Vieng Xai weather in January

In January, Vieng Xai sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 22 mm of rain across 4.4 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 20°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 48 min at the start of January to 11 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Vieng Xai's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Vieng Xai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
11th warmest
Overnight low
11°
1st coldest
Rainfall
22 mm
4.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 54 min
6:46 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
61%
5th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
3.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 20°C through the month.

A typical January day in Vieng Xai reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 2°C cooler than February.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12011
22011
32011
42011
52011
62011
72011
82011
92011
102011
112011
122011
132011
142011
152011
162011
172011
182011
192011
202011
212011
222011
232011
242011
252011
262011
272011
282011
292011
302011
312011

How January really feels in Vieng Xai

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

January sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Vieng Xai weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 11°224.410.97.0
Feb22° / 12°143.811.37.6
Mar25° / 15°6010.611.96.8
Apr28° / 18°10917.712.55.1
May29° / 20°20523.2133.7
Jun29° / 22°20124.213.23.2
Jul29° / 22°26426.213.13.3
Aug28° / 21°30226.812.73.6
Sep27° / 20°19320.112.14.7
Oct25° / 18°9114.211.56.1
Nov23° / 15°326.3117.3
Dec20° / 11°194.210.87.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24654
34654
44654
54555
64357
74456
84456
94456
104456
114456
124456
134456
144555
154456
164456
174357
184456
194357
204357
214258
224258
234357
244258
254258
264258
274159
284159
294159
304258
314258

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Vieng Xai gets around 22 mm of rain over 4.4 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 14% and peaks near 16% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
114
214
314
415
515
615
716
816
916
1016
1116
1215
1315
1415
1514
1614
1714
1814
1913
2013
2113
2213
2313
2413
2513
2613
2714
2814
2914
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 61% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
161336
262326
362326
461327
562317
662317
762317
862317
962317
1061327
1161327
1261327
1360337
1460346
1560346
1659356
1759356
1859356
1960355
2060355
2161345
2261345
2360346
2460346
2561336
2661336
2761336
2861336
2961336
3061336
3162326

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 6 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
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 min at the start of January to 11 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:43 AM to 6:44 AM, and sunset from 5:30 PM to 5:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.86:435:30
210.86:435:30
310.86:435:31
410.86:445:32
510.86:445:32
610.86:445:33
710.86:445:33
810.86:455:34
910.86:455:35
1010.86:455:35
1110.86:455:36
1210.96:455:36
1310.96:455:37
1410.96:465:38
1510.96:465:38
1610.96:465:39
1710.96:465:40
1810.96:465:40
1910.96:465:41
2010.96:465:42
2110.96:465:42
2211.06:465:43
2311.06:465:44
2411.06:465:44
2511.06:455:45
2611.06:455:45
2711.06:455:46
2811.06:455:47
2911.06:455:47
3011.16:455:48
3111.16:445:49

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.28 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.16 kWh/m² to a high of 5.2 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 3.28 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.3Moderate
23.2Moderate
33.2Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.2Moderate
83.2Moderate
93.3Moderate
103.3Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.3Moderate
173.3Moderate
183.3Moderate
193.3Moderate
203.3Moderate
213.3Moderate
223.3Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.3Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.5Moderate
313.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Vieng Xai

In seasonPeak

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

Vieng Xai's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Vieng Xai?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.7
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Vieng Xai for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Vieng Xai in January

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

In January, Vieng Xai sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 11°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 4 days see rain.

UV index in Vieng Xai in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Vieng Xai peaks around August 12 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highHighAug 12UV 14Dec 17UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb9Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr9Very high
May10Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Vieng Xai 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 Vieng Xai is worst in April — around 288 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 35.5× the cleanest month (August, 8 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210240270JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyGoodModerateApr 15263 µg/m³Aug 128 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb28Moderate
Mar98Unhealthy
Apr288Very unhealthy
May64Unhealthy
Jun14Moderate
Jul9Good
Aug8Good
Sep11Good
Oct15Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec19Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Vieng Xai?

Vieng Xai sits at 20.4°N, 104.2°E, 0 m above sea level, in Laos. The nearest listed city is Xam Nua, 19 km away.

Bản Na HỷSơn LaHòa BìnhÍt OngThị Trấn Thuận ChâuThị Trấn Lam SơnNghĩa Lộ

Topography around Vieng Xai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Vieng Xai has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 661 m around an average of 915 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,259 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,998 m.

The land around Vieng Xai is covered by trees (65%) and grassland (25%) within 3 km, trees (86%) within 16 km, and trees (82%) within 80 km.

3 km
661 m
16 km
1,259 m
80 km
1,998 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Xam Nua 19 km · Bản Na Hỷ 99 km · Sơn La 107 km · Hòa Bình 125 km · Ít Ong 125 km · Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 127 km · Thị Trấn Lam Sơn 135 km · Nghĩa Lộ 136 km

Laos travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / E / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 23% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,325
2025
Happiness
5.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
35%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
17.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 461
Religion
Buddhist 65%none 31%other/not stated 2%Christian 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 Vieng Xai (20.4068°, 104.2238°, elevation 0 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).