Kilifi weather in January

In January, Kilifi sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 27 mm of rain across 5.3 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-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 49% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of January to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kilifi's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kilifi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
4th warmest
Overnight low
25°
9th coldest
Rainfall
27 mm
5.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:24 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
47%
5th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.27 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Kilifi is city in Kenya.

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 30°C through the month.

A typical January day in Kilifi 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 29°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 Kilifi

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.

Kilifi weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 25°275.312.25.8
Feb30° / 25°143.712.15.7
Mar31° / 25°5614.3124.3
Apr30° / 25°11222.611.93.6
May28° / 24°16720.811.84.5
Jun27° / 23°5913.911.85.9
Jul27° / 22°411211.86.2
Aug27° / 22°3512.111.96.4
Sep28° / 23°3311.5126.4
Oct29° / 24°7314.112.15.4
Nov29° / 24°7417.612.24.6
Dec30° / 25°6516.212.24.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17426
27327
37228
47228
57228
67129
77129
87030
96931
106931
116931
126931
136931
146931
156931
166931
176931
186931
196931
207030
217030
227030
237030
247030
256931
266931
276931
287030
297030
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Kilifi gets around 27 mm of rain over 5.3 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 18% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
225
324
424
523
622
722
821
921
1021
1121
1220
1320
1419
1519
1618
1718
1817
1916
2016
2115
2215
2314
2413
2513
2612
2712
2812
2911
3011
3110

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 92% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
108911
208911
309010
418910
518910
61909
71909
81918
91918
101918
111927
121927
131927
141936
151936
161936
171936
181936
191936
201936
210946
220946
230946
240946
250946
260946
270946
281936
291936
301936
311945

Wind in January

Winds average 15 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 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 grow by about 0 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:18 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 6:30 PM to 6:39 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:186:30
212.26:186:30
312.26:186:31
412.26:196:31
512.26:196:32
612.26:206:32
712.26:206:32
812.26:216:33
912.26:216:33
1012.26:226:34
1112.26:226:34
1212.26:236:34
1312.26:236:35
1412.26:236:35
1512.26:246:35
1612.26:246:36
1712.26:256:36
1812.26:256:36
1912.26:256:36
2012.26:266:37
2112.26:266:37
2212.26:266:37
2312.26:276:37
2412.26:276:38
2512.26:276:38
2612.26:286:38
2712.26:286:38
2812.26:286:38
2912.26:296:38
3012.26:296:39
3112.26:296:39

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.27 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.58 kWh/m² in February across the year — January's 6.27 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.2Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.2Intense
136.2Intense
146.2Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.5Intense
316.5Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Kilifi

In seasonPeak

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

Kilifi's rainy season runs April–May, 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 Kilifi?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
7.8
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Kilifi in January

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

In January, Kilifi sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Kilifi in January

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 29°C and coldest in August near 25°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug25Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Kilifi in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kilifi peaks around March 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 18UV 15Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Kilifi 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 Kilifi is worst in December — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateDec 2421 µg/m³Oct 1313 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan21Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec21Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kilifi?

Kilifi sits at 3.6°S, 39.8°E, 24 m above sea level, in Kenya. The nearest listed city is Mtwapa, 36 km away.

Matuga

Topography around Kilifi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kilifi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 46 m around an average of 19 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 225 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 518 m.

The land around Kilifi is covered by trees (33%) and water (25%) within 3 km, water (38%) and trees (31%) within 16 km, and water (33%) and shrubs (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
46 m
16 km
225 m
80 km
518 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Mtwapa 36 km · Watamu 36 km · Jomvu 48 km · Mariakani 49 km · Mazeras 50 km · Mombasa 51 km · Malindi 55 km · Matuga 67 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 Kilifi (-3.6305°, 39.8499°, elevation 24 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. 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).