Puerto Cabezas weather in January

In January, Puerto Cabezas sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 62 mm of rain across 19.7 wet days and about 11.3 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of January to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Puerto Cabezas's 4th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Puerto Cabezas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
12th warmest
Overnight low
23°
1st coldest
Rainfall
62 mm
19.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 18 min
6:05 AM – 5:20 PM
Cloud cover
47%
4th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical January day in Puerto Cabezas reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°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)
12723
22723
32723
42723
52723
62723
72723
82723
92723
102723
112723
122723
132723
142723
152723
162723
172723
182723
192723
202723
212723
222723
232723
242723
252723
262723
272723
282723
292723
302723
312723

How January really feels in Puerto Cabezas

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.

Puerto Cabezas weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 23°6219.711.35.3
Feb28° / 23°3914.511.55.9
Mar28° / 24°3412.411.96.0
Apr29° / 25°4012.312.35.3
May30° / 25°18521.912.63.8
Jun29° / 25°26127.212.83.1
Jul29° / 25°23327.912.73.2
Aug29° / 25°2292812.53.1
Sep29° / 25°22627.212.13.1
Oct29° / 24°26827.311.73.2
Nov28° / 24°20923.511.34.1
Dec28° / 23°9221.911.24.8

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 36% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
37129
47129
57228
67228
77228
87426
97426
107525
117624
127624
137723
147822
157921
168020
178020
188119
198218
208218
218218
228317
238317
248416
258416
268416
278416
288416
298416
308416
318416

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Puerto Cabezas gets around 62 mm of rain over 19.7 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 63% and peaks near 73% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
173
273
372
472
572
671
770
870
969
1068
1167
1266
1365
1464
1564
1663
1762
1861
1960
2059
2158
2257
2357
2456
2555
2655
2754
2854
2954
3054
3154

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 81% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 97% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12117413
22117512
32117611
42117710
52117710
6211789
7211798
8211807
9211816
10311815
11311815
12311824
13311833
14311833
15411823
16411832
17411832
18412822
19412831
20412831
21412831
22412831
23412831
24412831
25412831
26412831
27412831
28412831
29412822
30412822
31411832

Wind in January

Winds average 14 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

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 11 h 12 min at the start of January to 11 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:01 AM to 6:06 AM, and sunset from 5:12 PM to 5:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.26:015:12
211.26:025:13
311.26:025:13
411.26:025:14
511.26:035:14
611.26:035:15
711.26:035:16
811.26:035:16
911.26:045:17
1011.26:045:17
1111.26:045:18
1211.26:045:18
1311.26:055:19
1411.26:055:19
1511.26:055:20
1611.36:055:20
1711.36:055:21
1811.36:055:22
1911.36:065:22
2011.36:065:23
2111.36:065:23
2211.36:065:24
2311.36:065:24
2411.36:065:25
2511.36:065:25
2611.36:065:26
2711.36:065:26
2811.36:065:27
2911.46:065:27
3011.46:065:28
3111.46:065:28

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.92 kWh/m² to a high of 6.08 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 4.31 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.1Bright
24.1Bright
34.1Bright
44.2Bright
54.2Bright
64.2Bright
74.2Bright
84.2Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.2Bright
124.2Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.4Bright
204.4Bright
214.4Bright
224.4Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.6Bright
294.6Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Puerto Cabezas

In seasonPeak

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

Puerto Cabezas sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Puerto Cabezas's rainy season runs May–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Puerto Cabezas?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Puerto Cabezas for sightseeing.

What to pack for Puerto Cabezas in January

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

In January, Puerto Cabezas sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 20 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Puerto Cabezas 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 at the nearest coast (about 18 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in January near 27°C.

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

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Puerto Cabezas in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Puerto Cabezas peaks around April 15 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 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 highApr 15UV 13Dec 14UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Puerto Cabezas 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 Puerto Cabezas is worst in July — around 36 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 5.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1435 µg/m³Nov 207 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr19Moderate
May26Moderate
Jun31Moderate
Jul36Poor
Aug25Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Puerto Cabezas?

Puerto Cabezas sits at 14.0°N, 83.4°W, 8 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is Siuna, 154 km away.

SiunaPearl LagoonRamaBluefieldsRío BlancoDulce Nombre de Culmí

Topography around Puerto Cabezas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Puerto Cabezas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 34 m around an average of 9 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 76 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 403 m.

The land around Puerto Cabezas is covered by grassland (29%), water (27%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, water (50%) within 16 km, and water (43%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
34 m
16 km
76 m
80 km
403 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Siuna 154 km · Pearl Lagoon 191 km · Rama 227 km · Bluefields 229 km · Río Blanco 233 km · San Andrés 244 km · Dulce Nombre de Culmí 259 km · Iriona 282 km

Nicaragua travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,173
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
11.3
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
16.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 512
Religion
Roman Catholic 45%Protestant 39%none 14%other 1%

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 Puerto Cabezas (14.0351°, -83.3888°, elevation 8 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).