Newcastle weather in January

In January, Newcastle sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 76 mm of rain across 9.5 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 06 min at the start of January to 13 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Newcastle's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Newcastle's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
1st warmest
Overnight low
21°
11th coldest
Rainfall
76 mm
9.5 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
6:04 AM – 8:01 PM
Cloud cover
48%
9th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Newcastle is city in New South Wales, Australia.

Density
1,942/km²
people per km²
Founded
1804

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month.

A typical January day in Newcastle reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12320
22320
32321
42321
52321
62321
72321
82321
92321
102421
112421
122421
132421
142421
152421
162421
172421
182421
192421
202421
212421
222421
232421
242421
252421
262421
272421
282421
292421
302421
312421

Newcastle weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 21°769.513.97.2
Feb24° / 21°979.813.27.0
Mar23° / 20°9811.712.36.8
Apr21° / 18°8711.211.26.6
May19° / 16°9410.710.36.2
Jun17° / 14°11311.69.95.5
Jul16° / 13°739105.6
Aug17° / 13°567.210.86.3
Sep19° / 15°536.611.86.9
Oct20° / 16°638.412.86.8
Nov21° / 18°819.613.76.6
Dec23° / 20°709.814.17.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26337
36337
46337
56337
66337
76337
86337
96337
106337
116337
126238
136337
146238
156238
166238
176139
186040
196040
205941
216040
226040
236040
246040
256139
266139
276139
286139
296238
306238
316238

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Newcastle gets around 76 mm of rain over 9.5 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 31% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
130
229
329
428
528
628
728
828
928
1028
1129
1229
1329
1430
1530
1631
1731
1832
1933
2033
2134
2234
2334
2435
2535
2635
2735
2835
2935
3035
3134

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 58% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
151439374
251438384
351537385
451536395
551535406
651533416
751532426
851531437
941629437
1041628447
1141627458
1241626468
1341525479
1441524489
15414234910
16414225011
17413215012
18412215013
19312215014
20311215114
21310205215
22310205116
23310205017
2439205117
2539205018
2639205018
2729214918
2829214819
29210224819
30210224719
31210224718

Wind in January

Winds average 19 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min at the start of January to 13 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:52 AM to 6:17 AM, and sunset from 8:00 PM to 7:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.15:528:00
214.15:538:00
314.15:538:01
414.15:548:01
514.15:558:01
614.15:558:01
714.15:568:01
814.15:578:01
914.15:588:01
1014.05:598:01
1114.05:598:01
1214.06:008:01
1314.06:018:01
1414.06:028:01
1514.06:038:01
1614.06:048:01
1713.96:058:00
1813.96:058:00
1913.96:068:00
2013.96:078:00
2113.96:087:59
2213.86:097:59
2313.86:107:59
2413.86:117:58
2513.86:127:58
2613.76:137:58
2713.76:147:57
2813.76:157:57
2913.76:157:56
3013.76:167:56
3113.66:177:55

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.64 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.46 kWh/m² to a high of 6.64 kWh/m² in January across the year — January's 6.64 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.0Intense
27.0Intense
37.0Intense
47.0Intense
56.9Intense
66.9Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.8Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.4Intense
186.4Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Newcastle

In seasonPeak

In January, Newcastle sits inside its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Newcastle sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Cyclone
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Newcastle?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.2
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Newcastle for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Newcastle in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Newcastle sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 21°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Newcastle in January

The nearest coast averages about 23°C in January — 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 23°C and coldest in August near 18°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Nov 13 to Jun 11 — about 6.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.

16°18°20°22°24°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan23Refreshing
Feb23Refreshing
Mar23Refreshing
Apr22Refreshing
May21Refreshing
Jun20Cool
Jul19Cool
Aug18Cool
Sep18Cool
Oct19Cool
Nov20Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Newcastle in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Newcastle peaks around January 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 18UV 13Jun 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar9Very high
Apr6High
May4Moderate
Jun2Moderate
Jul3Moderate
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct8Very high
Nov10Very high
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Newcastle in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Newcastle is worst in December — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.3× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateDec 1621 µg/m³Jun 205 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb7Good
Mar7Good
Apr6Good
May6Good
Jun5Good
Jul6Good
Aug7Good
Sep8Good
Oct8Good
Nov11Good
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Newcastle?

Newcastle sits at 32.9°S, 151.8°E, 48 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Maitland, 30 km away.

Topography around Newcastle

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Newcastle.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Newcastle has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 76 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 158 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 863 m.

The land around Newcastle is covered by water (61%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 3 km, water (53%) within 16 km, and trees (44%) and water (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
76 m
16 km
158 m
80 km
863 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Maitland 30 km · Cessnock 41 km · Central Coast 67 km · Umina Beach 79 km · Pittwater 93 km · Dee Why 102 km · Saint Ives 106 km · Hornsby 107 km

Australia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$65,130
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
4.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
none 38%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant 18%other Christian 4%

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 Newcastle (-32.9295°, 151.7801°, elevation 48 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).