Papeete weather in January

In January, Papeete sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 257 mm of rain across 24.3 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-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 19% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Papeete's 11th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Papeete's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
4th warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
257 mm
24.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:39 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
70%
11th clearest
Wind
21 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Papeete is capital of French Polynesia.

Density
1,515/km²
people per km²
Founded
1818

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 Papeete reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 27°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)
12625
22625
32625
42625
52625
62625
72625
82625
92625
102625
112625
122625
132625
142625
152625
162625
172625
182625
192625
202625
212625
222625
232625
242625
252625
262725
272725
282725
292725
302725
312725

Papeete weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 25°25724.312.94.4
Feb27° / 25°23122.212.64.4
Mar27° / 25°18721.212.14.9
Apr27° / 25°14418.911.65.2
May26° / 25°11516.611.25.9
Jun25° / 24°8513.3116.5
Jul25° / 24°6312.811.16.8
Aug25° / 24°591111.47.1
Sep25° / 24°7712.211.96.8
Oct25° / 24°11815.612.46.1
Nov26° / 24°1441912.85.3
Dec26° / 25°28823.9134.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12872
22872
32971
43070
53070
63070
73169
83268
93268
103268
113367
123367
133565
143664
153664
163763
173862
184060
194060
204060
214060
224159
234060
244060
254060
264060
274060
284060
294060
303862
313862

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Papeete gets around 257 mm of rain over 24.3 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 79% and peaks near 80% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
178
278
378
478
578
678
778
878
979
1079
1180
1280
1380
1480
1580
1680
1780
1880
1980
2080
2180
2280
2379
2479
2579
2679
2779
2880
2980
3080
3180

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 92% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12944
22944
32944
42944
52935
62935
73925
83925
93925
103925
113925
123925
133925
143925
153925
163925
173925
183925
193925
203925
213925
223916
232926
242926
252917
262917
272908
282908
292899
302899
311909

Wind in January

Winds average 21 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 22 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120breezy
220breezy
320breezy
420breezy
520breezy
620breezy
720breezy
820breezy
920breezy
1020breezy
1121breezy
1221breezy
1321breezy
1421breezy
1521breezy
1621breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1922breezy
2022breezy
2122breezy
2222breezy
2322breezy
2422breezy
2522breezy
2622breezy
2722breezy
2822breezy
2922breezy
3022breezy
3122breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:30 AM to 5:48 AM, and sunset from 6:32 PM to 6:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:306:32
213.05:316:33
313.05:326:33
413.05:326:33
513.05:336:34
613.05:336:34
713.05:346:34
813.05:346:34
913.05:356:35
1013.05:366:35
1113.05:366:35
1213.05:376:35
1313.05:376:35
1413.05:386:36
1513.05:396:36
1612.95:396:36
1712.95:406:36
1812.95:406:36
1912.95:416:36
2012.95:426:36
2112.95:426:36
2212.95:436:36
2312.95:436:36
2412.95:446:36
2512.95:456:36
2612.85:456:36
2712.85:466:36
2812.85:466:36
2912.85:476:36
3012.85:476:35
3112.85:486:35

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.23 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.61 kWh/m² in November across the year — January's 6.23 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.4Intense
56.4Intense
66.4Intense
76.4Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Papeete

In seasonPeak

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

Papeete's rainy season runs November–April, 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 Papeete?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.3
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Papeete for sightseeing.

What to pack for Papeete in January

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

In January, Papeete sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 25°C. Pack rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and a windbreaker. About 24 days see rain.

rain gearsun protectionlight clothesa windbreaker

Sea temperature near Papeete in January

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 March at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun28Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Papeete in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Papeete peaks around February 14 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 14UV 16Jun 17UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May9Very high
Jun7High
Jul8Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov15Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Papeete?

Papeete sits at 17.5°S, 149.6°W, 42 m above sea level, in French Polynesia. The nearest listed city is Faaa, 5.0 km away.

Topography around Papeete

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Papeete has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 342 m around an average of 38 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,814 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,792 m.

The land around Papeete is covered by water (47%), artificial surfaces (27%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, water (62%) and trees (33%) within 16 km, and water (91%) within 80 km.

3 km
342 m
16 km
1,814 m
80 km
1,792 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Faaa 5.0 km · Punaauia 11 km · Moorea 28 km · Bora Bora 258 km · Avarua 1,146 km · Alofi 2,154 km · Adamstown 2,181 km · Pago Pago 2,288 km

French Polynesia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / E / F
110 / 220 V · 50 / 60 Hz
GDP per capita
$22,440
2024
Safe drinking water
90%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.4
per 100k, 2009
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 54%Roman Catholic 30%other 10%no religion 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 Papeete (-17.5347°, -149.5684°, elevation 42 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).