Funafuti weather in January

In January, Funafuti sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 357 mm of rain across 25 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-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 13% of the time in January, and the air most often feels miserable.

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 Funafuti's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Funafuti's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
1st warmest
Overnight low
27°
12th coldest
Rainfall
357 mm
25 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
5:59 AM – 6:26 PM
Cloud cover
78%
11th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

Funafuti is capital of Tuvalu.

Density
2,633/km²
people per km²

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 Funafuti reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 29°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)
12827
22827
32827
42827
52827
62827
72827
82827
92827
102827
112827
122827
132827
142827
152827
162827
172827
182827
192827
202827
212827
222827
232827
242827
252827
262827
272827
282827
292827
302827
312827

How January really feels in Funafuti

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.

Funafuti weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 27°3572512.43.7
Feb28° / 26°35922.912.33.7
Mar28° / 26°30125.112.13.8
Apr28° / 27°25025.611.83.7
May28° / 27°23725.611.63.8
Jun28° / 26°20524.311.54.0
Jul28° / 26°20423.311.64.5
Aug28° / 26°21523.711.74.6
Sep28° / 26°17822.1124.5
Oct28° / 26°20322.512.24.3
Nov28° / 26°21322.512.44.1
Dec28° / 27°29324.812.53.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 75%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22773
32872
42872
52872
62872
72773
82872
92872
102773
112773
122674
132575
142575
152575
162476
172377
182377
192377
202278
212278
222179
232179
242179
252179
262179
272377
282377
292476
302476
312575

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Funafuti gets around 357 mm of rain over 25 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 81% and peaks near 82% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
181
281
381
480
580
680
779
879
979
1079
1179
1279
1379
1479
1579
1680
1780
1881
1981
2081
2182
2282
2382
2482
2582
2682
2782
2882
2982
3081
3181

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

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

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
103763
203763
313861
413861
513861
613960
714059
814059
914158
1014257
1114257
1214356
1314356
1404357
1504357
1604357
1704357
1804357
1904258
2004258
2104159
2204159
2304060
2404060
2503961
2603862
2703862
2803763
2903763
3003763
3103763

Wind in January

Winds average 19 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2820light breeze
2920light breeze
3020light breeze
3120light 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 5:52 AM to 6:05 AM, and sunset from 6:21 PM to 6:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:526:21
212.55:526:21
312.55:536:22
412.55:536:22
512.55:546:23
612.55:546:23
712.55:556:23
812.55:556:24
912.55:566:24
1012.55:566:24
1112.55:576:25
1212.55:576:25
1312.55:586:25
1412.55:586:25
1512.55:596:26
1612.45:596:26
1712.46:006:26
1812.46:006:26
1912.46:006:27
2012.46:016:27
2112.46:016:27
2212.46:026:27
2312.46:026:27
2412.46:036:27
2512.46:036:27
2612.46:036:28
2712.46:046:28
2812.46:046:28
2912.46:056:28
3012.46:056:28
3112.46:056:28

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.64 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.65 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in October across the year — January's 5.64 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
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.4Bright
225.4Bright
235.4Bright
245.4Bright
255.4Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Funafuti

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is January a good time to visit Funafuti?

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

3.7
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Funafuti.

What to pack for Funafuti in January

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

In January, Funafuti sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 25 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Funafuti in January

The nearest coast averages about 30°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 November at about 30°C and coldest in August near 29°C.

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

28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan30Tropical
Feb30Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov30Tropical
Dec30Tropical

UV index in Funafuti in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Funafuti peaks around February 15 at about 17 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 15UV 17Jun 20UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb17Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun10Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov14Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Funafuti?

Funafuti sits at 8.5°S, 179.2°E, 7 m above sea level, in Tuvalu. The nearest listed city is Mata-Utu, 732 km away.

Topography around Funafuti

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Funafuti has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5 m around an average of 0 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 15 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12 m.

The land around Funafuti is covered by water (96%) within 3 km, water (100%) within 16 km, and water (100%) within 80 km.

3 km
5 m
16 km
15 m
80 km
12 m
grasslandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Mata-Utu 732 km · Labasa 880 km · Lautoka 1,028 km · Nadi 1,050 km · Levuka 1,061 km · Nasinu 1,064 km · Lami 1,069 km · Suva 1,072 km

Tuvalu travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 89% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$6,041
2025
Safe drinking water
9%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
18.3
per 100k, 2012
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 93%other 4%Baha'i 2%Jehovah's Witness 2%

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 Funafuti (-8.5243°, 179.1942°, elevation 7 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).