Santa Cruz weather in January

In January, Santa Cruz sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 18 mm of rain across 4.5 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Santa Cruz's 3rd-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Cruz's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
11th warmest
Overnight low
22°
1st coldest
Rainfall
18 mm
4.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:35 AM – 5:44 PM
Cloud cover
51%
3rd clearest
Wind
8 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.92 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Santa Cruz is municipality of the Philippines in the province of Zambales.

Density
152/km²
people per km²
Founded
1612

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 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Santa Cruz reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°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 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12822
22822
32822
42822
52822
62822
72822
82822
92822
102822
112822
122822
132822
142822
152822
162822
172822
182822
192822
202822
212822
222822
232822
242821
252821
262821
272821
282821
292821
302821
312821

How January really feels in Santa Cruz

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.

Santa Cruz weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 22°184.511.26.7
Feb29° / 22°244.411.56.4
Mar30° / 23°447.911.95.5
Apr31° / 24°8414.612.34.3
May30° / 25°2622512.73.2
Jun29° / 24°37728.212.92.9
Jul28° / 24°55930.112.83.0
Aug28° / 24°52529.512.53.3
Sep28° / 24°40828.512.13.1
Oct29° / 24°26321.911.64.0
Nov29° / 23°9711.711.35.2
Dec29° / 23°547.811.16.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 28% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 35%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26436
36535
46535
56634
66634
76634
86535
96535
106535
116535
126337
136337
146337
156337
166337
176337
186337
196337
206337
216436
226436
236535
246634
256634
266733
276733
286733
296832
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Santa Cruz gets around 18 mm of rain over 4.5 wet days in January, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 15% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
115
215
314
414
513
613
713
813
913
1014
1114
1214
1315
1415
1515
1616
1716
1816
1916
2016
2116
2216
2316
2416
2516
2617
2717
2817
2917
3017
3117

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the muggy band about 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 79% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11185032
21185031
31185130
41185229
51185328
62185327
72185426
82185426
92185525
102185525
112185525
123185425
133185425
143185524
153185524
163185524
173185524
183185524
193185524
203185524
213185524
223185524
233185524
243185524
253195424
263195424
274195324
284195324
294195225
304195225
314195225

Wind in January

Winds average 8 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 06 min at the start of January to 11 h 18 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 6:31 AM to 6:35 AM, and sunset from 5:36 PM to 5:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.16:315:36
211.16:325:36
311.16:325:37
411.16:325:38
511.16:335:38
611.16:335:39
711.16:335:39
811.16:335:40
911.16:345:40
1011.16:345:41
1111.16:345:42
1211.16:345:42
1311.16:345:43
1411.16:355:43
1511.26:355:44
1611.26:355:44
1711.26:355:45
1811.26:355:46
1911.26:355:46
2011.26:355:47
2111.26:355:47
2211.26:355:48
2311.26:355:48
2411.26:355:49
2511.26:355:49
2611.26:355:50
2711.36:355:50
2811.36:355:51
2911.36:355:51
3011.36:355:52
3111.36:355:53

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.92 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.42 kWh/m² to a high of 6.58 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 4.92 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.7Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Santa Cruz

In seasonPeak

In January, Santa Cruz sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Santa Cruz sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

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

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

Is January a good time to visit Santa Cruz?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.8
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Santa Cruz in January

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

In January, Santa Cruz sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Santa Cruz 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 13 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in February near 27°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
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Warm
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Santa Cruz in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Cruz peaks around August 16 at about 14 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highAug 16UV 14Dec 14UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz is worst in November — around 38 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorNov 2138 µg/m³Aug 1326 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan34Moderate
Feb31Moderate
Mar33Moderate
Apr30Moderate
May26Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul26Moderate
Aug26Moderate
Sep27Moderate
Oct32Moderate
Nov38Poor
Dec37Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz sits at 15.8°N, 119.9°E, 9 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Masinloc, 26 km away.

Topography around Santa Cruz

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Santa Cruz has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 30 m around an average of 3 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 795 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,022 m.

The land around Santa Cruz is covered by water (35%), cropland (28%) and trees (27%) within 3 km, water (48%) and trees (36%) within 16 km, and water (48%) and trees (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
30 m
16 km
795 m
80 km
2,022 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Masinloc 26 km · Agoo 41 km · Domalanoan 42 km · Lingayen 45 km · Binmaley 49 km · Iba 49 km · Botolan 54 km · Camiling 55 km

Philippines travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
230 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,171
2025
Happiness
6.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
48%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 569
Religion
Roman Catholic 79%other 8%Muslim 6%other Christian 4%

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 Santa Cruz (15.7654°, 119.9092°, 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).