Praia weather in January

In January, Praia sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 4 mm of rain across 0.7 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-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 49% of the time in January, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Praia's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Praia's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
11th warmest
Overnight low
20°
4th coldest
Rainfall
4 mm
0.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
7:07 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
46%
8th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.7
out of 10

Praia is capital of Cape Verde.

Density
1,344/km²
people per km²
Founded
1858

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 Praia reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C cooler than December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12421
22420
32420
42420
52420
62420
72420
82420
92420
102420
112420
122420
132420
142420
152420
162420
172420
182420
192420
202420
212420
222420
232420
242420
252420
262420
272420
282420
292420
302420
312420

Praia weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 20°40.711.28.7
Feb24° / 19°10.511.58.9
Mar24° / 19°10.211.99.2
Apr25° / 20°10.112.39.0
May25° / 20°00.112.79.1
Jun26° / 21°00.112.98.9
Jul27° / 23°91.912.87.9
Aug28° / 24°487.812.56.5
Sep28° / 25°72912.16.2
Oct28° / 24°323.911.77.2
Nov27° / 23°61.211.37.9
Dec25° / 21°40.711.18.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% 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 39%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25743
35743
45743
55743
65743
75842
85842
95842
105842
115842
125842
135941
146040
156040
166040
176040
186040
196238
206238
216238
226337
236436
246535
256535
266535
276634
286634
296634
306634
316535

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Praia gets around 4 mm of rain over 0.7 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 2% and peaks near 3% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
12
22
32
42
52
62
72
83
93
103
113
123
132
142
152
162
172
182
192
202
212
222
232
242
252
262
272
282
292
302
312

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the humid band about 61% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 5% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
10176716
20186715
30206713
40216712
50236710
6024679
7125668
8126667
9127666
10128665
11129655
12231634
13232633
14233623
15234613
16335602
17335602
18336592
19336592
20337582
21337582
22338572
23339562
24339553
25339553
26239563
27239554
28239554
29239554
30239545
31140545

Wind in January

Winds average 20 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720breezy
820breezy
920breezy
1020breezy
1120breezy
1220breezy
1320breezy
1420breezy
1520breezy
1620breezy
1720breezy
1820breezy
1920breezy
2020breezy
2120breezy
2220breezy
2320light breeze
2420light breeze
2520light breeze
2620light breeze
2720light breeze
2820light breeze
2920light breeze
3020light breeze
3120light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:03 AM to 7:07 AM, and sunset from 6:11 PM to 6:27 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.17:036:11
211.17:046:12
311.17:046:12
411.17:046:13
511.17:056:13
611.17:056:14
711.27:056:14
811.27:066:15
911.27:066:16
1011.27:066:16
1111.27:066:17
1211.27:076:17
1311.27:076:18
1411.27:076:18
1511.27:076:19
1611.27:076:19
1711.27:076:20
1811.27:076:21
1911.27:086:21
2011.27:086:22
2111.27:086:22
2211.37:086:23
2311.37:086:23
2411.37:086:24
2511.37:086:24
2611.37:086:25
2711.37:086:25
2811.37:086:26
2911.37:086:26
3011.37:076:27
3111.37:076:27

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.13 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.87 kWh/m² to a high of 7.25 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 5.13 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Praia

In seasonPeak

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

Praia sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Praia sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in June.

Atlantic hurricane
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Praia?

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

8.7
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
7.3
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Praia for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Praia in January

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

In January, Praia sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 20°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Praia in January

The nearest coast averages about 24°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 14 km away) is warmest in October at about 27°C and coldest in February near 23°C.

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

22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan24Refreshing
Feb23Refreshing
Mar23Refreshing
Apr23Refreshing
May24Refreshing
Jun24Warm
Jul25Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec25Warm

UV index in Praia in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Praia peaks around March 12 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeExtremeVery highExtremeVery highMar 12UV 12Dec 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr10Very high
May13Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov9Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Praia 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 Praia is worst in December — around 71 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.0× the cleanest month (May, 14 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModerateUnhealthyDec 2471 µg/m³May 1115 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan71Unhealthy
Feb55Poor
Mar32Moderate
Apr16Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul30Moderate
Aug26Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct32Moderate
Nov33Moderate
Dec71Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Praia?

Praia sits at 14.9°N, 23.5°W, 0 m above sea level, in Cabo Verde. The nearest listed city is Assomada, 26 km away.

AssomadaEspargosMindelo

Topography around Praia

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Praia has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 216 m around an average of 70 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 943 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,283 m.

The land around Praia is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and grassland (34%) within 3 km, water (57%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and water (90%) within 80 km.

3 km
216 m
16 km
943 m
80 km
1,283 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Assomada 26 km · Espargos 212 km · Mindelo 268 km · Dakar 653 km · Le Plateau 654 km · Guédiawaye 657 km · Pikine 658 km · N’diareme limamoulaye 659 km

Cabo Verde travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 48% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,796
2025
Homicide rate
7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
26.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
Religion
Roman Catholic 73%none 16%Protestant 4%Christian Rationalism 2%

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 Praia (14.9315°, -23.5125°, elevation 0 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).