Basseterre weather in January

In January, Basseterre sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 30 mm of rain across 10.3 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 hours at the start of January to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Basseterre's 2nd-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Basseterre's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
10th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
30 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:48 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
28%
2nd clearest
Wind
28 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Basseterre is capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Density
1,995/km²
people per km²
Founded
1627

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 26°C through the month.

A typical January day in Basseterre reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 26°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)
12625
22625
32625
42625
52625
62625
72625
82625
92625
102624
112624
122624
132624
142624
152624
162624
172624
182624
192624
202524
212524
222524
232524
242524
252524
262524
272524
282524
292524
302524
312524

How January really feels in Basseterre

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.

Basseterre weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 24°3010.311.17.3
Feb25° / 24°217.311.47.7
Mar25° / 24°206.811.97.8
Apr26° / 25°338.512.47.3
May27° / 26°6111.912.86.4
Jun27° / 26°4710.9136.3
Jul28° / 26°7414.512.96.0
Aug28° / 26°911712.65.5
Sep28° / 26°11817.712.15.2
Oct28° / 26°12517.811.65.4
Nov27° / 26°10515.811.25.9
Dec26° / 25°5413.3116.6

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 83% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 7%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
19010
2919
3919
4919
5928
6928
7928
8937
9937
10946
11946
12946
13946
14946
15946
16946
17955
18955
19964
20964
21955
22955
23946
24946
25946
26946
27946
28946
29937
30937
31937

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Basseterre gets around 30 mm of rain over 10.3 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 33% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
138
237
337
437
537
636
736
835
935
1034
1134
1233
1333
1432
1532
1632
1731
1831
1931
2031
2131
2231
2331
2432
2532
2632
2733
2833
2933
3033
3133

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 49% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 97% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
123563
223662
323761
423860
523959
624058
724157
824256
924355
1024454
1124553
1224652
1324751
1424850
1524949
1624948
1735047
1835146
1935245
2035344
2135443
2235542
2335641
2445640
2545739
2645838
2755837
2855936
2955936
3065935
3165935

Wind in January

Winds average 28 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 27 km/h on the calmest days to 29 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
129breezy
229breezy
329breezy
429breezy
529breezy
629breezy
729breezy
829breezy
928breezy
1028breezy
1128breezy
1228breezy
1328breezy
1428breezy
1528breezy
1628breezy
1728breezy
1827breezy
1927breezy
2027breezy
2127breezy
2227breezy
2327breezy
2427breezy
2527breezy
2627breezy
2727breezy
2827breezy
2927breezy
3027breezy
3127breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours at the start of January to 11 h 12 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 6:45 AM to 6:48 AM, and sunset from 5:44 PM to 6:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:455:44
211.06:455:44
311.06:455:45
411.06:465:45
511.06:465:46
611.06:465:46
711.06:465:47
811.06:475:48
911.06:475:48
1011.06:475:49
1111.06:475:49
1211.06:485:50
1311.06:485:51
1411.16:485:51
1511.16:485:52
1611.16:485:52
1711.16:485:53
1811.16:485:53
1911.16:485:54
2011.16:485:55
2111.16:485:55
2211.16:485:56
2311.16:485:56
2411.16:485:57
2511.26:485:58
2611.26:485:58
2711.26:485:59
2811.26:485:59
2911.26:486:00
3011.26:486:00
3111.26:486:01

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.6 kWh/m² to a high of 6.71 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 4.88 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.7Bright
44.7Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.8Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
235.0Bright
245.0Bright
255.0Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Basseterre

In seasonPeak

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

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

Basseterre's rainy season runs July–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

Basseterre sees seasonal dust haze (July), heaviest in July.

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

Is January a good time to visit Basseterre?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.8
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Basseterre in January

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

In January, Basseterre sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 24°C. Pack a windbreaker. Worth having: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

a windbreakerlight clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Basseterre 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 14 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
Jan27Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr27Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Basseterre in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Basseterre peaks around April 10 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highApr 10UV 13Dec 16UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct10Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Basseterre 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 Basseterre is worst in June — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.6× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJun 2225 µg/m³Dec 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb10Good
Mar9Good
Apr11Good
May15Moderate
Jun25Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Basseterre?

Basseterre sits at 17.3°N, 62.7°W, -22 m above sea level, in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The nearest listed city is Gustavia, 68 km away.

Topography around Basseterre

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Basseterre has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m around an average of 48 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,141 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,090 m.

The land around Basseterre is covered by water (40%), grassland (21%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 3 km, water (81%) within 16 km, and water (98%) within 80 km.

3 km
368 m
16 km
1,141 m
80 km
1,090 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Gustavia 68 km · Brades 78 km · Plymouth 85 km · Philipsburg 88 km · Marigot 94 km · St. John's 96 km · Codrington 103 km · Falmouth 105 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / D / G
230 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 69% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$25,223
2025
Homicide rate
64.2
per 100k, 2023
Income group
High
World Bank

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 Basseterre (17.2955°, -62.725°, elevation -22 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).