Sambava weather in January

In January, Sambava sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 268 mm of rain across 26.7 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of January to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Sambava's 12th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sambava's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
25°
11th coldest
Rainfall
268 mm
26.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:26 AM – 6:11 PM
Cloud cover
73%
12th clearest
Wind
11 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Sambava reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12825
22825
32825
42825
52825
62825
72825
82825
92825
102825
112825
122825
132825
142825
152825
162825
172825
182825
192825
202825
212825
222825
232825
242825
252825
262825
272825
282925
292925
302925
312925

How January really feels in Sambava

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 14 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
14
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.

Sambava weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°26826.712.73.6
Feb28° / 25°26423.812.53.6
Mar28° / 25°30525.312.13.9
Apr28° / 25°19922.511.74.7
May27° / 24°12020.711.35.3
Jun25° / 22°12721.211.25.3
Jul24° / 21°13722.611.25.2
Aug24° / 21°10922.311.55.3
Sep25° / 21°8820.211.95.6
Oct26° / 23°892012.35.6
Nov27° / 24°8518.512.75.5
Dec28° / 25°17923.512.84.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23070
33070
42872
52971
62971
72872
82872
92872
103070
113070
123070
133070
143268
153268
163367
173367
183367
193367
203268
213268
223268
233268
243268
253169
263169
273169
283070
293070
303169
313070

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Sambava gets around 268 mm of rain over 26.7 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 86% and peaks near 87% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
185
285
386
486
586
686
786
886
986
1086
1186
1287
1387
1487
1587
1687
1787
1887
1987
2087
2187
2287
2387
2487
2587
2686
2786
2886
2986
3086
3185

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 71% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
117524
207525
307426
407426
507327
607327
707327
807327
907327
1007327
1107327
1207327
1307426
1407426
1507426
1607426
1707327
1807327
1907228
2007129
2107030
2206931
2306832
2406832
2506733
2606634
2706634
2806634
2906634
3006634
3106634

Wind in January

Winds average 11 km/h in January, the calmest month.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of January to 12 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:18 AM to 5:34 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:186:07
212.85:186:08
312.85:196:08
412.85:196:08
512.85:206:09
612.85:206:09
712.85:216:09
812.85:216:10
912.85:226:10
1012.85:236:10
1112.85:236:10
1212.85:246:11
1312.85:246:11
1412.85:256:11
1512.85:256:11
1612.85:266:11
1712.85:266:12
1812.75:276:12
1912.75:276:12
2012.75:286:12
2112.75:296:12
2212.75:296:12
2312.75:306:12
2412.75:306:12
2512.75:316:12
2612.75:316:12
2712.75:326:12
2812.75:326:12
2912.75:336:12
3012.65:336:12
3112.65:346:12

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.85 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.8 kWh/m² to a high of 6.22 kWh/m² in November across the year — January's 5.85 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Sambava

In seasonPeak

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

Sambava sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Sambava's rainy season runs July–July, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Sambava?

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

3.6
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.2
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sambava.

What to pack for Sambava in January

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

In January, Sambava sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 27 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Sambava in January

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 25 km away) is warmest in February at about 29°C and coldest in August near 24°C.

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

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr28Tropical
May27Warm
Jun26Warm
Jul25Warm
Aug24Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct25Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Sambava in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sambava peaks around January 23 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeJan 23UV 15Jun 21UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May10Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Sambava?

Sambava sits at 14.3°S, 50.2°E, 10 m above sea level, in Madagascar. The nearest listed city is Ampahana, 54 km away.

Iharan̈aMaroantsetraBealananaAmbarakarakaAmbilobe

Topography around Sambava

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sambava has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 111 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 337 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,083 m.

The land around Sambava is covered by water (44%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, water (50%) and trees (32%) within 16 km, and trees (45%) and water (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
111 m
16 km
337 m
80 km
2,083 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
January weather nearby: Ampahana 54 km · Andapa 70 km · Antalaha 71 km · Iharan̈a 104 km · Maroantsetra 138 km · Bealanana 156 km · Ambarakaraka 164 km · Ambilobe 169 km

Madagascar travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 31% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$599
2025
Happiness
4.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
22%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
29.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 457
Religion
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%Roman Catholic 32%none 22%other Christian 8%

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 Sambava (-14.2667°, 50.1667°, elevation 10 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).