Basse-Terre weather in January

In January, Basse-Terre sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 30 mm of rain across 11.9 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-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 73% 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 Basse-Terre's 1st-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Basse-Terre's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
10th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
30 mm
11.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:42 AM – 5:51 PM
Cloud cover
34%
1st clearest
Wind
19 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.01 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

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 Basse-Terre reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 26°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)
12624
22624
32624
42624
52624
62624
72624
82624
92624
102624
112624
122624
132624
142624
152624
162624
172624
182624
192624
202624
212624
222624
232624
242524
252524
262524
272524
282524
292524
302524
312524

Basse-Terre weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 24°3011.911.26.9
Feb25° / 24°229.111.57.2
Mar26° / 24°197.211.97.5
Apr26° / 24°309.612.36.9
May27° / 25°5011.512.76.3
Jun28° / 26°4512.412.96.0
Jul28° / 26°6215.912.95.7
Aug28° / 26°7917.812.55.3
Sep28° / 26°10718.112.14.9
Oct28° / 26°10819.511.65.1
Nov27° / 25°8716.311.35.7
Dec26° / 25°4013.511.16.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in January, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 8%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18911
29010
39010
49010
59010
6919
7919
8928
9928
10928
11928
12937
13937
14937
15937
16937
17946
18946
19946
20946
21946
22946
23946
24946
25946
26937
27937
28937
29937
30928
31928

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Basse-Terre gets around 30 mm of rain over 11.9 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 39% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
343
443
543
644
744
844
944
1043
1143
1242
1341
1441
1540
1639
1738
1837
1936
2035
2135
2234
2334
2434
2534
2634
2734
2835
2935
3035
3136

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 58% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 97% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
114158
214257
314455
424553
524652
624850
724949
825048
925246
1025345
1125444
1225543
1325642
1425741
1535740
1635839
1736037
1836136
1936235
2036334
2136433
2246531
2346630
2446729
2556827
2656926
2756926
2857025
2957124
3067024
3167024

Wind in January

Winds average 19 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 19 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

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 6:38 AM to 6:42 AM, and sunset from 5:42 PM to 5:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:385:42
211.16:395:43
311.16:395:43
411.16:395:44
511.16:395:44
611.16:405:45
711.16:405:45
811.16:405:46
911.16:415:47
1011.16:415:47
1111.16:415:48
1211.16:415:48
1311.16:415:49
1411.16:425:49
1511.16:425:50
1611.16:425:51
1711.26:425:51
1811.26:425:52
1911.26:425:52
2011.26:425:53
2111.26:425:53
2211.26:425:54
2311.26:425:54
2411.26:425:55
2511.26:425:56
2611.26:425:56
2711.26:425:57
2811.36:425:57
2911.36:425:58
3011.36:425:58
3111.36:425:59

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.01 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.75 kWh/m² to a high of 6.73 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 5.01 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.0Bright
185.0Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Basse-Terre

In seasonPeak

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

Basse-Terre sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Basse-Terre's rainy season runs May–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Basse-Terre sees seasonal dust haze (June–July), heaviest in July.

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

Is January a good time to visit Basse-Terre?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Basse-Terre in January

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

In January, Basse-Terre sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 24°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Basse-Terre 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 18 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°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°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Warm
Jun28Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Basse-Terre 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 Basse-Terre peaks around March 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 22UV 13Dec 15UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Basse-Terre 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 Basse-Terre is worst in June — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 2126 µg/m³Dec 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar9Good
Apr13Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun26Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Basse-Terre?

Basse-Terre sits at 16.0°N, 61.7°W, 11 m above sea level, in Guadeloupe. The nearest listed city is Capesterre-Belle-Eau, 19 km away.

Capesterre-Belle-EauPetit-BourgBaie-MahaultPointe-à-PitreLe GosierSainte-RoseLes AbymesSainte-Anne

Topography around Basse-Terre

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Basse-Terre has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 337 m around an average of 66 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,456 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,444 m.

The land around Basse-Terre is covered by water (50%) and trees (31%) within 3 km, water (63%) and trees (35%) within 16 km, and water (86%) within 80 km.

3 km
337 m
16 km
1,456 m
80 km
1,444 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Capesterre-Belle-Eau 19 km · Petit-Bourg 26 km · Baie-Mahault 34 km · Pointe-à-Pitre 34 km · Le Gosier 35 km · Sainte-Rose 37 km · Les Abymes 39 km · Sainte-Anne 45 km

Guadeloupe travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz

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 Basse-Terre (15.9971°, -61.7321°, elevation 11 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).