Quelimane weather in January

In January, Quelimane sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 221 mm of rain across 20.9 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in January, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Quelimane's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Quelimane's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
26°
12th coldest
Rainfall
221 mm
20.9 wet days
Daylight
13 hours
5:13 AM – 6:11 PM
Cloud cover
64%
12th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.2
out of 10

Quelimane is city in Mozambique.

Density
2,990/km²
people per km²
Founded
1942

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 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Quelimane reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°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 30°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)
12926
22926
32926
42926
52926
62926
72926
82926
92926
102926
112926
122926
132926
142926
152926
162926
172926
182926
192926
202926
212926
222926
232926
242926
252926
262926
272926
282926
292926
302926
312926

How January really feels in Quelimane

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.

Quelimane weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 26°22120.9134.2
Feb29° / 26°15318.312.64.3
Mar28° / 26°14618.412.14.9
Apr27° / 25°7313.411.66.3
May26° / 23°358.511.27.5
Jun25° / 22°267.810.97.8
Jul24° / 21°267.8118.0
Aug24° / 22°144.111.48.6
Sep26° / 23°123.211.98.6
Oct27° / 24°154.312.48.1
Nov28° / 25°406.112.87.1
Dec29° / 26°10813.713.15.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 57%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34852
44852
54555
64555
74456
84357
94258
104159
114060
124060
133961
143961
154060
163961
173961
184060
194060
204060
214159
224159
234258
244258
254357
264456
274555
284654
294753
304852
314951

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Quelimane gets around 221 mm of rain over 20.9 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 66% and peaks near 70% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
157
258
359
460
561
662
763
864
965
1066
1166
1267
1367
1468
1568
1668
1768
1869
1969
2069
2170
2270
2370
2470
2570
2669
2769
2869
2969
3069
3168

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the miserable band about 67% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
123167
223167
323266
423266
523266
623266
713267
813267
913267
1013267
1113168
1213168
1313168
1413069
1513069
1613069
1713069
1813069
1913069
2013069
2113069
2213069
2313069
2413069
2513168
2613168
2713168
2813267
2913267
3013366
3113366

Wind in January

Winds average 14 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:04 AM to 5:22 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.15:046:07
213.15:056:08
313.05:056:08
413.05:066:08
513.05:066:08
613.05:076:09
713.05:076:09
813.05:086:09
913.05:096:10
1013.05:096:10
1113.05:106:10
1213.05:106:10
1313.05:116:10
1413.05:126:10
1513.05:126:11
1613.05:136:11
1713.05:136:11
1812.95:146:11
1912.95:156:11
2012.95:156:11
2112.95:166:11
2212.95:166:11
2312.95:176:11
2412.95:186:11
2512.95:186:11
2612.95:196:11
2712.95:196:11
2812.85:206:10
2912.85:206:10
3012.85:216:10
3112.85:226:10

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.04 kWh/m² to a high of 7.05 kWh/m² in November across the year — January's 6.32 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.4Intense
106.4Intense
116.4Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Quelimane

In seasonPeak

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

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

Quelimane's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Quelimane?

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

4.2
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Quelimane for sightseeing.

What to pack for Quelimane in January

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

In January, Quelimane sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 21 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Quelimane 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 July 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
Jun25Warm
Jul24Warm
Aug24Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Quelimane 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 Quelimane peaks around January 16 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeJan 16UV 14Jun 20UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr10Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec14Extreme

Air quality in Quelimane 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 Quelimane is worst in September — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.9× the cleanest month (April, 7 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1631 µg/m³Apr 117 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb7Good
Mar7Good
Apr7Good
May7Good
Jun8Good
Jul12Good
Aug22Moderate
Sep32Moderate
Oct21Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Quelimane?

Quelimane sits at 17.9°S, 36.9°E, 9 m above sea level, in Mozambique. The nearest listed city is Namacurra, 46 km away.

MarromeuMocubaPebaneMorrumbalaCaia

Topography around Quelimane

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Quelimane has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 19 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 191 m.

The land around Quelimane is covered by artificial surfaces (35%) and water (20%) within 3 km, wetland (25%), grassland (23%) and cropland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (29%) and water (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
10 m
16 km
19 m
80 km
191 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Namacurra 46 km · Chinde 90 km · Maganja 91 km · Marromeu 110 km · Mocuba 116 km · Pebane 149 km · Morrumbala 151 km · Caia 164 km

Mozambique travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / M
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 37% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$627
2025
Happiness
5.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
28%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.6
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
30
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 465
Religion
Catholic 27%Islam 19%Pentecostal 17%Saio/Zione 16%

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 Quelimane (-17.8786°, 36.8883°, elevation 9 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. 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).