Makassar weather in January

In January, Makassar sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 447 mm of rain across 29.7 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of January to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Makassar's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Makassar's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
12th warmest
Overnight low
24°
8th coldest
Rainfall
447 mm
29.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:04 AM – 6:20 PM
Cloud cover
93%
12th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
3.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Makassar reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12824
22824
32824
42824
52824
62824
72824
82824
92824
102824
112824
122824
132824
142824
152924
162924
172924
182924
192924
202924
212924
222924
232924
242924
252924
262924
272924
282924
292924
302924
312924

How January really feels in Makassar

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Makassar 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
Jan28° / 24°44729.712.33.0
Feb29° / 24°34726.212.23.0
Mar29° / 24°28527.9123.0
Apr30° / 24°29228.111.92.8
May31° / 24°23123.911.83.2
Jun30° / 24°17319.811.73.7
Jul30° / 23°11713.911.74.4
Aug31° / 23°568.511.84.6
Sep32° / 23°649.3124.2
Oct31° / 24°16319.212.13.4
Nov30° / 25°25528.112.22.8
Dec29° / 24°43329.812.32.9

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 3% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 96%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1397
2397
3397
4397
5397
6496
7496
8496
9496
10496
11496
12496
13496
14595
15595
16595
17595
18595
19496
20496
21496
22496
23496
24496
25397
26397
27397
28397
29397
30397
31298

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Makassar gets around 447 mm of rain over 29.7 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 96% and peaks near 98% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
197
298
398
498
598
698
797
897
997
1097
1196
1296
1396
1495
1595
1695
1795
1895
1995
2095
2195
2295
2395
2495
2595
2695
2795
2895
2996
3096
3195

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 58% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
15644
25644
35743
45743
55743
65842
75842
85842
95941
105941
115941
125941
135941
145941
155941
165941
175941
185941
195941
205842
215842
225743
235743
245743
255644
265644
275644
285644
295644
305644
315644

Wind in January

Winds average 8 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

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

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of January to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:57 AM to 6:09 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:576:14
212.35:576:15
312.35:586:15
412.35:586:15
512.35:596:16
612.35:596:16
712.35:596:17
812.36:006:17
912.36:006:17
1012.36:016:18
1112.36:016:18
1212.36:026:18
1312.36:026:19
1412.36:036:19
1512.36:036:19
1612.36:046:20
1712.36:046:20
1812.36:046:20
1912.36:056:20
2012.36:056:21
2112.36:066:21
2212.36:066:21
2312.36:066:21
2412.26:076:21
2512.26:076:22
2612.26:076:22
2712.26:086:22
2812.26:086:22
2912.26:086:22
3012.26:096:22
3112.26:096:22

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.9 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.9 kWh/m² to a high of 6.35 kWh/m² in September across the year — January's 3.9 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.7Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.8Moderate
63.8Moderate
73.8Moderate
83.8Moderate
93.8Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.9Moderate
133.9Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.9Moderate
163.9Moderate
173.9Moderate
183.9Moderate
194.0Moderate
204.0Moderate
214.0Moderate
224.0Moderate
234.0Moderate
244.0Moderate
254.0Moderate
264.0Moderate
273.9Moderate
283.9Moderate
293.9Moderate
303.9Moderate
313.9Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Makassar

In seasonPeak

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

Makassar sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Makassar's rainy season runs November–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Makassar?

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

3.0
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Makassar.

What to pack for Makassar in January

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

In January, Makassar sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 30 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Makassar in January

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 April at about 30°C and coldest in August near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug28Warm
Sep28Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Makassar 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 Makassar peaks around March 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 12UV 15Jun 22UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Makassar 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 Makassar is worst in October — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateOct 1616 µg/m³Feb 911 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr13Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec12Good
Location & terrain

Where is Makassar?

Makassar sits at 5.1°S, 119.4°E, 6 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Galesong, 20 km away.

Topography around Makassar

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Makassar has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 22 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 82 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,839 m.

The land around Makassar is covered by artificial surfaces (86%) within 3 km, water (47%) within 16 km, and water (56%) and trees (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
22 m
16 km
82 m
80 km
2,839 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Galesong 20 km · Maros 22 km · Sinjai 91 km · Watampone 120 km · Parepare 128 km · Sengkang 131 km · Majene 186 km · Polewali 191 km

Indonesia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,060
2025
Happiness
5.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
30%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.3
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
11.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 471
Religion
Muslim 87%Protestant 8%Roman Catholic 3%Hindu 2%

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 Makassar (-5.1486°, 119.4319°, elevation 6 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).