Salvador weather in January

In January, Salvador sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 59 mm of rain across 12.4 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of January to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Salvador's 6th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salvador's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
26°
10th coldest
Rainfall
59 mm
12.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
5:23 AM – 6:04 PM
Cloud cover
47%
6th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Salvador is human settlement in Brazil.

Air quality
Good
PM10 22.2 µg/m³ · 2015

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 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Salvador reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12725
22725
32725
42725
52725
62725
72725
82725
92725
102725
112725
122725
132725
142726
152726
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262826
272826
282826
292826
302826
312826

Salvador weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 3rd-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°5912.412.76.3
Feb28° / 26°6114.412.45.8
Mar28° / 26°9117.812.15.5
Apr27° / 25°15822.311.74.8
May26° / 25°18622.811.44.9
Jun26° / 24°15022.911.34.9
Jul25° / 23°11621.911.35.3
Aug25° / 23°8119.811.65.7
Sep25° / 24°6414.611.96.4
Oct26° / 24°5810.912.36.8
Nov27° / 25°6410.612.66.5
Dec27° / 25°409.612.76.6

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 37%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26337
36238
46238
56238
66139
76139
86139
96139
106040
116040
126040
136139
146139
156040
166040
176139
186139
196238
206238
216337
226436
236535
246535
256634
266634
276733
286733
296832
306733
316832

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Salvador gets around 59 mm of rain over 12.4 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 40% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
133
233
334
435
536
637
737
838
939
1040
1140
1241
1341
1441
1542
1642
1742
1842
1942
2042
2142
2242
2342
2442
2543
2643
2743
2844
2944
3044
3145

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the oppressive band about 93% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
14942
23952
33952
43943
53943
62953
72944
82944
92944
102935
112935
122935
132935
143925
153916
162926
172926
183916
193916
203916
213916
223925
233925
243925
252935
262935
272944
282944
292944
302944
312944

Wind in January

Winds average 17 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
418light breeze
518light breeze
618light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of January to 12 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:15 AM to 5:30 AM, and sunset from 6:00 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:156:00
212.75:156:00
312.75:166:00
412.75:166:01
512.75:176:01
612.75:176:01
712.75:186:02
812.75:186:02
912.75:196:02
1012.75:196:03
1112.75:206:03
1212.75:206:03
1312.75:216:03
1412.75:226:03
1512.75:226:04
1612.75:236:04
1712.75:236:04
1812.75:246:04
1912.75:246:04
2012.75:256:04
2112.75:256:05
2212.65:266:05
2312.65:266:05
2412.65:276:05
2512.65:276:05
2612.65:286:05
2712.65:286:05
2812.65:296:05
2912.65:296:05
3012.65:306:05
3112.65:306:05

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.73 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.07 kWh/m² to a high of 6.73 kWh/m² in January across the year — January's 6.73 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.8Intense
36.8Intense
46.8Intense
56.8Intense
66.8Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.8Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.7Intense
156.7Intense
166.7Intense
176.7Intense
186.7Intense
196.7Intense
206.7Intense
216.7Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.7Intense
256.7Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.7Intense
316.7Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Salvador

In seasonPeak

None of Salvador's seasonal hazards are active in January. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Salvador's rainy season runs March–July, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Salvador?

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

6.3
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Salvador for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Salvador in January

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

In January, Salvador sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Salvador in January

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 21 km away) is warmest in March at about 28°C and coldest in August near 25°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr28Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in Salvador 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 Salvador peaks around February 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 20UV 14Jun 23UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Salvador?

Salvador sits at 13.0°S, 38.5°W, 4 m above sea level, in Brazil. The nearest listed city is Vera Cruz, 13 km away.

Topography around Salvador

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Salvador has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 84 m around an average of 39 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 133 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 380 m.

The land around Salvador is covered by artificial surfaces (74%) within 3 km, water (70%) within 16 km, and water (43%), trees (29%) and grassland (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
84 m
16 km
133 m
80 km
380 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
January weather nearby: Vera Cruz 13 km · Lauro de Freitas 20 km · Itaparica 23 km · Simões Filho 23 km · Madre de Deus 30 km · Candeias 35 km · Camaçari 36 km · São Francisco do Conde 44 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 Salvador (-12.9756°, -38.491°, elevation 4 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. 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).