Merritt Island weather in January

In January, Merritt Island sees average daytime highs of 69°F and overnight lows near 58°F, with 2.3 in of rain across 6.9 wet days and about 10.4 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 69°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 12 min at the start of January to 10 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Merritt Island's 7th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Merritt Island's year-round climate.

Daytime high
69°
12th warmest
Overnight low
58°
1st coldest
Rainfall
2.3 in
6.9 wet days
Daylight
10 h 24 min
7:21 AM – 5:43 PM
Cloud cover
54%
7th clearest
Wind
10 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
3.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Merritt Island is census designated place in Brevard County, Florida, United States.

Density
284/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 69°F through the month.

A typical January day in Merritt Island reaches about 69°F in the afternoon and slips back to 58°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 59°F and 76°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 2°F cooler than December and about 2°F cooler than February.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16960
26959
36959
46959
56959
66959
76959
86959
96958
106958
116958
126958
136958
146958
156858
166858
176858
186858
196858
206858
216858
226858
236858
246858
256858
266858
276858
286858
296958
306958
316958

How January really feels in Merritt Island

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
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.

Merritt Island weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan69° / 58°2.36.910.46.9
Feb70° / 60°2.06.8117.0
Mar73° / 63°2.46.611.87.5
Apr77° / 67°1.96.812.77.6
May81° / 72°2.79.313.46.8
Jun84° / 76°4.918.313.84.5
Jul85° / 77°4.319.813.64.0
Aug85° / 78°5.321.5133.8
Sep83° / 77°6.019.812.24.4
Oct80° / 73°3.712.111.36.4
Nov75° / 66°1.87.510.67.4
Dec71° / 62°1.96.510.27.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 46%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25446
35446
45446
55545
65446
75446
85446
95446
105446
115446
125446
135446
145446
155446
165446
175446
185545
195545
205644
215644
225545
235644
245644
255545
265644
275545
285545
295446
305347
315446

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Merritt Island gets around 2.3 in 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 21% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
121
220
320
420
519
619
719
819
919
1019
1119
1219
1319
1419
1519
1619
1720
1820
1921
2022
2122
2223
2323
2424
2524
2625
2725
2826
2926
3027
3127

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 47% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 14% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1391621222
2401521222
3401521222
4411521211
5411522201
6421522201
7431522191
8441522181
9441622171
10451622160
11461622150
12471622140
13481722130
14481722120
15491823110
16491823100
17491823100
1850182390
1950182390
2050192380
2150192380
2250192380
2350192380
2450192380
2550182390
2649182390
2749182390
28491824100
29481824100
30481824100
31471824100

Wind in January

Winds average 10 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min at the start of January to 10 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:19 AM to 7:17 AM, and sunset from 5:33 PM to 5:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.27:195:33
210.27:195:33
310.27:205:34
410.27:205:35
510.37:205:35
610.37:205:36
710.37:205:37
810.37:205:37
910.37:215:38
1010.37:215:39
1110.37:215:40
1210.37:215:40
1310.37:215:41
1410.47:215:42
1510.47:215:43
1610.47:215:43
1710.47:215:44
1810.47:205:45
1910.47:205:46
2010.47:205:47
2110.57:205:47
2210.57:205:48
2310.57:205:49
2410.57:195:50
2510.57:195:51
2610.57:195:51
2710.67:185:52
2810.67:185:53
2910.67:185:54
3010.67:175:55
3110.67:175:55

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3 kWh/m² to a high of 6.37 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 3.32 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.1Moderate
23.1Moderate
33.1Moderate
43.1Moderate
53.1Moderate
63.2Moderate
73.2Moderate
83.2Moderate
93.2Moderate
103.2Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.4Moderate
173.4Moderate
183.4Moderate
193.4Moderate
203.4Moderate
213.4Moderate
223.4Moderate
233.5Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.5Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.5Moderate
303.6Moderate
313.6Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Merritt Island

In seasonPeak

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

Merritt Island sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Merritt Island's rainy season runs June–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Merritt Island?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
3.9
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Merritt Island for sightseeing.

What to pack for Merritt Island in January

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

In January, Merritt Island sees daytime highs around 69°F and nights near 58°F. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 7 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Merritt Island in January

The nearest coast averages about 69°F 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 19 mi away) is warmest in September at about 82°F and coldest in February near 67°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 2 to Jan 31 — about 11 months when the water holds above 68°F.

65°70°75°80°85°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan69Refreshing
Feb67Cool
Mar69Refreshing
Apr72Refreshing
May76Warm
Jun80Warm
Jul81Warm
Aug82Warm
Sep82Tropical
Oct80Warm
Nov74Refreshing
Dec71Refreshing

UV index in Merritt Island in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Merritt Island peaks around July 16 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 16UV 11Dec 19UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5Moderate
Feb6High
Mar8Very high
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct7High
Nov5High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Merritt Island 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 Merritt Island is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1019 µg/m³Dec 137 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Merritt Island?

Merritt Island sits at 28.4°N, 80.7°W, 3 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rockledge, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Merritt Island

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Merritt Island.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Merritt Island has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 ft around an average of 7 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 157 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 246 ft.

The land around Merritt Island is covered by water (42%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 2 miles, water (46%) and trees (25%) within 10 miles, and water (39%) and trees (33%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
39 ft
10 miles
157 ft
50 miles
246 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
January weather nearby: Rockledge 2.5 mi · Cocoa 3.7 mi · Titusville 19 mi · Melbourne 20 mi · West Melbourne 20 mi · Palm Bay 23 mi · Alafaya 35 mi · Saint Cloud 37 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 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 Merritt Island (28.359°, -80.69°, elevation 3 ft), 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).