Rivas weather in January

In January, Rivas sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 18 mm of rain across 7 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-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 76% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 18 min at the start of January to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Rivas's 3rd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rivas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
12th warmest
Overnight low
24°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
18 mm
7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:11 AM – 5:34 PM
Cloud cover
31%
3rd clearest
Wind
30 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.5
out of 10

Rivas is Urban area of the Rivas Municipality, Nicaragua..

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 27°C through the month.

A typical January day in Rivas reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 3°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)
12724
22724
32724
42724
52724
62724
72724
82724
92724
102724
112724
122724
132724
142724
152724
162724
172724
182724
192724
202724
212724
222724
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312824

How January really feels in Rivas

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.

Rivas weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°18711.47.5
Feb28° / 24°103.511.67.8
Mar29° / 24°72.311.97.3
Apr29° / 25°20612.26.0
May29° / 26°17921.112.54.0
Jun28° / 25°23728.312.73.2
Jul28° / 25°20928.812.63.3
Aug28° / 25°21429.112.43.3
Sep28° / 25°2632912.13.2
Oct28° / 25°28328.711.73.6
Nov28° / 25°11017.711.55.2
Dec27° / 24°319.511.36.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 76% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 12%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18614
28614
38614
48614
58614
68614
78614
88614
98614
108614
118614
128614
138614
148614
158713
168713
178812
188812
198911
208911
218911
229010
239010
249010
259010
26928
27928
28928
29928
30928
31937

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Rivas gets around 18 mm of rain over 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 22% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
227
327
426
526
625
724
824
923
1022
1122
1221
1321
1421
1521
1621
1721
1820
1920
2020
2120
2220
2320
2420
2520
2619
2719
2818
2918
3017
3117

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 73% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 96% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
122078
232077
332176
432176
532176
632176
732275
842274
942274
1042373
1142373
1242373
1342373
1452372
1552372
1652372
1742373
1842472
1942472
2042472
2142472
2242472
2342472
2432473
2532473
2632473
2732473
2832473
2932473
3032473
3122474

Wind in January

Winds average 30 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 30 km/h on the calmest days to 31 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
130windy
230windy
330windy
430windy
530windy
630windy
730windy
830windy
930windy
1030windy
1130windy
1230windy
1330windy
1430windy
1530windy
1630windy
1730windy
1830windy
1930windy
2030windy
2130windy
2230windy
2330windy
2430windy
2530windy
2630windy
2731windy
2831windy
2931windy
3031windy
3131windy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 18 min at the start of January to 11 h 30 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 6:06 AM to 6:12 AM, and sunset from 5:27 PM to 5:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.36:065:27
211.36:075:27
311.36:075:28
411.36:075:28
511.46:085:29
611.46:085:29
711.46:085:30
811.46:095:30
911.46:095:31
1011.46:095:31
1111.46:105:32
1211.46:105:32
1311.46:105:33
1411.46:105:33
1511.46:105:34
1611.46:115:34
1711.46:115:35
1811.46:115:36
1911.46:115:36
2011.46:115:36
2111.46:115:37
2211.46:125:37
2311.46:125:38
2411.46:125:38
2511.56:125:39
2611.56:125:39
2711.56:125:40
2811.56:125:40
2911.56:125:41
3011.56:125:41
3111.56:125:41

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.43 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.94 kWh/m² to a high of 6.85 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 5.43 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.4Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Rivas

In seasonPeak

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

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

Rivas's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Rivas?

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

7.5
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.7
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Rivas for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Rivas in January

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

In January, Rivas sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and a windbreaker. Worth having: sun protection. About 7 days see rain.

light clothesa windbreakersun protection

Sea temperature near Rivas in January

The nearest coast averages about 26°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 33 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr27Warm
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in Rivas in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rivas peaks around March 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 20UV 14Dec 15UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Rivas 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 Rivas is worst in July — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1622 µg/m³Dec 166 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr19Moderate
May21Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Rivas?

Rivas sits at 11.4°N, 85.8°W, 69 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is San Juan del Sur, 21 km away.

NandaimeGranadaJinotepeMasatepeDiriambaMasayaSan Marcos

Topography around Rivas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Rivas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 170 m around an average of 67 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 342 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,619 m.

The land around Rivas is covered by trees (56%) and grassland (25%) within 3 km, trees (40%), water (30%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and water (59%) and trees (29%) within 80 km.

3 km
170 m
16 km
342 m
80 km
1,619 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: San Juan del Sur 21 km · Nandaime 43 km · Granada 56 km · Jinotepe 61 km · Masatepe 63 km · Diriamba 65 km · Masaya 66 km · San Marcos 66 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 Rivas (11.4398°, -85.8275°, elevation 69 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).