Machala weather in January

In January, Machala sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 200 mm of rain across 24.7 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 4th-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 1% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of January to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Machala's 6th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Machala's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
4th warmest
Overnight low
23°
9th coldest
Rainfall
200 mm
24.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:24 AM – 6:34 PM
Cloud cover
82%
6th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.2
out of 10

Machala is city in Ecuador, capital of the El Oro Province.

Density
4,825/km²
people per km²
Founded
1573

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 Machala reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12623
22623
32623
42623
52623
62623
72623
82623
92623
102623
112623
122723
132723
142723
152723
162723
172723
182724
192724
202724
212724
222724
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312724

Machala weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 23°20024.712.24.2
Feb27° / 24°27723.512.13.9
Mar27° / 24°35024.7124.0
Apr27° / 24°21122.911.94.2
May26° / 23°15422.511.94.5
Jun25° / 22°7017.111.85.4
Jul24° / 21°4111.711.86.4
Aug24° / 21°288.711.96.8
Sep24° / 21°379.9126.5
Oct24° / 21°5516.912.15.5
Nov24° / 21°721712.15.4
Dec26° / 22°12321.112.24.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 90%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11090
21090
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12892
13892
14991
151090
161090
171090
181090
191090
201189
211189
221189
231189
241189
251189
261288
271288
281090
291090
301090
311090

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Machala gets around 200 mm of rain over 24.7 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 80% 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 (%)
175
275
376
477
577
678
779
879
980
1081
1181
1282
1382
1482
1582
1682
1781
1881
1981
2080
2180
2280
2380
2480
2581
2681
2782
2882
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 (%)
17912
26922
36922
46922
56922
66922
76922
86922
96922
106922
116922
126922
136922
146922
156922
167912
177912
187912
197912
207912
217912
227912
237912
247912
258893
268893
277903
287903
297903
307903
317903

Wind in January

Winds average 6 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of January to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:17 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 6:29 PM to 6:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:176:29
212.26:186:29
312.26:186:29
412.26:196:30
512.26:196:30
612.26:206:31
712.26:206:31
812.26:216:31
912.26:216:32
1012.26:226:32
1112.26:226:33
1212.26:226:33
1312.26:236:33
1412.26:236:34
1512.26:246:34
1612.26:246:34
1712.26:246:35
1812.26:256:35
1912.26:256:35
2012.26:266:35
2112.26:266:36
2212.26:266:36
2312.26:276:36
2412.26:276:36
2512.26:276:36
2612.26:286:37
2712.26:286:37
2812.16:286:37
2912.16:286:37
3012.16:296:37
3112.16:296:37

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.99 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.73 kWh/m² to a high of 5.65 kWh/m² in September across the year — January's 4.99 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Machala

In seasonPeak

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

Machala's monsoon runs January–April, 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 Machala?

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

4.2
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.1
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Machala for sightseeing.

What to pack for Machala in January

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

In January, Machala sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 23°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Machala 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 18 km away) is warmest in March at about 27°C and coldest in September near 23°C.

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

22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr26Warm
May26Warm
Jun25Warm
Jul24Refreshing
Aug23Refreshing
Sep23Refreshing
Oct24Refreshing
Nov24Refreshing
Dec25Warm

UV index in Machala 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 Machala peaks around March 10 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 14 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 highExtremeMar 10UV 15Jul 14UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Machala?

Machala sits at 3.3°S, 80.0°W, 16 m above sea level, in Ecuador. The nearest listed city is Guabo, 15 km away.

Topography around Machala

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Machala has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 18 m around an average of 7 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 97 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,137 m.

The land around Machala is covered by artificial surfaces (64%) within 3 km, water (46%) and trees (31%) within 16 km, and trees (35%), water (34%) and grassland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
18 m
16 km
97 m
80 km
4,137 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Guabo 15 km · Pasaje 18 km · Santa Rosa 22 km · Arenillas 35 km · Huaquillas 39 km · Zarumilla 44 km · Piñas 56 km · Tumbes 63 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 Machala (-3.2589°, -79.9588°, elevation 16 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).