São Luís weather in January

In January, São Luís sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 221 mm of rain across 25.4 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 5th-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 12% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of January to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is São Luís's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see São Luís's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
9th warmest
Overnight low
25°
4th coldest
Rainfall
221 mm
25.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:03 AM – 6:10 PM
Cloud cover
73%
9th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.0
out of 10

São Luís is human settlement in Brazil.

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 São Luís reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°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)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132825
142825
152825
162825
172825
182825
192825
202825
212825
222825
232825
242825
252825
262825
272825
282825
292825
302825
312825

How January really feels in São Luís

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.

São Luís weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 9th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°22125.412.14.0
Feb28° / 25°3032612.13.6
Mar27° / 25°44030.3123.4
Apr28° / 25°41428.811.93.4
May28° / 26°28626.911.93.7
Jun28° / 26°1532311.94.2
Jul29° / 26°1032011.94.7
Aug29° / 26°28911.96.1
Sep29° / 26°113.2127.0
Oct28° / 26°133.612.16.9
Nov29° / 26°276.812.16.3
Dec28° / 26°7315.312.15.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% 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 72%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34060
43862
53862
63664
73565
83367
93268
103169
113070
122872
132773
142674
152575
162575
172575
182476
192377
202377
212377
222476
232476
242476
252377
262377
272377
282377
292377
302377
312377

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

São Luís gets around 221 mm of rain over 25.4 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 82% and peaks near 87% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
170
271
372
473
574
676
777
878
979
1081
1182
1283
1384
1485
1586
1686
1786
1887
1987
2087
2187
2287
2387
2487
2586
2686
2786
2886
2987
3087
3187

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 82% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
18119
28119
38218
48218
58218
68317
78317
88317
98317
108317
118317
128317
138317
148317
158317
168317
178317
188218
198218
208218
218218
228119
238119
248119
258119
268119
278020
288020
298020
307921
317921

Wind in January

Winds average 17 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
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
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

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

Days grow by about 0 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:56 AM to 6:07 AM, and sunset from 6:05 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.15:566:05
212.15:576:05
312.15:576:06
412.15:576:06
512.15:586:06
612.15:586:07
712.15:596:07
812.15:596:08
912.16:006:08
1012.16:006:08
1112.16:016:09
1212.16:016:09
1312.16:016:09
1412.16:026:10
1512.16:026:10
1612.16:036:10
1712.16:036:11
1812.16:036:11
1912.16:046:11
2012.16:046:12
2112.16:046:12
2212.16:056:12
2312.16:056:12
2412.16:056:13
2512.16:066:13
2612.16:066:13
2712.16:066:13
2812.16:066:13
2912.16:076:14
3012.16:076:14
3112.16:076:14

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.2 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.57 kWh/m² to a high of 6.4 kWh/m² in October across the year — January's 5.2 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for São Luís

In seasonPeak

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

São Luís's monsoon runs January–May, 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 São Luís?

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

4.0
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit São Luís for sightseeing.

What to pack for São Luís in January

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

In January, São Luís sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near São Luís 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 13 km away) is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in October near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug28Tropical
Sep28Warm
Oct28Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in São Luís 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 São Luís peaks around March 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 17 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 17UV 15Jul 17UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in São Luís 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 São Luís is worst in February — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (July, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodFeb 2018 µg/m³Jul 157 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb18Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May8Good
Jun7Good
Jul7Good
Aug8Good
Sep9Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is São Luís?

São Luís sits at 2.5°S, 44.3°W, 29 m above sea level, in Brazil. The nearest listed city is Alcântara, 19 km away.

Topography around São Luís

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around São Luís has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 37 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 65 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 102 m.

The land around São Luís is covered by artificial surfaces (38%) and water (33%) within 3 km, water (52%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and water (36%) and trees (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
37 m
16 km
65 m
80 km
102 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Alcântara 19 km · Paço do Lumiar 22 km · Raposa 25 km · São José de Ribamar 27 km · Icatu 38 km · Rosário 46 km · Morros 47 km · Bacabeira 49 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 São Luís (-2.5297°, -44.3028°, elevation 29 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. 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).