineyards of the Cape wineries, to enjoy some adventurous sports or to visit the unspoilt towns and villages along the coast from Hermanus.
Best months to visit Hermanus?
January and February are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Hermanus. The weather averages gathered from Hermanus weather forecast and Hermanus weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 23°c and average of 227.4 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Hermanus?
August and July are the coldest months with temperature at around 11°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Hermanus?
June and August receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 91.25mm.
Travelling to Hermanus? Check out our Weather averages of Hermanus to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Hermanus section.