Xai-Xai weather in January

In January, Xai-Xai sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 129 mm of rain across 13.8 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of January to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Xai-Xai's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Xai-Xai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
1st warmest
Overnight low
24°
11th coldest
Rainfall
129 mm
13.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 24 min
5:13 AM – 6:37 PM
Cloud cover
55%
10th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
6.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Xai-Xai is city in Gaza Province, Mozambique.

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 31°C through the month.

A typical January day in Xai-Xai reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 34°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)
13124
23124
33124
43124
53124
63124
73124
83124
93124
103124
113124
123124
133024
143024
153024
163024
173024
183024
193024
203024
213124
223124
233124
243124
253124
263124
273124
283124
293124
303124
313124

How January really feels in Xai-Xai

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.

Xai-Xai 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
Jan31° / 24°12913.813.44.4
Feb31° / 24°8311.512.94.5
Mar30° / 23°741212.25.0
Apr28° / 21°449.411.46.2
May27° / 19°286.110.87.7
Jun25° / 17°204.810.58.2
Jul25° / 16°184.610.68.4
Aug26° / 17°153.411.18.2
Sep28° / 19°254.411.87.4
Oct28° / 20°376.512.66.4
Nov30° / 22°739.613.25.3
Dec30° / 23°11110.813.54.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 41%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15842
25842
35941
45941
55941
65941
75941
86040
96040
105941
115941
125842
135842
145743
155743
165743
175644
185644
195644
205644
215644
225644
235743
245842
255941
266040
276040
286238
296337
306337
316535

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Xai-Xai gets around 129 mm of rain over 13.8 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 44% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
339
440
540
640
741
841
942
1042
1143
1244
1345
1445
1546
1647
1747
1848
1948
2048
2148
2248
2348
2447
2547
2646
2745
2845
2944
3043
3143

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 55% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 95% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1631576
2631567
3630577
4630577
5630568
6629578
7629569
86285610
96285610
106285511
116285412
126285412
136285313
146285313
156285214
165285314
175285215
185285215
195285116
205275216
215275216
225275216
235275315
245275315
255265514
265265514
274265713
284265713
294265713
304265812
313265912

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 30 min at the start of January to 13 h 12 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 5:03 AM to 5:24 AM, and sunset from 6:35 PM to 6:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:036:35
213.55:036:35
313.55:046:35
413.55:046:35
513.55:056:36
613.55:066:36
713.55:066:36
813.55:076:36
913.55:086:36
1013.55:086:36
1113.55:096:37
1213.45:106:37
1313.45:116:37
1413.45:116:37
1513.45:126:37
1613.45:136:37
1713.45:136:37
1813.45:146:37
1913.45:156:37
2013.35:166:36
2113.35:166:36
2213.35:176:36
2313.35:186:36
2413.35:196:36
2513.35:196:36
2613.35:206:35
2713.25:216:35
2813.25:216:35
2913.25:226:35
3013.25:236:34
3113.25:246:34

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.19 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.43 kWh/m² to a high of 6.37 kWh/m² in December across the year — January's 6.19 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.3Intense
46.3Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.2Intense
136.2Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.1Intense
186.1Intense
196.1Intense
206.1Intense
216.1Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Xai-Xai

In seasonPeak

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

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

Xai-Xai's rainy season runs November–March, 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 Xai-Xai?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
6.3
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Xai-Xai in January

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

In January, Xai-Xai sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Xai-Xai in January

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 February at about 28°C and coldest in August near 22°C.

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

20°22°24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr26Warm
May25Warm
Jun24Refreshing
Jul23Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct23Refreshing
Nov24Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Xai-Xai 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 Xai-Xai peaks around January 19 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 11 at about 5 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 19UV 14Jul 11UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May6High
Jun5Moderate
Jul5Moderate
Aug7High
Sep8Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Xai-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 Xai-Xai is worst in September — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1316 µg/m³Jan 206 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar7Good
Apr8Good
May10Good
Jun12Good
Jul12Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Xai-Xai?

Xai-Xai sits at 25.1°S, 33.6°E, 4 m above sea level, in Mozambique. The nearest listed city is Chibuto, 42 km away.

MaputoMatolaRessano Garcia

Topography around Xai-Xai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Xai-Xai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 110 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 158 m.

The land around Xai-Xai is covered by cropland (35%) within 3 km, grassland (31%) and cropland (31%) within 16 km, and trees (30%), water (30%) and grassland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
89 m
16 km
110 m
80 km
158 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
January weather nearby: Chibuto 42 km · Macia 55 km · Xilembene 56 km · Chokwé 88 km · Manhiça 93 km · Maputo 147 km · Matola 156 km · Ressano Garcia 171 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 Xai-Xai (-25.0519°, 33.6442°, elevation 4 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).