Makeni weather in January

In January, Makeni sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 7 mm of rain across 2 wet days and about 11.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 33°C in the first days to 35°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in January, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of January to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Makeni's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Makeni's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
4th warmest
Overnight low
21°
1st coldest
Rainfall
7 mm
2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
7:11 AM – 6:43 PM
Cloud cover
35%
1st clearest
Wind
5 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.8
out of 10

Makeni is capital city of Northern Province in Sierra Leone.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 33°C in the first days to 35°C by the end.

A typical January day in Makeni reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°C warmer than December and about 2°C cooler than February.

15°20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13321
23321
33321
43321
53321
63321
73321
83321
93321
103421
113421
123421
133421
143421
153421
163421
173421
183421
193422
203422
213422
223422
233422
243422
253422
263422
273522
283522
293522
303522
313522

How January really feels in Makeni

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.

Makeni weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan34° / 21°7211.53.8
Feb35° / 23°61.411.72.9
Mar36° / 24°245.711.92.5
Apr34° / 25°5110.212.22.7
May32° / 24°1792312.42.8
Jun29° / 23°30628.212.52.9
Jul28° / 22°40529.512.53.2
Aug28° / 22°46929.912.33.3
Sep29° / 22°4132912.12.9
Oct30° / 22°29429.711.82.8
Nov31° / 22°10116.311.64.0
Dec32° / 22°133.111.54.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in January, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 23%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27525
37525
47525
57525
67426
77525
87525
97426
107426
117426
127327
137327
147426
157426
167426
177426
187624
197624
207624
217723
227822
237921
248020
258020
268020
278119
288119
298119
308119
318119

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Makeni gets around 7 mm of rain over 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 6% and peaks near 7% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
26
36
46
56
66
76
86
96
106
116
127
137
147
157
167
177
187
197
207
217
227
237
247
257
267
276
286
296
305
315

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 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 54% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11112194116
21212194215
31212204214
41312204213
51312214213
61312214212
71312224212
81312224212
91211234212
101211234212
111111244212
121110244213
131110254213
141010254113
151010264114
161010264114
17910264014
18910264014
19910264014
20910264015
21911264015
22911264015
23911253915
24911253915
25912253815
26912253815
27912263815
28912263815
29912263715
30912273714
31912273714

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 11 h 30 min at the start of January to 11 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:07 AM to 7:13 AM, and sunset from 6:36 PM to 6:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.57:076:36
211.57:076:37
311.57:076:37
411.57:086:38
511.57:086:38
611.57:096:39
711.57:096:39
811.57:096:40
911.57:106:40
1011.57:106:41
1111.57:106:41
1211.57:106:42
1311.57:116:42
1411.57:116:43
1511.57:116:43
1611.57:116:43
1711.57:126:44
1811.57:126:44
1911.57:126:45
2011.67:126:45
2111.67:126:46
2211.67:136:46
2311.67:136:47
2411.67:136:47
2511.67:136:47
2611.67:136:48
2711.67:136:48
2811.67:136:49
2911.67:136:49
3011.67:136:49
3111.67:136:50

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.42 kWh/m² to a high of 6.11 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.57 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.7Bright
255.7Bright
265.7Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Makeni

In seasonPeak

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

Makeni's monsoon runs June–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Makeni sees seasonal dust haze (February–April), heaviest in February.

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

Is January a good time to visit Makeni?

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

3.8
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
7.4
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Makeni. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Makeni in January

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

In January, Makeni sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Makeni 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 Makeni peaks around August 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 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 20UV 13Dec 16UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr10Very high
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Makeni 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 Makeni is worst in April — around 237 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 22.1× the cleanest month (August, 11 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150180210240JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyModerateGoodModerateApr 13221 µg/m³Aug 1811 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan98Unhealthy
Feb103Unhealthy
Mar145Unhealthy
Apr237Very unhealthy
May43Poor
Jun20Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep12Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov26Moderate
Dec55Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Makeni?

Makeni sits at 8.9°N, 12.0°W, 93 m above sea level, in Sierra Leone. The nearest listed city is Mile 91, 50 km away.

Mile 91LunsarNjalaPort LokoKabalaBoBumpeKoidu

Topography around Makeni

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Makeni has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 205 m around an average of 104 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 253 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 936 m.

The land around Makeni is covered by artificial surfaces (45%), trees (27%) and grassland (24%) within 3 km, trees (56%) and grassland (32%) within 16 km, and trees (59%) and grassland (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
205 m
16 km
253 m
80 km
936 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
January weather nearby: Mile 91 50 km · Lunsar 58 km · Njala 73 km · Port Loko 83 km · Kabala 95 km · Bo 108 km · Bumpe 112 km · Koidu 121 km

Sierra Leone travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 24% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$846
2025
Happiness
3.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
11%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2.2
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
33
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
Religion
Muslim 77%Christian 23%

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 Makeni (8.886°, -12.0442°, elevation 93 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).