Zaxo weather in January

In January, Zaxo sees average daytime highs of 8°C and overnight lows near -2°C, with 113 mm of precipitation across 10.3 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 8°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 30 min at the start of January to 10 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Zaxo's 12th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zaxo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
-2°
1st coldest
Precipitation
113 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
7:27 AM – 5:10 PM
Cloud cover
54%
12th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
2.5 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.4
out of 10

Zaxo is city and centre of the Zakho District in Iraqi Kurdistan.

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 8°C through the month.

A typical January day in Zaxo reaches about 8°C in the afternoon and slips back to -2°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 4°C and 12°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C cooler than December and about 2°C cooler than February.

-10°-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
19-2
29-2
39-2
48-2
58-2
68-2
78-2
88-2
98-2
108-2
118-2
128-2
138-2
148-2
158-2
168-2
178-2
188-2
198-2
208-2
218-2
228-2
238-2
248-2
258-2
268-2
278-2
288-2
298-2
308-2
318-2

How January really feels in Zaxo

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 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
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Zaxo weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -2°11310.35.69.71.4
Feb10° / -1°10811.35.610.62.0
Mar14° / 11612.32.911.74.0
Apr20° / 8410.30.212.96.3
May26° / 12°3560147.4
Jun33° / 17°20.6014.54.5
Jul37° / 21°10.2014.31.9
Aug37° / 20°10.1013.42.3
Sep32° / 15°10.4012.35.6
Oct25° / 11°2940118.0
Nov16° / 667.10.7105.7
Dec10° / -0°1059.93.59.52.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 49%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25248
35248
45347
55347
65347
75347
85347
95446
105446
115545
125545
135545
145545
155545
165446
175446
185347
195248
205149
214951
224852
234852
244654
254654
264555
274555
284654
294555
304456
314456

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Zaxo gets around 113 mm of rain and snow over 10.3 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 33% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13316
23316
33316
43316
53216
63116
73116
83015
93015
102915
112915
122815
132815
142815
152815
162815
172915
182916
193016
203217
213318
223419
233620
243721
253822
263923
273923
284024
294024
304124
314124

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 6 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min at the start of January to 10 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:28 AM to 7:20 AM, and sunset from 4:57 PM to 5:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.57:284:57
29.57:284:58
39.57:284:58
49.57:284:59
59.57:285:00
69.57:285:01
79.67:285:02
89.67:285:03
99.67:285:03
109.67:285:04
119.67:285:05
129.67:285:06
139.77:285:07
149.77:285:08
159.77:285:09
169.77:275:10
179.77:275:11
189.87:275:12
199.87:265:13
209.87:265:14
219.87:265:15
229.87:255:16
239.97:255:17
249.97:245:18
259.97:245:19
269.97:235:20
2710.07:235:21
2810.07:225:22
2910.07:215:23
3010.17:215:24
3110.17:205:25

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.5 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.23 kWh/m² to a high of 7.94 kWh/m² in July across the year — January's 2.5 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.6Moderate
162.6Moderate
172.6Moderate
182.6Moderate
192.6Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.7Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.8Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Zaxo

In seasonPeak

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

Zaxo'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 Zaxo?

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

1.4
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zaxo.

What to pack for Zaxo in January

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

In January, Zaxo sees daytime highs around 8°C and nights near -2°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Zaxo in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Zaxo peaks around June 17 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateJun 17UV 10Jan 10UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Zaxo 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 Zaxo is worst in May — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.8× the cleanest month (December, 17 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMay 1230 µg/m³Dec 1517 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb22Moderate
Mar27Moderate
Apr29Moderate
May30Moderate
Jun24Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug22Moderate
Sep22Moderate
Oct23Moderate
Nov18Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zaxo?

Zaxo sits at 37.1°N, 42.7°E, 439 m above sea level, in Iraq. The nearest listed city is Silopi, 22 km away.

Topography around Zaxo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zaxo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 224 m around an average of 469 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 875 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,101 m.

The land around Zaxo is covered by artificial surfaces (54%) and grassland (24%) within 3 km, grassland (54%) and cropland (33%) within 16 km, and grassland (53%) and cropland (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
224 m
16 km
875 m
80 km
3,101 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Silopi 22 km · Batifa 29 km · Sumayl 35 km · Simele 35 km · Dihok 41 km · Şırnak 45 km · Al Mālikīyah 48 km · Cizre 49 km

Iraq travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 38% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,410
2025
Happiness
5.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
60%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
9.5
per 100k, 2013
Road deaths
27.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 406
Religion
Christian 1%

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 Zaxo (37.1487°, 42.6859°, elevation 439 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. 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).