Costa Rica weather in January

In January, Costa Rica sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 256 mm of rain across 26.2 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Costa Rica's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Costa Rica's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
9th warmest
Overnight low
21°
12th coldest
Rainfall
256 mm
26.2 wet days
Daylight
13 hours
6:12 AM – 7:12 PM
Cloud cover
79%
12th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.49 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Costa Rica reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12921
22921
32921
42921
52921
62921
72921
82921
92921
102921
112921
122921
132921
142921
152921
162921
172921
182921
192921
202921
212921
222921
232921
242921
252921
262921
272921
282921
292921
302921
312921

How January really feels in Costa Rica

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Costa Rica weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 21°25626.2133.3
Feb29° / 21°21523.612.63.3
Mar30° / 21°18123.812.13.6
Apr29° / 20°8112.411.65.0
May28° / 18°395.711.17.0
Jun28° / 17°182.410.97.9
Jul28° / 16°111.4117.6
Aug30° / 18°172.511.46.0
Sep31° / 20°678.711.94.5
Oct31° / 21°12918.512.43.7
Nov30° / 21°17522.212.93.5
Dec29° / 21°21725.613.13.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12278
22278
32080
42080
52080
62080
72080
82080
92179
102179
112179
122179
132278
142278
152278
162278
172278
182278
192377
202377
212377
222377
232377
242377
252377
262278
272278
282377
292377
302377
312476

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Costa Rica gets around 256 mm of rain over 26.2 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 85% and peaks near 86% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
186
286
386
486
586
686
786
886
985
1085
1185
1285
1385
1485
1585
1685
1784
1884
1984
2084
2184
2284
2384
2484
2584
2684
2784
2884
2985
3085
3185

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 65% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 97% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1126928
2126829
3126829
4126730
5136630
6136531
7136531
8136531
9136432
10136432
11136432
12036532
13036532
14026632
15026632
16026533
17026533
18026533
19026434
20026434
21026335
22026335
23026335
24026335
25026335
26026335
27026434
28026434
29026434
30026533
31026533

Wind in January

Winds average 7 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 6:21 AM, and sunset from 7:09 PM to 7:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.16:037:09
213.16:037:09
313.16:047:09
413.16:047:10
513.16:057:10
613.16:067:10
713.16:067:10
813.16:077:11
913.16:077:11
1013.06:087:11
1113.06:097:11
1213.06:097:11
1313.06:107:12
1413.06:117:12
1513.06:117:12
1613.06:127:12
1713.06:127:12
1813.06:137:12
1913.06:147:12
2013.06:147:12
2113.06:157:12
2212.96:157:12
2312.96:167:12
2412.96:177:12
2512.96:177:12
2612.96:187:12
2712.96:187:12
2812.96:197:12
2912.96:207:11
3012.96:207:11
3112.86:217:11

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.49 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.17 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in October across the year — January's 5.49 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Costa Rica

In seasonPeak

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

Costa Rica's monsoon runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Costa Rica?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Costa Rica.

What to pack for Costa Rica in January

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

In January, Costa Rica sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Costa Rica in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Costa Rica peaks around January 22 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 7 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeJan 22UV 15Jun 21UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct10Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Costa Rica 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 Costa Rica is worst in September — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.2× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1722 µg/m³Jun 125 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb7Good
Mar6Good
Apr5Good
May5Good
Jun5Good
Jul8Good
Aug10Good
Sep24Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Costa Rica?

Costa Rica sits at 18.5°S, 53.1°W, 646 m above sea level, in Brazil. The nearest listed city is Chapadão do Sul, 60 km away.

Topography around Costa Rica

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Costa Rica has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 160 m around an average of 655 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 307 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 616 m.

The land around Costa Rica is covered by grassland (39%) and trees (22%) within 3 km, cropland (41%), grassland (28%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and cropland (42%), grassland (31%) and trees (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
160 m
16 km
307 m
80 km
616 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Chapadão do Sul 60 km · Mineiros 124 km · Alto Araguaia 137 km · Cassilândia 160 km · Jataí 166 km · Coxim 172 km · São Gabriel do Oeste 178 km · Rio Verde de Mato Grosso 185 km

Brazil travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / N
127 / 220 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 46% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$10,713
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
89%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
19.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
16
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 482
Religion
Roman Catholic 57%Evangelical 27%none 9%other 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 Costa Rica (-18.5439°, -53.1292°, elevation 646 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. 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).