Popondetta weather in January

In January, Popondetta sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 497 mm of rain across 29.8 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 2nd-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 2% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of January to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Popondetta's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Popondetta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
24°
12th coldest
Rainfall
497 mm
29.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
6:03 AM – 6:30 PM
Cloud cover
90%
11th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
out of 10

Popondetta is city.

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 Popondetta reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 5°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)
12924
22924
32924
42924
52924
62924
72924
82924
92924
102924
112924
122924
132924
142924
152924
162924
172924
182924
192924
202924
212924
222924
232924
242924
252924
262924
272924
282924
292924
302924
312924

How January really feels in Popondetta

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.

Popondetta 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
Jan29° / 24°49729.812.52.9
Feb29° / 24°46827.112.32.8
Mar29° / 24°5163012.12.9
Apr29° / 24°31526.911.83.2
May28° / 23°22625.111.63.8
Jun27° / 23°19122.311.54.4
Jul27° / 22°15821.811.54.6
Aug27° / 22°17021.611.74.7
Sep27° / 22°19521.811.94.5
Oct28° / 23°21624.612.24.0
Nov29° / 23°28926.312.43.4
Dec29° / 24°43029.212.53.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 5% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 93%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1694
2793
3793
4793
5793
6793
7793
8793
9793
10793
11793
12892
13991
14991
15991
16892
17892
18892
19793
20793
21793
22793
23793
24694
25694
26595
27694
28694
29694
30694
31694

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Popondetta gets around 497 mm of rain over 29.8 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 96% and peaks near 96% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
195
295
395
495
595
695
795
896
996
1096
1196
1296
1396
1496
1596
1696
1796
1896
1996
2096
2196
2296
2396
2496
2596
2696
2796
2896
2996
3096
3196

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 60% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
16238
26139
36139
46139
56139
66139
76139
86139
96238
106238
116337
126337
136436
146436
156436
166436
176337
186337
196337
206238
216139
226040
235941
245842
255743
265644
275644
285545
295446
305446
315446

Wind in January

Winds average 4 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of January to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:55 AM to 6:09 AM, and sunset from 6:25 PM to 6:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:556:25
212.55:566:26
312.55:566:26
412.55:576:26
512.55:576:27
612.55:586:27
712.55:586:28
812.55:596:28
912.55:596:28
1012.56:006:29
1112.56:006:29
1212.56:016:29
1312.56:016:29
1412.56:026:30
1512.56:026:30
1612.56:036:30
1712.56:036:30
1812.56:036:31
1912.46:046:31
2012.46:046:31
2112.46:056:31
2212.46:056:31
2312.46:066:31
2412.46:066:32
2512.46:076:32
2612.46:076:32
2712.46:076:32
2812.46:086:32
2912.46:086:32
3012.46:086:32
3112.46:096:32

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.14 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.01 kWh/m² to a high of 5.53 kWh/m² in November across the year — January's 5.14 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Popondetta

In seasonPeak

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

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

Popondetta's rainy season runs November–April, 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 Popondetta?

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

2.9
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
3.7
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Popondetta.

What to pack for Popondetta in January

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

In January, Popondetta sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 30 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Popondetta in January

The nearest coast averages about 30°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 22 km away) is warmest in January at about 30°C and coldest in August near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan30Tropical
Feb30Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep28Warm
Oct28Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Popondetta 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 Popondetta peaks around March 12 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeExtremeMar 12UV 16Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep15Extreme
Oct15Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Popondetta?

Popondetta sits at 8.8°S, 148.2°E, 106 m above sea level, in Papua New Guinea. The nearest listed city is Port Moresby, 143 km away.

Port MoresbyBuloloLaeKimbeGorokaMadangMount HagenDaru

Topography around Popondetta

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Popondetta has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 119 m around an average of 109 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 803 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,979 m.

The land around Popondetta is covered by trees (61%) and grassland (38%) within 3 km, trees (86%) within 16 km, and trees (70%) and water (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
119 m
16 km
803 m
80 km
3,979 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
January weather nearby: Port Moresby 143 km · Bulolo 247 km · Lae 265 km · Kimbe 415 km · Goroka 433 km · Madang 478 km · Mount Hagen 547 km · Daru 553 km

Papua New Guinea travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type I
240 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 58% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,020
2025
Homicide rate
9.3
per 100k, 2010
Road deaths
12.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 64%Roman Catholic 26%other Christian 5%non-Christian 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 Popondetta (-8.7654°, 148.2325°, elevation 106 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).