Monteverde weather in January

In January, Monteverde sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 12 mm of rain across 3.5 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°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 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 Monteverde's 2nd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Monteverde's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
9th warmest
Overnight low
18°
1st coldest
Rainfall
12 mm
3.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:05 AM – 5:32 PM
Cloud cover
43%
2nd clearest
Wind
11 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.9
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.

A typical January day in Monteverde reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C cooler than February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12619
22619
32619
42618
52618
62618
72618
82618
92618
102618
112618
122618
132618
142618
152618
162618
172618
182618
192618
202618
212618
222718
232718
242718
252718
262718
272718
282718
292718
302718
312718

Monteverde weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 18°123.511.57.9
Feb27° / 18°9211.78.0
Mar29° / 19°82.111.97.0
Apr29° / 20°467.712.25.5
May28° / 20°26021.412.54.2
Jun27° / 20°28725.612.63.8
Jul27° / 20°20022.512.54.3
Aug27° / 20°24624.412.34.1
Sep27° / 20°34628.312.13.5
Oct26° / 20°3812811.83.7
Nov26° / 19°16519.411.55.0
Dec26° / 19°447.511.47.1

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 26% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 25%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16931
27030
37030
47030
57129
67129
77228
87228
97327
107327
117327
127327
137327
147327
157327
167327
177525
187525
197624
207624
217723
227822
237822
247921
258020
268119
278119
288317
298317
308416
318416

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Monteverde gets around 12 mm of rain over 3.5 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 11% and peaks near 16% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
116
216
316
415
515
615
714
814
914
1014
1113
1213
1313
1412
1512
1612
1711
1811
1911
2010
2110
229
239
248
258
267
277
287
297
307
317

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 72% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 25% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
115445
215643
315841
416039
516138
616336
726434
826533
926731
1026830
1127028
1237027
1337126
1437324
1537423
1637522
1737621
1837720
1947719
2047818
2147818
2247917
2348016
2448016
2548016
2648115
2758015
2858015
2958015
3058015
3158015

Wind in January

Winds average 11 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1211calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

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 6:00 AM to 6:06 AM, and sunset from 5:25 PM to 5:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:005:25
211.46:015:25
311.46:015:26
411.46:015:26
511.46:025:27
611.46:025:27
711.46:025:28
811.46:035:28
911.46:035:29
1011.46:035:29
1111.46:045:30
1211.46:045:30
1311.46:045:31
1411.46:045:31
1511.56:055:32
1611.56:055:32
1711.56:055:33
1811.56:055:33
1911.56:055:34
2011.56:065:34
2111.56:065:35
2211.56:065:35
2311.56:065:36
2411.56:065:36
2511.56:065:36
2611.56:065:37
2711.56:065:37
2811.56:065:38
2911.56:065:38
3011.56:065:39
3111.56:065:39

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.16 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.91 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.16 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.4Bright
255.4Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Monteverde

In seasonPeak

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

Monteverde's rainy season runs May–October, 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 Monteverde?

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

7.9
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.7
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Monteverde in January

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

In January, Monteverde sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 18°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Monteverde in January

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 52 km away) is warmest in April at about 29°C and coldest in November 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
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Monteverde 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 Monteverde peaks around March 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 17UV 14Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Monteverde 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 Monteverde is worst in May — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (January, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1623 µg/m³Jan 1210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Monteverde?

Monteverde sits at 10.3°N, 84.8°W, 0 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is La Fortuna, 26 km away.

La FortunaCañasChacaritaPuntarenasEsparzaQuesadaSan_Ramon_Nicoya

Topography around Monteverde

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Monteverde has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,048 m around an average of 1,390 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,704 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,891 m.

The land around Monteverde is covered by trees (90%) within 3 km, trees (83%) within 16 km, and trees (60%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,048 m
16 km
1,704 m
80 km
2,891 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
January weather nearby: La Fortuna 26 km · Cañas 34 km · Chacarita 36 km · Puntarenas 37 km · Esparza 38 km · Quesada 41 km · San_Ramon_ 45 km · Nicoya 72 km

Costa Rica travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 59% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$19,970
2025
Happiness
7.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
81%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
17.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
14.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 516
Religion
Roman Catholic 48%none 27%Evangelical and Pentecostal 20%other 3%

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 Monteverde (10.3077°, -84.8106°, 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. 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).