Balbala weather in January

In January, Balbala sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 30 mm of rain across 8.3 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-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 40% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

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 Balbala's 12th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Balbala's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
12th warmest
Overnight low
21°
1st coldest
Rainfall
30 mm
8.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:35 AM – 5:59 PM
Cloud cover
48%
12th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.84 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Balbala is place in Djibouti Region, Djibouti.

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 26°C through the month.

A typical January day in Balbala reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12621
22621
32621
42621
52621
62621
72621
82621
92621
102621
112621
122621
132621
142621
152621
162621
172621
182621
192621
202621
212621
222621
232621
242621
252621
262621
272621
282621
292621
302621
312621

How January really feels in Balbala

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Balbala weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 21°308.311.47.1
Feb27° / 22°204.911.67.4
Mar29° / 23°256.611.96.5
Apr30° / 25°356.712.25.4
May34° / 27°153.312.53.9
Jun37° / 30°10.212.71.7
Jul38° / 30°61.512.61.3
Aug37° / 30°143.212.41.8
Sep35° / 29°9212.12.9
Oct31° / 25°226.111.75.1
Nov29° / 23°306.811.56.7
Dec27° / 22°245.811.37.6

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17525
27525
37327
47327
57129
67030
76931
86733
96634
106535
116436
126337
136139
146139
156040
166040
176040
185941
195941
205941
216040
225941
235941
246040
256139
266139
276238
286238
296337
306337
316337

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Balbala gets around 30 mm of rain over 8.3 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 26% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
120
221
321
422
523
623
724
825
925
1026
1126
1227
1327
1428
1528
1629
1729
1829
1929
2029
2129
2229
2329
2429
2528
2628
2727
2827
2926
3025
3125

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 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 62% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11541467
21541457
31542457
41542457
51541457
61641457
71640467
81639477
91638487
101637507
110636517
120535537
130533557
140532567
150531577
160530587
170529597
180428608
190428608
200428608
210428608
220328618
230329599
240329599
250329599
260329599
270330589
280330589
290331579
300331579
310332569

Wind in January

Winds average 14 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

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 6:31 AM to 6:36 AM, and sunset from 5:51 PM to 6:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:315:51
211.36:315:51
311.36:315:52
411.36:325:52
511.36:325:53
611.36:335:53
711.46:335:54
811.46:335:54
911.46:335:55
1011.46:345:55
1111.46:345:56
1211.46:345:56
1311.46:355:57
1411.46:355:58
1511.46:355:58
1611.46:355:59
1711.46:355:59
1811.46:366:00
1911.46:366:00
2011.46:366:01
2111.46:366:01
2211.46:366:02
2311.46:366:02
2411.46:366:02
2511.46:366:03
2611.56:366:03
2711.56:366:04
2811.56:366:04
2911.56:366:05
3011.56:366:05
3111.56:366:06

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.84 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.84 kWh/m² to a high of 6.52 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 4.84 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.8Bright
224.8Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Balbala

In seasonPeak

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

Balbala sees seasonal dust haze (June–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is January a good time to visit Balbala?

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

7.1
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Balbala in January

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

In January, Balbala sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 21°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Balbala in January

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 June at about 31°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr29Tropical
May31Tropical
Jun31Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep31Tropical
Oct31Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Balbala in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Balbala peaks around March 23 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 11 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeVery highMar 23UV 13Dec 11UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Balbala 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 Balbala is worst in July — around 42 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 20 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateJul 1741 µg/m³Nov 1520 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan25Moderate
Feb26Moderate
Mar26Moderate
Apr22Moderate
May25Moderate
Jun36Poor
Jul42Poor
Aug37Poor
Sep29Moderate
Oct21Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec21Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Balbala?

Balbala sits at 11.6°N, 43.1°E, 56 m above sea level, in Djibouti. The nearest listed city is Djibouti, 5.0 km away.

ArtaTadjouraSaylacObockAli SabihDikhil

Topography around Balbala

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Balbala has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 123 m around an average of 38 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 355 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,924 m.

The land around Balbala is covered by bare terrain (54%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 3 km, bare terrain (47%) and water (46%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (61%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
123 m
16 km
355 m
80 km
1,924 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Djibouti 5.0 km · Arta 28 km · Tadjoura 35 km · Saylac 46 km · Obock 49 km · Ali Sabih 62 km · Dikhil 95 km · Assab 166 km

Djibouti travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 46% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,906
2025
Happiness
4.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2014
Road deaths
23.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Sunni Muslim 94%other 6%

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 Balbala (11.5619°, 43.1067°, elevation 56 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).