Nungwi weather in January

In January, Nungwi sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 34 mm of rain across 8.4 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of January to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Nungwi's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nungwi's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
26°
11th coldest
Rainfall
34 mm
8.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:23 AM – 6:41 PM
Cloud cover
45%
6th clearest
Wind
24 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Nungwi reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112826
122826
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262826
272827
282827
292827
302827
312827

How January really feels in Nungwi

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.

Nungwi weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°348.412.36.9
Feb28° / 27°286.612.26.9
Mar28° / 26°13119.8124.8
Apr28° / 26°2782711.93.9
May27° / 25°23324.411.74.5
Jun26° / 25°6619.411.75.3
Jul26° / 24°4616.411.75.9
Aug25° / 24°3311.211.86.9
Sep26° / 24°278127.5
Oct26° / 25°6912.512.16.7
Nov27° / 25°8818.712.35.5
Dec28° / 26°8218.812.35.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17129
27129
37030
47030
56931
66931
76733
86733
96634
106535
116535
126436
136535
146535
156535
166535
176535
186535
196535
206535
216535
226535
236535
246535
256535
266535
276535
286535
296535
306535
316733

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Nungwi gets around 34 mm of rain over 8.4 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 28% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
137
236
335
434
533
632
732
831
931
1031
1131
1230
1330
1429
1528
1628
1727
1827
1926
2025
2125
2224
2324
2423
2523
2622
2722
2821
2921
3020
3120

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 72% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
16139
26238
36337
46436
56535
66634
76733
86832
96931
107030
117129
127228
137228
147327
157426
167426
177525
187525
197525
207525
217525
227525
237525
247525
257525
267624
277624
287624
297624
307624
317723

Wind in January

Winds average 24 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 23 km/h on the calmest days to 24 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
123breezy
223breezy
323breezy
423breezy
523breezy
623breezy
723breezy
823breezy
923breezy
1023breezy
1123breezy
1223breezy
1323breezy
1423breezy
1523breezy
1623breezy
1724breezy
1824breezy
1924breezy
2024breezy
2124breezy
2224breezy
2324breezy
2424breezy
2524breezy
2624breezy
2724breezy
2824breezy
2924breezy
3024breezy
3124breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of January to 12 h 18 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 6:16 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 6:36 PM to 6:44 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:166:36
212.36:176:36
312.36:176:37
412.36:186:37
512.36:186:37
612.36:196:38
712.36:196:38
812.36:206:39
912.36:206:39
1012.36:206:39
1112.36:216:40
1212.36:216:40
1312.36:226:40
1412.36:226:40
1512.36:236:41
1612.36:236:41
1712.36:246:41
1812.36:246:42
1912.36:246:42
2012.36:256:42
2112.36:256:42
2212.36:266:42
2312.36:266:43
2412.36:266:43
2512.36:276:43
2612.36:276:43
2712.36:276:43
2812.36:286:43
2912.36:286:43
3012.36:286:44
3112.36:296:44

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in February across the year — January's 6.32 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.3Intense
46.3Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.5Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Nungwi

In seasonPeak

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

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

Nungwi's monsoon runs March–May, 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 Nungwi?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.2
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Nungwi in January

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

In January, Nungwi sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear and a windbreaker. About 8 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Nungwi in January

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 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
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Nungwi 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 Nungwi peaks around March 17 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 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 17UV 15Jun 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec12Extreme

Air quality in Nungwi 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 Nungwi is worst in January — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJan 2018 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Nungwi?

Nungwi sits at 5.7°S, 39.3°E, 8 m above sea level, in Tanzania. The nearest listed city is Zanzibar, 50 km away.

Chake ChakeTangaSokoniMuhezaWeteBagamoyo

Topography around Nungwi

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nungwi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 41 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 85 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 626 m.

The land around Nungwi is covered by water (69%) within 3 km, water (85%) within 16 km, and water (69%) within 80 km.

3 km
41 m
16 km
85 m
80 km
626 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
January weather nearby: Zanzibar 50 km · Mkoani 56 km · Chake Chake 74 km · Tanga 76 km · Sokoni 83 km · Muheza 84 km · Wete 89 km · Bagamoyo 91 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 Nungwi (-5.7265°, 39.2987°, elevation 8 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).