Phnom Penh weather in January

In January, Phnom Penh sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 15 mm of rain across 3 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 32°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of January to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Phnom Penh's 3rd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Phnom Penh's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
8th warmest
Overnight low
23°
1st coldest
Rainfall
15 mm
3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:28 AM – 5:51 PM
Cloud cover
54%
3rd clearest
Wind
8 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

Phnom Penh is capital of Cambodia.

Density
2,319/km²
people per km²
Founded
1372

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 32°C through the month.

A typical January day in Phnom Penh reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and about 1°C cooler than February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13223
23223
33223
43223
53223
63223
73223
83223
93223
103223
113223
123223
133223
143223
153223
163223
173223
183223
193223
203223
213223
223223
233323
243323
253323
263323
273323
283323
293323
303323
313323

How January really feels in Phnom Penh

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Phnom Penh weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 8th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 23°15311.44.5
Feb34° / 24°81.711.63.8
Mar35° / 26°366.211.92.7
Apr36° / 27°8114.612.21.9
May35° / 27°15422.712.51.8
Jun34° / 26°15424.312.72.0
Jul33° / 26°15425.612.62.2
Aug33° / 26°17825.912.42.1
Sep32° / 26°24527.212.12.1
Oct32° / 25°24424.711.72.6
Nov32° / 25°7811.111.53.9
Dec31° / 24°275.111.34.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
25050
35149
45149
55347
65347
75446
85446
95446
105545
115545
125644
135644
145644
155644
165644
175644
185644
195644
205644
215644
225743
235743
245842
255842
265941
276040
286139
296238
306337
316337

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Phnom Penh gets around 15 mm of rain over 3 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 9% and peaks near 10% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
110
210
310
410
510
610
79
89
99
1010
1110
1210
1310
1410
1510
1610
1710
1810
1910
2010
2110
2210
2310
2410
259
269
279
288
298
307
316

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 37% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 71% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1082039311
2072040321
3072039321
4082039321
5081939331
6081938331
7081937341
8081937351
9091936352
10091935362
11091934362
120101834362
130101834362
140101834362
150101834362
160111734361
170111734361
180111735361
190111735351
200111735351
211101836341
221101836341
231101837331
24191937331
25191938321
26191938311
27191939301
28182040301
29182040291
30182041281
31182042271

Wind in January

Winds average 8 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of January to 11 h 30 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 6:24 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 5:43 PM to 5:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:245:43
211.36:245:44
311.36:245:45
411.36:255:45
511.36:255:46
611.36:255:46
711.46:265:47
811.46:265:47
911.46:265:48
1011.46:275:48
1111.46:275:49
1211.46:275:49
1311.46:275:50
1411.46:285:50
1511.46:285:51
1611.46:285:51
1711.46:285:52
1811.46:285:52
1911.46:285:53
2011.46:295:53
2111.46:295:54
2211.46:295:54
2311.46:295:55
2411.46:295:55
2511.46:295:56
2611.56:295:56
2711.56:295:57
2811.56:295:57
2911.56:295:57
3011.56:295:58
3111.56:295:58

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.24 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.59 kWh/m² to a high of 6.14 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 5.24 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.4Bright
245.4Bright
255.4Bright
265.4Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.6Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Phnom Penh

In seasonPeak

In January, Phnom Penh sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Phnom Penh sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Phnom Penh's rainy season runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Phnom Penh?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.4
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Phnom Penh in January

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

In January, Phnom Penh sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 3 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Phnom Penh in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Phnom Penh peaks around August 18 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 19 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highAug 18UV 14Nov 19UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb11Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Phnom Penh 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 Phnom Penh is worst in February — around 44 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.4× the cleanest month (August, 18 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModerateFeb 1344 µg/m³Aug 1419 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan42Poor
Feb44Poor
Mar41Poor
Apr35Poor
May26Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep22Moderate
Oct28Moderate
Nov29Moderate
Dec29Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Phnom Penh?

Phnom Penh sits at 11.6°N, 104.9°E, 20 m above sea level, in Cambodia. The nearest listed city is Boeng Kak Pir, 3.0 km away.

Phumĭ Yoŭl ToŭngPhumĭ Véal TônsayKampong Speu

Topography around Phnom Penh

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Phnom Penh has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 25 m around an average of 13 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 59 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 713 m.

The land around Phnom Penh is covered by artificial surfaces (82%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (25%) within 16 km, and cropland (70%) within 80 km.

3 km
25 m
16 km
59 m
80 km
713 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
January weather nearby: Boeng Kak Pir 3.0 km · Dangkao 7.0 km · Chrang Chamreh Muoy 8.0 km · Ta Khmau 10 km · Kandoeng 31 km · Phumĭ Yoŭl Toŭng 37 km · Phumĭ Véal Tônsay 39 km · Kampong Speu 45 km

Cambodia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / C / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,872
2025
Happiness
4.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
30%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.8
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
19.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 390
Religion
Buddhist 97%Muslim 2%other 1%Christian 0%

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 Phnom Penh (11.5625°, 104.916°, elevation 20 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). 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).