Gisenyi weather in January

In January, Gisenyi sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 231 mm of rain across 26.2 wet days and about 12.1 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in January, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 06 min at the start of January to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Gisenyi's 6th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gisenyi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
17°
6th coldest
Rainfall
231 mm
26.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 06 min
6:10 AM – 6:15 PM
Cloud cover
80%
6th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.81 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Gisenyi is city in Rubavu district, Western Province, Rwanda.

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 21°C through the month.

A typical January day in Gisenyi reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 22°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

15°18°20°23°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12117
22117
32117
42117
52117
62117
72117
82117
92117
102117
112117
122117
132117
142117
152117
162117
172117
182117
192117
202117
212117
222117
232117
242117
252117
262117
272117
282117
292117
302117
312117

Gisenyi weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 3rd-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 17°23126.212.13.9
Feb21° / 17°22123.712.13.9
Mar21° / 17°33529.4123.5
Apr21° / 17°25727123.6
May21° / 18°15521.811.94.6
Jun20° / 17°7814.211.95.6
Jul20° / 17°317.911.96.6
Aug20° / 17°7213.511.95.7
Sep21° / 17°17322.9124.3
Oct20° / 17°33128.9123.5
Nov20° / 17°37229.312.13.3
Dec20° / 17°31929.212.13.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% 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 84%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11486
21486
31585
41585
51585
61585
71486
81486
91486
101585
111486
121486
131486
141486
151585
161585
171585
181585
191585
201585
211585
221684
231684
241783
251783
261882
271882
281882
291882
301882
311882

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Gisenyi gets around 231 mm of rain over 26.2 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 84% and peaks near 89% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
189
289
389
488
588
687
787
887
986
1086
1186
1285
1385
1485
1585
1684
1784
1884
1984
2084
2183
2283
2383
2482
2582
2681
2781
2880
2979
3079
3179

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the comfortable band about 87% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
109010
209010
309010
418910
518910
618910
718910
818910
918910
1018910
1118910
1228711
1328711
1428711
1528711
1628711
1728612
1828612
1928612
2028612
2128612
2228513
2328513
2428513
2528513
2628513
2728513
2828513
2928414
3028414
3128315

Wind in January

Winds average 5 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 06 min at the start of January to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 6:14 AM, and sunset from 6:09 PM to 6:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.16:036:09
212.16:046:09
312.16:046:10
412.16:056:10
512.16:056:11
612.16:056:11
712.16:066:12
812.16:066:12
912.16:076:12
1012.16:076:13
1112.16:086:13
1212.16:086:14
1312.16:086:14
1412.16:096:14
1512.16:096:15
1612.16:106:15
1712.16:106:15
1812.16:106:16
1912.16:116:16
2012.16:116:16
2112.16:116:16
2212.16:126:17
2312.16:126:17
2412.16:126:17
2512.16:136:17
2612.16:136:18
2712.16:136:18
2812.16:136:18
2912.16:146:18
3012.16:146:18
3112.16:146:19

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.81 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.5 kWh/m² to a high of 5.08 kWh/m² in August across the year — January's 4.81 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.7Bright
44.7Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.7Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.8Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
255.0Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Gisenyi?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
2.3
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gisenyi.

What to pack for Gisenyi in January

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

In January, Gisenyi sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 26 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Gisenyi 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 Gisenyi peaks around March 21 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 21UV 16Jun 21UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr16Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Gisenyi 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 Gisenyi is worst in July — around 106 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyJul 16105 µg/m³Apr 1877 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan92Unhealthy
Feb96Unhealthy
Mar82Unhealthy
Apr77Unhealthy
May80Unhealthy
Jun100Unhealthy
Jul106Unhealthy
Aug100Unhealthy
Sep89Unhealthy
Oct82Unhealthy
Nov83Unhealthy
Dec88Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Gisenyi?

Gisenyi sits at 1.7°S, 29.3°E, 1,461 m above sea level, in Rwanda. The nearest listed city is Goma, 4.0 km away.

KoraSakeMukamiraBusogoMukingoKibuyeNgororero

Topography around Gisenyi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gisenyi has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 377 m around an average of 1,524 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,450 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,494 m.

The land around Gisenyi is covered by water (37%) and artificial surfaces (32%) within 3 km, water (37%) and trees (22%) within 16 km, and trees (39%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
377 m
16 km
1,450 m
80 km
3,494 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Goma 4.0 km · Kora 23 km · Sake 28 km · Mukamira 29 km · Busogo 36 km · Mukingo 38 km · Kibuye 41 km · Ngororero 45 km

Rwanda travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 27% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,124
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2021
Homicide rate
3.6
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
29.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 417
Religion
Catholic 40%Pentecostal 21%Protestant 15%Adventist 12%

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 Gisenyi (-1.7028°, 29.2564°, elevation 1,461 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. 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).