Esmeraldas weather in January

In January, Esmeraldas sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 256 mm of rain across 24.2 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 54 min at the start of January to 12 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Esmeraldas's 4th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Esmeraldas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
6th warmest
Overnight low
24°
8th coldest
Rainfall
256 mm
24.2 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
6:29 AM – 6:26 PM
Cloud cover
80%
4th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
3.92 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

Esmeraldas is city in Ecuador, capital of the Esmeraldas Province.

Density
7,680/km²
people per km²
Founded
1526

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 27°C through the month.

A typical January day in Esmeraldas reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12724
22724
32724
42724
52724
62724
72724
82724
92724
102724
112724
122724
132724
142724
152724
162724
172724
182724
192724
202724
212724
222724
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312724

Esmeraldas weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 6th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°25624.2124.3
Feb27° / 24°24122124.1
Mar28° / 24°20321.4124.5
Apr28° / 24°20420.3124.6
May28° / 24°14920.2124.7
Jun27° / 24°10916.412.15.1
Jul27° / 23°9816.2125.3
Aug27° / 23°7614.4125.6
Sep27° / 23°6713.3125.6
Oct27° / 23°6211.8125.8
Nov27° / 23°7610.8126.0
Dec27° / 24°13816.211.95.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12476
22377
32278
42278
52179
62179
72080
82080
91981
101981
111882
121981
131882
141783
151783
161783
171684
181684
191585
201585
211585
221585
231585
241585
251585
261486
271486
281486
291486
301387
311486

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Esmeraldas gets around 256 mm of rain over 24.2 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 78% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
166
267
368
469
570
671
772
873
974
1075
1176
1277
1378
1478
1579
1679
1780
1880
1981
2081
2182
2282
2382
2482
2582
2683
2783
2883
2983
3084
3184

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 91% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
15896
25896
34906
44906
54906
64906
73916
83916
93925
103925
112935
122935
132935
142935
152935
162926
172926
182926
192926
202926
212926
222926
232926
242917
252917
262917
272917
282917
292917
302917
312908

Wind in January

Winds average 11 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1411calm
1511calm
1611calm
1711calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 54 min at the start of January to 12 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:23 AM to 6:33 AM, and sunset from 6:20 PM to 6:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.96:236:20
211.96:246:21
311.96:246:21
411.96:256:21
511.96:256:22
611.96:266:22
711.96:266:23
811.96:266:23
911.96:276:24
1011.96:276:24
1111.96:286:24
1211.96:286:25
1311.96:286:25
1411.96:296:26
1511.96:296:26
1612.06:296:26
1712.06:306:27
1812.06:306:27
1912.06:306:27
2012.06:316:28
2112.06:316:28
2212.06:316:28
2312.06:326:29
2412.06:326:29
2512.06:326:29
2612.06:326:30
2712.06:326:30
2812.06:336:30
2912.06:336:30
3012.06:336:30
3112.06:336:31

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.92 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.92 kWh/m² to a high of 4.78 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 3.92 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.0Bright
24.0Bright
34.0Bright
44.0Moderate
54.0Moderate
64.0Moderate
74.0Moderate
83.9Moderate
93.9Moderate
103.9Moderate
113.9Moderate
123.9Moderate
133.9Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.9Moderate
163.9Moderate
173.9Moderate
183.9Moderate
193.9Moderate
203.9Moderate
213.9Moderate
223.9Moderate
234.0Moderate
244.0Moderate
254.0Moderate
264.0Moderate
274.0Moderate
284.0Moderate
294.0Moderate
304.0Moderate
314.0Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Esmeraldas

In seasonPeak

In January, Esmeraldas sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Esmeraldas's rainy season runs December–May, 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 Esmeraldas?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Esmeraldas for sightseeing.

What to pack for Esmeraldas in January

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

In January, Esmeraldas sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes. About 24 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothes

Sea temperature near Esmeraldas in January

The nearest coast averages about 26°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 19 km away) is warmest in May at about 27°C and coldest in January near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May27Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov26Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Esmeraldas in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Esmeraldas peaks around March 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 19 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 12UV 15Jul 19UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas is worst in March — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (July, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateMar 1618 µg/m³Jul 199 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Good
Jun10Good
Jul9Good
Aug10Good
Sep11Good
Oct12Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Esmeraldas?

Esmeraldas sits at 1.0°N, 79.7°W, 18 m above sea level, in Ecuador. The nearest listed city is Rosa Zarate, 73 km away.

TumacoSanto Domingo de los ColoradosMindoAtuntaquiOtavaloPomasqui

Topography around Esmeraldas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Esmeraldas has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 261 m around an average of 57 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 628 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 762 m.

The land around Esmeraldas is covered by trees (33%), artificial surfaces (24%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and water (44%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (42%) within 80 km.

3 km
261 m
16 km
628 m
80 km
762 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Rosa Zarate 73 km · San Lorenzo de Esmeraldas 98 km · Tumaco 133 km · Santo Domingo de los Colorados 145 km · Mindo 149 km · Atuntaqui 174 km · Otavalo 174 km · Pomasqui 175 km

Ecuador travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 43% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$7,125
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
70%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
45.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
20.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 466
Religion
Roman Catholic 68%Protestant 19%none 8%other 2%

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 Esmeraldas (0.9592°, -79.654°, elevation 18 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).