Kilwa Masoko weather in January

In January, Kilwa Masoko sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 112 mm of rain across 16.5 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of January to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kilwa Masoko's 10th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kilwa Masoko's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
26°
12th coldest
Rainfall
112 mm
16.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
6:17 AM – 6:45 PM
Cloud cover
66%
10th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.72 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

Kilwa Masoko is human settlement.

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 29°C through the month.

A typical January day in Kilwa Masoko reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12926
22926
32926
42926
52926
62926
72926
82926
92926
102926
112926
122926
132926
142926
152926
162926
172926
182926
192926
202926
212926
222926
232926
242926
252926
262926
272926
282926
292926
302926
312926

How January really feels in Kilwa Masoko

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.

Kilwa Masoko weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 26°11216.512.54.5
Feb29° / 26°10915.112.34.4
Mar29° / 25°18723.812.13.8
Apr29° / 25°17621.611.84.2
May28° / 24°619.611.66.1
Jun28° / 23°132.711.57.5
Jul27° / 23°61.311.58.1
Aug27° / 22°71.911.78.2
Sep27° / 23°103.111.98.0
Oct28° / 24°256.312.27.1
Nov29° / 25°5213.712.45.4
Dec29° / 26°10818.612.54.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24753
34555
44555
54456
64357
74357
84159
94159
104060
114060
123961
133961
143961
154060
164060
174060
184159
194159
204258
214258
224258
234258
244357
254258
264258
274258
284258
294159
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Kilwa Masoko gets around 112 mm of rain over 16.5 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 53% and peaks near 60% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
160
259
359
459
559
659
759
859
959
1059
1158
1258
1358
1457
1556
1655
1755
1853
1952
2051
2150
2249
2348
2447
2546
2646
2746
2845
2945
3046
3146

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the oppressive band about 60% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
15446
25446
35446
45545
55545
65644
75644
85743
95743
105743
115842
125842
135842
145941
155941
166040
176040
186139
196139
206238
216238
226337
236337
246337
256436
266436
276436
286436
296436
306436
316337

Wind in January

Winds average 15 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of January to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:10 AM to 6:24 AM, and sunset from 6:40 PM to 6:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.56:106:40
212.56:106:41
312.56:116:41
412.56:116:42
512.56:126:42
612.56:126:42
712.56:136:43
812.56:136:43
912.56:146:43
1012.56:146:44
1112.56:156:44
1212.56:156:44
1312.56:166:45
1412.56:166:45
1512.56:176:45
1612.56:176:45
1712.56:186:45
1812.56:186:46
1912.56:196:46
2012.56:196:46
2112.46:196:46
2212.46:206:46
2312.46:206:47
2412.46:216:47
2512.46:216:47
2612.46:226:47
2712.46:226:47
2812.46:226:47
2912.46:236:47
3012.46:236:47
3112.46:246:47

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.72 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.93 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in October across the year — January's 5.72 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Kilwa Masoko

In seasonPeak

In January, Kilwa Masoko sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Kilwa Masoko sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Kilwa Masoko's monsoon runs December–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Kilwa Masoko?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Kilwa Masoko for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kilwa Masoko in January

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

In January, Kilwa Masoko sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kilwa Masoko in January

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 March at about 29°C and coldest in August 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
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Kilwa Masoko in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kilwa Masoko peaks around March 15 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeMar 15UV 15Jun 22UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Kilwa Masoko 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 Kilwa Masoko is worst in January — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJan 2015 µg/m³Apr 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb13Moderate
Mar9Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun8Good
Jul10Good
Aug10Good
Sep9Good
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kilwa Masoko?

Kilwa Masoko sits at 8.9°S, 39.5°E, 23 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Kilindoni, 114 km away.

KilindoniLindiIkwiririRuangwaKibitiBunguNyangaoMtwara

Topography around Kilwa Masoko

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kilwa Masoko has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 20 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 114 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 559 m.

The land around Kilwa Masoko is covered by water (45%) and grassland (31%) within 3 km, water (57%) within 16 km, and water (42%) and trees (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
20 m
16 km
114 m
80 km
559 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
January weather nearby: Kilindoni 114 km · Lindi 121 km · Ikwiriri 123 km · Ruangwa 142 km · Kibiti 148 km · Bungu 152 km · Nyangao 159 km · Mtwara 166 km

Tanzania travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$1,319
2025
Happiness
3.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
31%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.7
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
31.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 479
Religion
Christian 63%Muslim 34%folk religion 1%

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 Kilwa Masoko (-8.9251°, 39.5131°, elevation 23 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).