Merauke weather in January

In January, Merauke sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 275 mm of rain across 27.8 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 2nd-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 3% of the time in January, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of January to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Merauke's 10th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Merauke's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
4th warmest
Overnight low
25°
11th coldest
Rainfall
275 mm
27.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
5:34 AM – 6:01 PM
Cloud cover
88%
10th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.27 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
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 Merauke reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 31°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)
13025
23025
33025
43025
53025
63025
73025
83025
93025
103025
113025
123025
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183025
193025
203025
213025
223025
233025
243025
253025
263025
273025
283025
293025
303025
313025

How January really feels in Merauke

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.

Merauke 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
Jan30° / 25°27527.812.42.9
Feb29° / 25°26025.812.32.9
Mar29° / 25°29727.312.13.0
Apr29° / 25°20622.411.83.5
May29° / 25°10618.111.64.4
Jun28° / 24°4912.311.55.5
Jul28° / 23°278.411.66.3
Aug28° / 23°277.611.76.3
Sep29° / 24°338125.5
Oct30° / 24°7011.612.24.7
Nov31° / 25°10616.212.43.9
Dec30° / 25°20825.512.53.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 3% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 6% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 91%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11090
21090
31090
41090
51189
61189
71189
81189
91189
101189
111090
121090
131090
14991
15991
16991
17892
18892
19793
20793
21793
22793
23793
24694
25694
26694
27694
28694
29694
30694
31793

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Merauke gets around 275 mm of rain over 27.8 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 90% and peaks near 94% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
186
286
386
486
586
685
785
886
986
1086
1187
1287
1387
1488
1589
1689
1790
1891
1991
2092
2193
2293
2393
2494
2594
2694
2794
2894
2994
3094
3193

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the miserable band about 81% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11882
21882
31882
41882
51981
61981
71981
81981
92080
102080
112080
122080
132080
142080
152080
162080
172080
182080
192080
202080
211981
221981
231981
241882
251882
261882
271783
281783
291684
301684
311684

Wind in January

Winds average 12 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112calm
212calm
312calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of January to 12 h 24 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 5:27 AM to 5:41 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 6:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:275:56
212.55:275:57
312.55:285:57
412.55:285:57
512.55:295:58
612.55:295:58
712.55:305:58
812.55:305:59
912.55:315:59
1012.55:315:59
1112.55:326:00
1212.55:326:00
1312.55:336:00
1412.55:336:01
1512.45:346:01
1612.45:346:01
1712.45:356:01
1812.45:356:01
1912.45:366:02
2012.45:366:02
2112.45:376:02
2212.45:376:02
2312.45:376:02
2412.45:386:02
2512.45:386:03
2612.45:396:03
2712.45:396:03
2812.45:396:03
2912.45:406:03
3012.45:406:03
3112.45:416:03

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.27 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.07 kWh/m² in November across the year — January's 5.27 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Merauke

In seasonPeak

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

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

Merauke's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Merauke?

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

2.9
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
3.9
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Merauke.

What to pack for Merauke in January

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

In January, Merauke sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 28 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Merauke in January

The nearest coast averages about 30°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 14 km away) is warmest in December at about 30°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°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan30Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct28Warm
Nov29Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Merauke 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 Merauke peaks around March 11 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 11UV 16Jun 19UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug12Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Merauke 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 Merauke is worst in October — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (May, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateOct 1817 µg/m³May 148 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun8Good
Jul8Good
Aug9Good
Sep13Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Merauke?

Merauke sits at 8.5°S, 140.4°E, 8 m above sea level, in Indonesia. The nearest listed city is Daru, 315 km away.

DaruAgatsMendiWamenaTiomMuliaTimika

Topography around Merauke

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Merauke has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 28 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 52 m.

The land around Merauke is covered by trees (42%), artificial surfaces (26%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, trees (42%) and water (41%) within 16 km, and trees (58%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
13 m
16 km
28 m
80 km
52 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Daru 315 km · Agats 413 km · Mendi 444 km · Mount Hagen 514 km · Wamena 516 km · Tiom 553 km · Mulia 596 km · Timika 597 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 Merauke (-8.4996°, 140.4061°, elevation 8 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).