Riohacha weather in January

In January, Riohacha sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 13 mm of rain across 3.7 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

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 Riohacha's 1st-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riohacha's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
9th warmest
Overnight low
24°
1st coldest
Rainfall
13 mm
3.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:19 AM – 5:43 PM
Cloud cover
41%
1st clearest
Wind
20 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical January day in Riohacha reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 6°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 on par with December and on par with February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13024
23024
33024
43024
53024
63024
73024
83024
93024
103024
113024
123024
133024
143024
153024
163024
173024
183024
193024
203024
213024
223024
233024
243124
253124
263124
273124
283124
293124
303124
313124

How January really feels in Riohacha

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.

Riohacha weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 9th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 24°133.711.45.7
Feb31° / 24°102.511.65.6
Mar31° / 25°174.211.95.1
Apr31° / 25°489.512.24.1
May31° / 26°13917.612.53.3
Jun32° / 26°8112.512.73.4
Jul33° / 26°498.812.63.5
Aug32° / 26°9715.712.43.1
Sep31° / 25°16522.412.12.9
Oct30° / 25°18925.411.73.0
Nov30° / 25°12719.811.53.7
Dec30° / 25°459.911.35.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in January, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 23%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27426
37525
47624
57723
67723
77822
87921
97921
107921
117921
127921
137921
147822
157822
167822
177723
187723
197723
207723
217723
227723
237723
247723
257723
267723
277723
287723
297822
307723
317624

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Riohacha gets around 13 mm of rain over 3.7 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 12% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
119
218
317
416
516
615
715
814
914
1014
1113
1213
1313
1413
1512
1612
1712
1812
1911
2011
2111
2210
2310
2410
259
269
279
289
299
309
319

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 50% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1027712
2029701
3031681
4033661
5035641
6036631
7038611
8040600
9042580
10044560
11045550
12047530
13049510
14050500
15052480
16053470
17054460
18055450
19056440
20057430
21057430
22058420
23059410
24059410
25060400
26061390
27160390
28161380
29161380
30161380
31162370

Wind in January

Winds average 20 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 19 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
119light breeze
219light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020light breeze
1120light breeze
1220light breeze
1320light breeze
1420light breeze
1520light breeze
1620light breeze
1720light breeze
1820light breeze
1920light breeze
2020light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2320breezy
2420breezy
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820breezy
2920breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

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 6:15 AM to 6:20 AM, and sunset from 5:35 PM to 5:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:155:35
211.36:155:35
311.36:165:36
411.36:165:36
511.36:165:37
611.36:175:37
711.46:175:38
811.46:175:38
911.46:175:39
1011.46:185:40
1111.46:185:40
1211.46:185:41
1311.46:195:41
1411.46:195:42
1511.46:195:42
1611.46:195:43
1711.46:195:43
1811.46:205:44
1911.46:205:44
2011.46:205:45
2111.46:205:45
2211.46:205:46
2311.46:205:46
2411.46:205:47
2511.46:205:47
2611.56:205:47
2711.56:205:48
2811.56:205:48
2911.56:205:49
3011.56:205:49
3111.56:205:50

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.19 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.23 kWh/m² in July across the year — January's 5.19 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Riohacha

In seasonPeak

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

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

Riohacha's rainy season runs August–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Riohacha?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
8.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Riohacha in January

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

In January, Riohacha sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Riohacha in January

The nearest coast averages about 25°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February 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
Jan25Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr26Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Riohacha 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 Riohacha peaks around April 13 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 highApr 13UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Riohacha 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 Riohacha is worst in June — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (January, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 1530 µg/m³Jan 1011 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May28Moderate
Jun30Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Riohacha?

Riohacha sits at 11.5°N, 72.9°W, 7 m above sea level, in Colombia. The nearest listed city is Albania, 55 km away.

VillanuevaValledupar

Topography around Riohacha

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riohacha has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 25 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,978 m.

The land around Riohacha is covered by artificial surfaces (39%) and water (31%) within 3 km, water (43%) and shrubs (34%) within 16 km, and water (36%), trees (32%) and shrubs (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
25 m
16 km
46 m
80 km
3,978 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Albania 55 km · Hatonuevo 55 km · Barrancas 66 km · Fonseca 73 km · Maicao 75 km · San Juan del Cesar 87 km · Villanueva 104 km · Valledupar 126 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 Riohacha (11.5444°, -72.9072°, elevation 7 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).