Nicoya weather in January

In January, Nicoya sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 6 mm of rain across 1.3 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of January to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Nicoya's 2nd-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nicoya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
5th warmest
Overnight low
22°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
6 mm
1.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:07 AM – 5:35 PM
Cloud cover
28%
2nd clearest
Wind
15 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.65 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.6
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°C through the month.

A typical January day in Nicoya reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 35°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and about 1°C cooler than February.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13222
23222
33222
43222
53222
63222
73322
83322
93322
103322
113322
123322
133322
143322
153322
163322
173322
183322
193322
203322
213322
223322
233322
243322
253322
263322
273322
283322
293322
303322
313322

How January really feels in Nicoya

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.

Nicoya weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan33° / 22°61.311.54.6
Feb34° / 23°71.911.73.9
Mar35° / 23°7211.93.1
Apr36° / 24°38712.22.2
May33° / 24°25120.512.52.4
Jun31° / 23°31926.212.62.6
Jul31° / 23°22622.412.53.0
Aug31° / 23°25724.412.32.8
Sep31° / 23°34728.112.12.5
Oct30° / 23°3592811.82.8
Nov30° / 22°14315.611.54.1
Dec31° / 22°213.611.45.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% 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 14%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18317
28416
38515
48515
58515
68515
78416
88416
98515
108515
118416
128416
138416
148515
158515
168515
178515
188614
198614
208614
218614
228614
238812
248812
258812
268812
278911
288911
298911
308911
318911

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Nicoya gets around 6 mm of rain over 1.3 wet days in January, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 4% and peaks near 6% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
25
35
45
55
65
75
85
94
104
114
124
134
144
154
164
174
184
194
204
214
224
234
244
254
264
274
284
295
305
315

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 74% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 78% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
10117910
2012799
3013798
4013807
5014806
6015805
7015805
8116794
9117784
10118783
11119773
12120763
13121753
14122752
15122752
16123742
17124732
18124732
19125722
20125722
21125722
22126712
23126712
24127702
25127702
26128692
27129682
28129682
29130672
30130672
31131653

Wind in January

Winds average 15 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of January to 11 h 36 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 6:02 AM to 6:09 AM, and sunset from 5:27 PM to 5:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:025:27
211.46:035:28
311.46:035:28
411.46:045:29
511.46:045:30
611.46:045:30
711.46:055:31
811.46:055:31
911.46:055:32
1011.46:065:32
1111.46:065:33
1211.46:065:33
1311.56:065:34
1411.56:075:34
1511.56:075:35
1611.56:075:35
1711.56:075:36
1811.56:075:36
1911.56:085:37
2011.56:085:37
2111.56:085:37
2211.56:085:38
2311.56:085:38
2411.56:085:39
2511.56:085:39
2611.56:085:40
2711.56:095:40
2811.56:095:41
2911.56:095:41
3011.56:095:41
3111.66:095:42

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.65 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6.79 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.65 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
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Nicoya

In seasonPeak

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

Nicoya's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Nicoya?

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

4.6
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
8.0
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Nicoya in January

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

In January, Nicoya sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Nicoya 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 32 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 Nicoya 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 Nicoya peaks around March 16 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 16UV 14Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Nicoya 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 Nicoya is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1619 µg/m³Dec 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr19Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Nicoya?

Nicoya sits at 10.2°N, 85.5°W, 128 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Tamarindo, 46 km away.

TamarindoCañasLiberiaPuntarenasMonteverdeChacaritaEsparzaLa Fortuna

Topography around Nicoya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nicoya has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 375 m around an average of 171 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 924 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,977 m.

The land around Nicoya is covered by trees (64%) and grassland (26%) within 3 km, trees (74%) and grassland (25%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) and water (41%) within 80 km.

3 km
375 m
16 km
924 m
80 km
1,977 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
January weather nearby: Tamarindo 46 km · Cañas 50 km · Liberia 54 km · Puntarenas 70 km · Monteverde 72 km · Chacarita 76 km · Esparza 88 km · La Fortuna 95 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 Nicoya (10.1504°, -85.4509°, elevation 128 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).