Benghazi weather in January

In January, Benghazi sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 39 mm of rain across 7.6 wet days and about 10.1 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 17°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 54 min at the start of January to 10 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Benghazi's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Benghazi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
12th warmest
Overnight low
12°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
39 mm
7.6 wet days
Daylight
10 h 06 min
7:46 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
47%
11th clearest
Wind
20 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
3.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Benghazi is second largest city in Libya.

Density
2,412/km²
people per km²
Founded
~524 BCE

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 17°C through the month.

A typical January day in Benghazi reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 14°C and 19°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C cooler than December and on par with February.

10°13°15°18°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11713
21713
31713
41713
51713
61713
71713
81713
91713
101713
111712
121712
131712
141712
151712
161712
171712
181712
191712
201612
211612
221612
231612
241612
251612
261612
271612
281612
291612
301612
311612

How January really feels in Benghazi

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.

Benghazi 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 daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan17° / 12°397.610.15.8
Feb17° / 12°305.610.86.1
Mar19° / 13°153.411.87.4
Apr22° / 16°41.112.88.5
May25° / 19°20.713.69.0
Jun27° / 22°10.214.18.8
Jul29° / 24°0013.97.9
Aug30° / 25°0013.27.3
Sep29° / 23°20.512.27.8
Oct26° / 21°112.111.28.5
Nov22° / 17°173.610.48.0
Dec18° / 14°437.69.96.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 28% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 29%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16931
26931
37030
47030
57030
67030
77030
86931
96931
106931
116931
126931
136931
146931
156931
167030
177030
187030
197030
207030
217129
227228
237228
247327
257327
267327
277426
287327
297327
307327
317426

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Benghazi gets around 39 mm of rain over 7.6 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 24% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
129
228
328
427
526
626
725
825
924
1024
1123
1223
1322
1422
1522
1622
1722
1823
1923
2024
2124
2224
2324
2424
2524
2624
2724
2824
2924
3024
3124

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1973
2982
3982
4982
5982
6982
7982
8982
9982
10982
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in January

Winds average 20 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
120light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
520light breeze
620light breeze
720light breeze
820light breeze
920light breeze
1020light breeze
1120light breeze
1220light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1820light breeze
1920light breeze
2020light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2320light breeze
2420light breeze
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820breezy
2920breezy
3020breezy
3120breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 54 min at the start of January to 10 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:45 AM to 7:40 AM, and sunset from 5:41 PM to 6:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.97:455:41
29.97:455:41
39.97:455:42
410.07:465:43
510.07:465:44
610.07:465:44
710.07:465:45
810.07:465:46
910.07:465:47
1010.07:465:47
1110.07:465:48
1210.07:465:49
1310.17:465:50
1410.17:465:51
1510.17:465:51
1610.17:465:52
1710.17:465:53
1810.17:455:54
1910.27:455:55
2010.27:455:56
2110.27:455:57
2210.27:445:58
2310.27:445:58
2410.37:445:59
2510.37:436:00
2610.37:436:01
2710.37:426:02
2810.47:426:03
2910.47:416:04
3010.47:416:05
3110.47:406:06

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.08 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.73 kWh/m² to a high of 7.76 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 3.08 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.8Moderate
22.8Moderate
32.8Moderate
42.8Moderate
52.8Moderate
62.8Moderate
72.9Moderate
82.9Moderate
92.9Moderate
102.9Moderate
113.0Moderate
123.0Moderate
133.0Moderate
143.0Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.1Moderate
173.1Moderate
183.1Moderate
193.2Moderate
203.2Moderate
213.2Moderate
223.3Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.3Moderate
253.3Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.5Moderate
303.5Moderate
313.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Benghazi

In seasonPeak

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

Benghazi sees seasonal dust haze (April–May), heaviest in April.

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

Is January a good time to visit Benghazi?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
1.1
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Benghazi for sightseeing.

What to pack for Benghazi in January

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

In January, Benghazi sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 12°C. Worth packing: a warm layer. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layer

Sea temperature near Benghazi in January

The nearest coast averages about 18°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 18 km away) is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in March near 17°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 23 to Dec 19 — about 6.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan18Cool
Feb17Cool
Mar17Cool
Apr18Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct25Warm
Nov23Refreshing
Dec20Refreshing

UV index in Benghazi in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Benghazi peaks around August 12 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highVery highHighModerateAug 12UV 10Jan 10UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct7High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Benghazi 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 Benghazi is worst in April — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (August, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateApr 1327 µg/m³Aug 119 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan20Moderate
Feb25Moderate
Mar24Moderate
Apr28Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun12Good
Jul9Good
Aug9Good
Sep11Good
Oct16Moderate
Nov17Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Benghazi?

Benghazi sits at 32.1°N, 20.1°E, 3 m above sea level, in Libya. The nearest listed city is Al Abyār, 50 km away.

Az ZuwaytīnahAjdabiyaAl Bayḑā’ShahhatAl Burayqah

Topography around Benghazi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Benghazi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 23 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 648 m.

The land around Benghazi is covered by artificial surfaces (48%) and water (33%) within 3 km, water (49%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and water (39%) and bare terrain (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
23 m
16 km
89 m
80 km
648 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
January weather nearby: Al Abyār 50 km · Qaryat Sulūq 53 km · Al Marj 83 km · Az Zuwaytīnah 129 km · Ajdabiya 152 km · Al Bayḑā’ 174 km · Shahhat 185 km · Al Burayqah 196 km

Libya travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / F / L
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 39% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,449
2025
Happiness
5.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Road deaths
21.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 395
Religion
Muslim 97%Christian 3%

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 Benghazi (32.1149°, 20.0686°, elevation 3 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).