Banjul weather in January

In January, Banjul sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 2 mm of rain across 0.2 wet days and about 11.3 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of January to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Banjul's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Banjul's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
12th warmest
Overnight low
20°
1st coldest
Rainfall
2 mm
0.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
7:37 AM – 6:54 PM
Cloud cover
41%
5th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.46 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Banjul is capital of The Gambia.

Density
3,055/km²
people per km²
Founded
1816

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 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Banjul reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 9°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 about 1°C cooler than December and about 1°C cooler than February.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12920
22920
32920
42920
52920
62920
72920
82920
92920
102920
112920
122920
132920
142920
152920
162920
172920
182920
192920
202920
212920
222920
232920
242920
252920
262920
273020
283020
293020
303020
313020

How January really feels in Banjul

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.

Banjul weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 20°20.211.36.8
Feb30° / 21°10.111.66.2
Mar31° / 21°00.111.95.9
Apr30° / 22°0012.36.4
May30° / 23°10.212.66.8
Jun30° / 25°122.112.86.2
Jul30° / 26°13014.712.74.5
Aug29° / 26°25423.512.43.5
Sep30° / 26°19020.212.13.7
Oct31° / 26°568.411.74.6
Nov32° / 24°20.511.45.1
Dec30° / 21°20.211.26.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 53% 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 34%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16139
26139
36139
46139
56139
66238
76238
86337
96436
106436
116535
126634
136634
146733
156733
166832
176832
186832
197030
207030
217030
227030
237030
247030
256931
266931
276931
286931
296832
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Banjul gets around 2 mm of rain over 0.2 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 1% and peaks near 1% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
10
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310

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 67% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
162231221
264221121
364221121
465221021
566221011
668211010
76921910
86921910
96921910
106921910
116921910
126921910
1368211010
1467221010
1567221010
1668221000
1768221000
1868221000
1967221100
2067221100
2166221110
2266221110
2366211210
2466211210
2566211210
2666201220
2765201320
2866191320
2966191320
3067181320
3166181330

Wind in January

Winds average 14 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of January to 11 h 24 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 7:33 AM to 7:38 AM, and sunset from 6:46 PM to 7:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.27:336:46
211.27:336:47
311.27:346:47
411.27:346:48
511.27:346:48
611.27:356:49
711.27:356:49
811.27:356:50
911.27:356:50
1011.37:366:51
1111.37:366:51
1211.37:366:52
1311.37:366:53
1411.37:376:53
1511.37:376:54
1611.37:376:54
1711.37:376:55
1811.37:376:55
1911.37:376:56
2011.37:386:56
2111.37:386:57
2211.37:386:57
2311.37:386:58
2411.37:386:58
2511.47:386:59
2611.47:386:59
2711.47:387:00
2811.47:387:00
2911.47:387:01
3011.47:387:01
3111.47:387:02

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.46 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.74 kWh/m² to a high of 7.18 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 5.46 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Banjul

In seasonPeak

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

Banjul sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Banjul's monsoon runs July–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Banjul sees seasonal dust haze (February–August), heaviest in June.

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

Is January a good time to visit Banjul?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
8.8
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Banjul in January

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

In January, Banjul sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Banjul in January

The nearest coast averages about 22°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 20 km away) is warmest in October at about 29°C and coldest in March near 20°C.

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

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan22Refreshing
Feb21Refreshing
Mar20Refreshing
Apr21Refreshing
May23Refreshing
Jun26Warm
Jul28Tropical
Aug28Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec24Refreshing

UV index in Banjul in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Banjul peaks around March 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 19UV 13Dec 18UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7Very high

Air quality in Banjul 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 Banjul is worst in February — around 98 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.2× the cleanest month (August, 24 µg/m³).

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorModeratePoorUnhealthyFeb 1397 µg/m³Aug 2024 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan89Unhealthy
Feb98Unhealthy
Mar80Unhealthy
Apr61Unhealthy
May52Poor
Jun60Unhealthy
Jul36Poor
Aug24Moderate
Sep29Moderate
Oct50Poor
Nov64Unhealthy
Dec84Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Banjul?

Banjul sits at 13.5°N, 16.6°W, 5 m above sea level, in Gambia. The nearest listed city is New Jeshwang, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Banjul

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Banjul has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 11 m around an average of 1 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 38 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 53 m.

The land around Banjul is covered by water (76%) within 3 km, water (53%) within 16 km, and water (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
11 m
16 km
38 m
80 km
53 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: New Jeshwang 9.0 km · Abuko 10 km · Faji Kunda 10 km · Kanifing 10 km · Talinding 11 km · Ibo Town 11 km · Serekunda 11 km · Bakau 12 km

Gambia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 25% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$919
2025
Happiness
4.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
48%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
29.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
Religion
Muslim 96%Christian 4%other or none 0%

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 Banjul (13.4527°, -16.578°, elevation 5 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).