Waka weather in January

In January, Waka sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 18 mm of rain across 4.6 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Waka's 2nd-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Waka's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
16°
8th coldest
Rainfall
18 mm
4.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:52 AM – 6:30 PM
Cloud cover
47%
2nd clearest
Wind
3 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical January day in Waka reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C cooler than February.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12916
23016
33016
43016
53016
63016
73016
83016
93016
103016
113016
123016
133016
143016
153016
163017
173017
183017
193017
203017
213017
223017
233017
243017
253017
263017
273017
283017
293017
303017
313017

Waka weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 3rd-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 16°184.611.65.9
Feb31° / 18°194.611.85.1
Mar31° / 18°6111.8124.4
Apr29° / 18°15422.212.23.9
May27° / 17°1962612.34.1
Jun25° / 16°13124.912.44.4
Jul24° / 16°15125.312.44.5
Aug25° / 16°16925.912.24.3
Sep26° / 16°22428.3124.0
Oct27° / 16°12116.811.85.3
Nov29° / 16°396.611.76.1
Dec29° / 16°173.511.66.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 40% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 28% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 32%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17129
27030
36931
46931
56931
66832
76832
86832
96733
106733
116733
126733
136733
146733
156634
166733
176733
186733
196733
206733
216832
226832
236832
246832
256832
266931
276931
286931
297030
307030
316931

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Waka gets around 18 mm of rain over 4.6 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 15% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
111
211
312
412
512
612
712
813
913
1014
1114
1215
1315
1416
1516
1616
1716
1816
1916
2017
2117
2217
2317
2417
2517
2617
2717
2817
2917
3017
3117

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 77% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
177212
277212
377212
477212
577212
677212
777212
876213
976213
1076213
1176213
1276213
1376213
1476213
1576213
1676213
1776213
1876213
1976213
2076213
2176213
2277203
2377203
2477203
2577203
2677203
2777203
2877194
2977194
3077194
3177194

Wind in January

Winds average 3 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 3 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
13calm
23calm
33calm
43calm
53calm
63calm
73calm
83calm
93calm
103calm
113calm
123calm
133calm
143calm
153calm
163calm
173calm
183calm
193calm
203calm
213calm
223calm
233calm
243calm
253calm
263calm
273calm
283calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 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 6:47 AM to 6:54 AM, and sunset from 6:22 PM to 6:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:476:22
211.66:476:23
311.66:476:23
411.66:486:24
511.66:486:24
611.66:496:25
711.66:496:25
811.66:496:26
911.66:506:26
1011.66:506:27
1111.66:506:27
1211.66:516:28
1311.66:516:28
1411.66:516:29
1511.66:516:29
1611.66:526:30
1711.66:526:30
1811.66:526:30
1911.66:526:31
2011.66:536:31
2111.66:536:32
2211.76:536:32
2311.76:536:32
2411.76:536:33
2511.76:536:33
2611.76:546:34
2711.76:546:34
2811.76:546:34
2911.76:546:35
3011.76:546:35
3111.76:546:35

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.79 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.63 kWh/m² to a high of 6.24 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.79 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Waka

In seasonPeak

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

Waka's rainy season runs April–October, 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 Waka?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
7.9
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Waka in January

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

In January, Waka sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 16°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Waka in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Waka peaks around March 16 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 23 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 16UV 15Nov 23UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Waka 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 Waka is worst in January — around 69 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.8× the cleanest month (May, 38 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorUnhealthyJan 1468 µg/m³May 938 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan69Unhealthy
Feb61Unhealthy
Mar49Poor
Apr38Poor
May38Poor
Jun45Poor
Jul44Poor
Aug39Poor
Sep40Poor
Oct45Poor
Nov56Unhealthy
Dec65Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Waka?

Waka sits at 7.1°N, 37.2°E, 2,312 m above sea level, in Ethiopia. The nearest listed city is Tarch’a Sodo, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Waka

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Waka has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 870 m around an average of 2,109 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,819 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,838 m.

The land around Waka is covered by shrubs (49%) and trees (42%) within 3 km, shrubs (54%) and trees (26%) within 16 km, and shrubs (36%), trees (33%) and cropland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
870 m
16 km
1,819 m
80 km
2,838 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Tarch’a Sodo 9.0 km · Bale Hawassa 43 km · Gununo 56 km · Hadero 57 km · Āreka 59 km · Gasuba 59 km · Gīmbīcho 67 km · Shinshicho 69 km

Ethiopia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E / F / L
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 37% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$933
2025
Happiness
4.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
14%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
8.5
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
28.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 499
Religion
Ethiopian Orthodox 44%Muslim 31%Protestant 23%other 1%

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 Waka (7.0667°, 37.1667°, elevation 2,312 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. 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).