Gilgil weather in January

In January, Gilgil sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 46 mm of rain across 5.9 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of January to 12 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Gilgil's 2nd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gilgil's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
11°
4th coldest
Rainfall
46 mm
5.9 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
6:43 AM – 6:45 PM
Cloud cover
61%
2nd clearest
Wind
5 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.39 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.5
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month.

A typical January day in Gilgil reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and about 2°C cooler than February.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12412
22412
32412
42412
52412
62412
72412
82412
92412
102412
112412
122412
132412
142412
152412
162412
172411
182511
192511
202511
212511
222511
232511
242511
252511
262511
272511
282511
292511
302511
312511

Gilgil weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 3rd-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 11°465.9127.5
Feb26° / 11°313.9127.5
Mar26° / 12°788.8126.9
Apr23° / 13°15216.8125.6
May22° / 13°9113.3126.1
Jun21° / 12°7012.8125.9
Jul20° / 12°5011.6125.9
Aug21° / 11°5912125.9
Sep22° / 11°5910.2126.6
Oct23° / 12°9512.3126.2
Nov22° / 13°16318.4125.2
Dec23° / 12°8510.2126.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 31% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34951
44951
54951
64951
74852
84852
94753
104852
114852
124753
134852
144852
154951
165050
175050
185050
195050
205248
215248
225248
235248
245248
255347
265347
275347
285446
295347
305446
315446

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Gilgil gets around 46 mm of rain over 5.9 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 19% and peaks near 21% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
121
221
321
420
520
620
720
820
920
1021
1121
1221
1321
1421
1521
1621
1720
1820
1920
2020
2119
2219
2318
2417
2517
2616
2716
2815
2915
3014
3114

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 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
18812
28812
38911
48911
58911
68911
79010
89010
99010
109010
119010
129010
139010
149010
159010
169010
17919
18919
19919
20928
21928
22928
23937
24937
25937
26946
27946
28946
29946
30946
31946

Wind in January

Winds average 5 km/h in January.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

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

Days grow by about 0 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:37 AM to 6:47 AM, and sunset from 6:39 PM to 6:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.06:376:39
212.06:376:39
312.06:386:40
412.06:386:40
512.06:396:41
612.06:396:41
712.06:406:41
812.06:406:42
912.06:416:42
1012.06:416:43
1112.06:416:43
1212.06:426:43
1312.06:426:44
1412.06:426:44
1512.06:436:44
1612.06:436:45
1712.06:446:45
1812.06:446:45
1912.06:446:46
2012.06:456:46
2112.06:456:46
2212.06:456:47
2312.06:456:47
2412.06:466:47
2512.06:466:47
2612.06:466:48
2712.06:476:48
2812.06:476:48
2912.06:476:48
3012.06:476:49
3112.06:476:49

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.39 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.71 kWh/m² to a high of 6.96 kWh/m² in February across the year — January's 6.39 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.2Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.4Intense
176.4Intense
186.4Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.7Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.8Intense
306.8Intense
316.8Intense
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Gilgil?

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

7.5
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Gilgil for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Gilgil in January

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

In January, Gilgil sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 11°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 6 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Gilgil in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gilgil peaks around March 16 at about 17 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 16UV 17Jun 19UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar17Extreme
Apr16Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct15Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Gilgil 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 Gilgil is worst in June — around 47 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorJun 2047 µg/m³Oct 936 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan43Poor
Feb41Poor
Mar42Poor
Apr39Poor
May40Poor
Jun47Poor
Jul45Poor
Aug39Poor
Sep37Poor
Oct36Poor
Nov42Poor
Dec44Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Gilgil?

Gilgil sits at 0.5°S, 36.3°E, 2,009 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Naivasha, 27 km away.

Topography around Gilgil

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gilgil has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 164 m around an average of 1,991 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 881 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,992 m.

The land around Gilgil is covered by grassland (57%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 3 km, grassland (48%) and shrubs (20%) within 16 km, and trees (28%), grassland (28%) and cropland (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
164 m
16 km
881 m
80 km
2,992 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Naivasha 27 km · Ol Kalou 27 km · Upper Gilgil 33 km · Nakuru 35 km · Njoro 46 km · Mairo Inya 60 km · Nyahururu 60 km · Mai 61 km

Kenya travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type G
240 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,363
2025
Happiness
4.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
4.9
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
28.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 593
Religion
Christian 86%Muslim 11%other 2%none 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 Gilgil (-0.504°, 36.3184°, elevation 2,009 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).