Tamarindo weather in January

In January, Tamarindo sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.5 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 12th-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 73% 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 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Tamarindo's 2nd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tamarindo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
4th warmest
Overnight low
24°
1st coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
6:09 AM – 5:36 PM
Cloud cover
28%
2nd clearest
Wind
17 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.65 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

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 Tamarindo reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°C and 33°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)
13224
23224
33224
43224
53224
63224
73224
83224
93224
103224
113224
123224
133224
143224
153224
163224
173224
183224
193224
203224
213224
223224
233224
243224
253224
263224
273224
283224
293224
303224
313224

How January really feels in Tamarindo

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.

Tamarindo weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 4th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 24°20.511.55.3
Feb33° / 24°30.511.74.8
Mar33° / 24°51.411.94.2
Apr34° / 25°408.412.23.3
May32° / 25°24322.912.52.8
Jun30° / 25°29826.512.62.8
Jul30° / 24°20622.812.53.2
Aug30° / 24°28425.812.33.0
Sep30° / 24°34028.912.12.7
Oct29° / 24°37127.711.83.1
Nov30° / 24°13014.511.54.5
Dec31° / 24°142.611.45.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 13%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18416
28515
38515
48515
58515
68614
78614
88614
98614
108614
118614
128713
138713
148614
158614
168614
178614
188614
198812
208812
218812
228812
238812
248812
258911
268911
278911
28919
29919
30919
31919

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Tamarindo gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.5 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 2% and peaks near 3% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
13
23
33
43
53
62
72
82
92
102
112
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
231
241
251
261
271
282
292
302
312

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 79% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 88% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
177221
277419
377617
487616
587814
697813
797912
898011
9108010
1010819
1110828
1211818
1311827
1412817
1512817
1612826
1712826
1813816
1913816
2013816
2114806
2214806
2314806
2414806
2514806
2615796
2715796
2815796
2915796
3016786
3116786

Wind in January

Winds average 17 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

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 6:04 AM to 6:10 AM, and sunset from 5:29 PM to 5:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:045:29
211.46:055:29
311.46:055:30
411.46:055:30
511.46:065:31
611.46:065:31
711.46:065:32
811.46:075:32
911.46:075:33
1011.46:075:33
1111.46:085:34
1211.46:085:34
1311.46:085:35
1411.46:085:35
1511.56:095:36
1611.56:095:36
1711.56:095:37
1811.56:095:37
1911.56:095:38
2011.56:105:38
2111.56:105:39
2211.56:105:39
2311.56:105:40
2411.56:105:40
2511.56:105:41
2611.56:105:41
2711.56:105:41
2811.56:105:42
2911.56:105:42
3011.56:105:43
3111.56:105:43

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 6.77 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
45.4Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
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
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Tamarindo

In seasonPeak

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

Tamarindo'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 Tamarindo?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Tamarindo in January

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

In January, Tamarindo sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Tamarindo 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 offshore is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in February 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
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo peaks around March 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 highMar 19UV 13Dec 15UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo?

Tamarindo sits at 10.3°N, 85.8°W, 0 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Nicoya, 46 km away.

NicoyaLiberiaCañasSan JoséSan Juan del SurMonteverdePuntarenasChacarita

Topography around Tamarindo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tamarindo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 154 m around an average of 19 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 491 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,872 m.

The land around Tamarindo is covered by water (43%) and trees (41%) within 3 km, water (53%) and trees (36%) within 16 km, and water (49%) and trees (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
154 m
16 km
491 m
80 km
1,872 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
January weather nearby: Nicoya 46 km · Liberia 58 km · Cañas 83 km · San José 106 km · San Juan del Sur 106 km · Monteverde 113 km · Puntarenas 116 km · Chacarita 121 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 Tamarindo (10.2991°, -85.8411°, 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).