Şabyā weather in January

In January, Şabyā sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 17 mm of rain across 3.9 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% 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 Şabyā's 8th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Şabyā's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
12th warmest
Overnight low
21°
1st coldest
Rainfall
17 mm
3.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:46 AM – 5:51 PM
Cloud cover
33%
8th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.69 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical January day in Şabyā reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C cooler than December and about 1°C cooler than February.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13021
23021
33021
43021
53021
63021
73021
83021
93021
103021
113021
123021
133021
143021
153021
163021
173021
183021
193021
203021
213021
223021
233021
243021
253021
263121
273121
283121
293121
303121
313122

How January really feels in Şabyā

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 8 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
8
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.

Şabyā weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 21°173.911.15.9
Feb32° / 22°111.911.45.4
Mar34° / 24°202.711.93.9
Apr37° / 26°213.512.42.0
May39° / 29°113.712.80.5
Jun40° / 30°31.1130.1
Jul40° / 31°252.512.90.1
Aug39° / 30°425.212.60.6
Sep39° / 29°285.112.10.7
Oct37° / 27°24511.62.1
Nov33° / 24°154.811.24.0
Dec31° / 22°113.4115.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 64% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 17%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18812
28713
38614
48515
58515
68416
78416
88218
98218
108119
118119
128020
138020
148020
157921
167921
177921
187921
198119
208119
218218
228218
238317
248317
258416
268416
278515
288515
298614
308713
318713

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Şabyā gets around 17 mm of rain over 3.9 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 13% and peaks near 14% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
111
211
311
412
512
612
712
813
913
1013
1113
1214
1314
1414
1514
1614
1714
1814
1914
2014
2114
2213
2313
2413
2513
2612
2712
2811
2911
3010
3110

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 69% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 80% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
113126915
213127014
313136914
414136913
514137012
614146912
715146911
815156811
915156910
1015166810
1115166810
121517689
131517689
141517689
151517689
161517689
171417699
181417699
190417709
200417709
2104176910
2203167110
2303167110
2403157210
2503157111
2603147211
2713147111
2813147111
2913147111
3014147011
3114147011

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.

051015151015202531
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 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 6:43 AM to 6:46 AM, and sunset from 5:42 PM to 6:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:435:42
211.06:435:43
311.06:445:44
411.06:445:44
511.06:445:45
611.06:445:45
711.06:455:46
811.06:455:46
911.06:455:47
1011.06:455:48
1111.06:465:48
1211.06:465:49
1311.16:465:49
1411.16:465:50
1511.16:465:51
1611.16:465:51
1711.16:475:52
1811.16:475:52
1911.16:475:53
2011.16:475:53
2111.16:475:54
2211.16:475:55
2311.16:475:55
2411.26:475:56
2511.26:475:56
2611.26:475:57
2711.26:475:57
2811.26:465:58
2911.26:465:59
3011.26:465:59
3111.26:466:00

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 4.69 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.69 kWh/m² to a high of 6.85 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 4.69 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.6Bright
24.6Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.6Bright
64.6Bright
74.6Bright
84.6Bright
94.6Bright
104.6Bright
114.6Bright
124.6Bright
134.6Bright
144.6Bright
154.7Bright
164.7Bright
174.7Bright
184.7Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.7Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.9Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Şabyā

In seasonPeak

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

Şabyā sees seasonal dust haze (May–September), heaviest in July.

Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Şabyā?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
8.2
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Şabyā in January

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

In January, Şabyā sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Şabyā 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 27 km away) is warmest in October at about 32°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°34°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Warm
Apr30Tropical
May31Tropical
Jun32Tropical
Jul31Tropical
Aug31Tropical
Sep32Tropical
Oct32Tropical
Nov31Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Şabyā 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 Şabyā peaks around March 24 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highHighMar 24UV 11Dec 14UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb10Extreme
Mar11Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May10Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Şabyā 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 Şabyā is worst in June — around 79 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.7× the cleanest month (December, 48 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorUnhealthyPoorJun 1878 µg/m³Dec 1448 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan51Poor
Feb56Unhealthy
Mar55Poor
Apr63Unhealthy
May65Unhealthy
Jun79Unhealthy
Jul70Unhealthy
Aug72Unhealthy
Sep77Unhealthy
Oct63Unhealthy
Nov49Poor
Dec48Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Şabyā?

Şabyā sits at 17.1°N, 42.6°E, 36 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is Ḑamad, 17 km away.

Topography around Şabyā

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Şabyā has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 23 m around an average of 33 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 291 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,729 m.

The land around Şabyā is covered by bare terrain (34%), cropland (29%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, bare terrain (46%) and cropland (42%) within 16 km, and water (33%), bare terrain (30%) and shrubs (20%) within 80 km.

3 km
23 m
16 km
291 m
80 km
2,729 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Ḑamad 17 km · Abū ‘Arīsh 30 km · Jizan 30 km · Fayfā’ 56 km · Şāmitah 70 km · Sarāt ‘Abīdah 117 km · Abha 119 km · Sa'dah 123 km

Saudi Arabia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type G
230 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 47% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$34,537
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2019
Road deaths
35.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 404

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 Şabyā (17.1495°, 42.6254°, elevation 36 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. 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).