Massawa weather in January

In January, Massawa sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 109 mm of rain across 16.5 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Massawa's 12th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Massawa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
12th warmest
Overnight low
22°
1st coldest
Rainfall
109 mm
16.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:56 AM – 6:06 PM
Cloud cover
63%
12th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.05 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Massawa is city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea.

Density
48/km²
people per km²

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 25°C through the month.

A typical January day in Massawa reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C cooler than December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12622
22622
32622
42622
52622
62622
72522
82522
92522
102522
112522
122522
132522
142522
152522
162522
172522
182522
192522
202522
212522
222522
232522
242522
252522
262522
272522
282522
292522
302522
312522

How January really feels in Massawa

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.

Massawa weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 22°10916.511.25.8
Feb25° / 22°6412.611.56.2
Mar27° / 23°337.811.97.0
Apr30° / 25°164.312.36.0
May33° / 27°51.312.74.7
Jun35° / 29°10.112.93.3
Jul36° / 30°5112.82.5
Aug36° / 30°50.912.52.5
Sep35° / 29°20.412.13.5
Oct32° / 27°184.511.65.0
Nov29° / 25°497.411.36.1
Dec27° / 23°851311.16.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15842
25743
35644
45347
55248
65149
74951
84852
94654
104555
114357
124159
134159
143961
153961
163862
173862
183961
193862
203862
213862
223961
234060
243961
254060
264159
274357
284258
294357
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Massawa gets around 109 mm of rain over 16.5 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 52% and peaks near 57% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
145
246
347
448
549
650
751
852
953
1054
1154
1255
1356
1456
1557
1657
1756
1856
1956
2055
2155
2255
2354
2454
2553
2653
2752
2851
2950
3049
3148

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 67% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 83% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11146916
22146816
32146816
42146816
52156716
62156815
72156815
82156815
93166615
103166615
113166615
123166615
133166615
143166615
153166615
163166516
174156516
184156516
194156516
204156516
214146616
224146616
234136716
244136716
254136716
264136716
274136716
284136716
293136915
303146815
313146815

Wind in January

Winds average 9 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 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 6:53 AM to 6:56 AM, and sunset from 5:58 PM to 6:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:535:58
211.16:535:58
311.16:535:59
411.16:546:00
511.16:546:00
611.16:546:01
711.16:556:01
811.16:556:02
911.16:556:02
1011.16:556:03
1111.16:566:04
1211.16:566:04
1311.16:566:05
1411.26:566:05
1511.26:566:06
1611.26:566:06
1711.26:576:07
1811.26:576:08
1911.26:576:08
2011.26:576:09
2111.26:576:09
2211.26:576:10
2311.26:576:10
2411.26:576:11
2511.26:576:11
2611.36:576:12
2711.36:576:12
2811.36:576:13
2911.36:576:13
3011.36:576:14
3111.36:566:14

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.05 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.82 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 4.05 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.2Bright
24.2Bright
34.2Bright
44.2Bright
54.1Bright
64.1Bright
74.1Bright
84.1Bright
94.1Bright
104.0Bright
114.0Bright
124.0Bright
134.0Bright
144.0Bright
154.0Moderate
164.0Moderate
174.0Bright
184.0Bright
194.0Bright
204.0Bright
214.0Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.2Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Massawa

In seasonPeak

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

Massawa sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.

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

Is January a good time to visit Massawa?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Massawa for sightseeing.

What to pack for Massawa in January

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

In January, Massawa sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 22°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes. About 17 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothes

Sea temperature near Massawa 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 at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in September at about 32°C and coldest in February near 27°C.

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

26°28°30°32°34°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun31Tropical
Jul32Tropical
Aug32Tropical
Sep32Tropical
Oct32Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Massawa in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Massawa peaks around April 11 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highVery highHighApr 11UV 12Dec 13UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May9Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Massawa 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 Massawa is worst in May — around 94 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.2× the cleanest month (December, 23 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyUnhealthyModerateMay 1292 µg/m³Dec 2023 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan27Moderate
Feb31Moderate
Mar47Poor
Apr83Unhealthy
May94Unhealthy
Jun47Poor
Jul67Unhealthy
Aug94Unhealthy
Sep79Unhealthy
Oct64Unhealthy
Nov33Moderate
Dec23Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Massawa?

Massawa sits at 15.6°N, 39.5°E, 9 m above sea level, in Eritrea. The nearest listed city is Asmara, 65 km away.

AsmaraMendeferaKerenĀdīgratIntich’oIdaga HamusAdwaAksum

Topography around Massawa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Massawa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10 m around an average of 1 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 320 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,874 m.

The land around Massawa is covered by water (76%) within 3 km, water (48%) and bare terrain (45%) within 16 km, and water (39%) and bare terrain (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
10 m
16 km
320 m
80 km
2,874 m
shrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Asmara 65 km · Mendefera 107 km · Keren 111 km · Ādīgrat 148 km · Intich’o 152 km · Idaga Hamus 158 km · Adwa 172 km · Aksum 184 km

Eritrea travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / L
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2021
GDP per capita
$689
2011
Homicide rate
15.6
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
37.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank

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 Massawa (15.6081°, 39.4746°, elevation 9 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).