Phuket weather in January

In January, Phuket sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 45 mm of rain across 6.9 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 11th-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 31% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Phuket's 3rd-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Phuket's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
7th warmest
Overnight low
26°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
45 mm
6.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:48 AM – 6:23 PM
Cloud cover
59%
3rd clearest
Wind
17 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.52 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Phuket is city in Phuket province, Thailand.

Air quality
Moderate
PM2.5 11 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
6,609/km²
people per km²
Founded
1912

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 28°C through the month.

A typical January day in Phuket reaches about 28°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 27°C and 30°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)
12825
22825
32825
42825
52825
62825
72825
82825
92825
102825
112825
122825
132826
142826
152826
162826
172826
182826
192826
202826
212826
222826
232826
242826
252826
262926
272926
282926
292926
302926
312926

How January really feels in Phuket

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.

Phuket weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 7th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°456.911.66.2
Feb29° / 26°193.911.76.5
Mar29° / 27°7810.411.95.6
Apr29° / 27°12517.912.24.4
May29° / 27°26625.112.43.5
Jun29° / 27°25722.612.43.7
Jul28° / 27°25323.512.43.8
Aug28° / 26°27623.712.33.9
Sep28° / 26°31124.9123.9
Oct28° / 26°30627.311.83.7
Nov28° / 26°18420.311.64.5
Dec28° / 26°8111.411.55.6

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 51%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34456
44456
54555
64555
74753
84852
94852
104951
114951
125050
135050
145050
155050
165050
175050
185050
194951
205050
215149
225050
235050
245149
255149
265149
275149
285248
295347
305446
315545

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Phuket gets around 45 mm of rain over 6.9 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 22% and peaks near 26% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
225
325
425
525
624
724
823
923
1022
1122
1221
1321
1421
1521
1621
1721
1821
1921
2021
2121
2221
2321
2421
2521
2620
2720
2819
2919
3018
3117

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 88% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
111872
211872
311872
410882
510882
610882
710882
89892
99892
109892
119892
129892
139892
149901
1510891
1610891
1710891
1810891
1910891
2011881
2111890
2211890
2311890
2411890
2511890
2611890
2711890
2812880
2912880
3012880
3112880

Wind in January

Winds average 17 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of January to 11 h 42 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 6:50 AM, and sunset from 6:16 PM to 6:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:436:16
211.56:446:17
311.66:446:17
411.66:446:18
511.66:456:18
611.66:456:19
711.66:456:19
811.66:466:19
911.66:466:20
1011.66:466:20
1111.66:476:21
1211.66:476:21
1311.66:476:22
1411.66:486:22
1511.66:486:23
1611.66:486:23
1711.66:486:24
1811.66:496:24
1911.66:496:25
2011.66:496:25
2111.66:496:26
2211.66:496:26
2311.66:496:26
2411.66:506:27
2511.66:506:27
2611.66:506:28
2711.66:506:28
2811.66:506:28
2911.66:506:29
3011.66:506:29
3111.76:506:29

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.52 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.65 kWh/m² to a high of 6.42 kWh/m² in March across the year — January's 5.52 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Phuket

In seasonPeak

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

Phuket sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

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

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

Is January a good time to visit Phuket?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.4
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Phuket in January

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

In January, Phuket sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 7 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Phuket 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 25 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Phuket in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Phuket peaks around August 23 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 23 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeAug 23UV 13Nov 23UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec10Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Phuket?

Phuket sits at 7.9°N, 98.4°E, 28 m above sea level, in Thailand. The nearest listed city is Ban Talat Yai, 1.0 km away.

Topography around Phuket

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Phuket has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 279 m around an average of 18 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 537 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,324 m.

The land around Phuket is covered by artificial surfaces (42%) and trees (30%) within 3 km, water (59%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and water (73%) and trees (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
279 m
16 km
537 m
80 km
1,324 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
January weather nearby: Ban Talat Yai 1.0 km · Wichit 1.0 km · Ban Talat Nua 2.0 km · Ban Ratsada 2.0 km · Ban Ko Sire 3.0 km · Kathu 8.0 km · Ban Chalong 8.0 km · Ban Kamala 15 km

Thailand travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 31% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$8,057
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
4.8
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
32.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 402
Religion
Buddhist 93%Muslim 5%Christian 1%other 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 Phuket (7.8906°, 98.3981°, elevation 28 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).