Cartagena weather in January

In January, Cartagena sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 9 mm of rain across 2.3 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of January to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Cartagena's 1st-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cartagena's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
4th warmest
Overnight low
25°
1st coldest
Rainfall
9 mm
2.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:28 AM – 5:55 PM
Cloud cover
32%
1st clearest
Wind
20 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.67 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Cartagena is place in Columbia.

Air quality
Elevated
PM2.5 24 µg/m³ · 2018

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 31°C through the month.

A typical January day in Cartagena reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13025
23025
33025
43025
53025
63025
73025
83025
93025
103025
113025
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173125
183125
193125
203125
213125
223125
233125
243125
253125
263125
273125
283125
293125
303125
313125

How January really feels in Cartagena

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.

Cartagena weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 25°92.311.55.9
Feb31° / 25°61.611.75.6
Mar31° / 26°194.511.95.2
Apr31° / 26°7515.712.23.9
May30° / 26°18126.212.53.0
Jun30° / 26°17625.412.63.0
Jul30° / 26°15725.112.53.1
Aug30° / 26°18627.612.32.9
Sep29° / 26°21028.512.12.8
Oct29° / 25°26529.211.82.9
Nov29° / 25°20124.411.53.5
Dec30° / 25°6110.911.45.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in January, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 20%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17525
27624
37624
47723
57723
67822
77822
87921
97921
107921
117921
127921
137921
147921
157921
168020
178020
188020
198020
208119
218119
228119
238218
248218
258317
268317
278416
288416
298416
308416
318317

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Cartagena gets around 9 mm of rain over 2.3 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 8% and peaks near 15% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
115
214
313
413
512
612
711
811
911
1010
1110
1210
139
149
158
168
177
187
196
206
215
225
234
244
254
263
273
283
293
304
314

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 88% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
107228
207426
307723
417821
518019
618217
718316
818514
918613
1028711
1128810
122899
132908
143898
153907
163916
173925
183925
193934
203934
214924
224933
234933
244933
255932
265932
275932
286922
296913
306913
316913

Wind in January

Winds average 20 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 21 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
718light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1620light breeze
1720light breeze
1820light breeze
1920breezy
2020breezy
2120breezy
2220breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 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 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:23 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 5:47 PM to 6:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:235:47
211.46:235:48
311.46:245:48
411.46:245:49
511.46:255:49
611.46:255:50
711.46:255:50
811.46:265:51
911.46:265:51
1011.46:265:52
1111.46:265:52
1211.46:275:53
1311.46:275:53
1411.46:275:54
1511.46:275:54
1611.56:285:55
1711.56:285:55
1811.56:285:56
1911.56:285:56
2011.56:285:57
2111.56:295:57
2211.56:295:58
2311.56:295:58
2411.56:295:59
2511.56:295:59
2611.56:295:59
2711.56:296:00
2811.56:296:00
2911.56:296:01
3011.56:296:01
3111.56:296:02

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.67 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.35 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.67 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Cartagena

In seasonPeak

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

Cartagena's rainy season runs May–November, 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 Cartagena?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Cartagena in January

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

In January, Cartagena sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Cartagena 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 15 km away) is warmest in June at about 30°C and coldest in March near 27°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
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Warm
May29Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Cartagena in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cartagena peaks around June 11 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 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 highJun 11UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Cartagena 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 Cartagena is worst in July — around 35 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 14 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Cartagena's WHO annual average of 24 µg/m³.

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJul 1034 µg/m³Nov 1315 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb21Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr30Moderate
May33Moderate
Jun34Moderate
Jul35Moderate
Aug27Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Cartagena?

Cartagena sits at 10.4°N, 75.5°W, 20 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Turbaco, 12 km away.

Topography around Cartagena

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cartagena has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 57 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 231 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 811 m.

The land around Cartagena is covered by artificial surfaces (74%) within 3 km, water (40%), grassland (24%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and water (44%), trees (26%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
57 m
16 km
231 m
80 km
811 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Turbaco 12 km · Santa Rosa 14 km · Arjona 23 km · San Estanislao 37 km · Mahates 38 km · Repelón 42 km · Luruaco 45 km · San Pablo 46 km

Colombia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 240 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$8,562
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
74%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
15.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 480
Religion
Roman Catholic 64%Protestant 17%none 14%atheist 1%

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 Cartagena (10.3982°, -75.4933°, 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. 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).