Port Vila weather in January

In January, Port Vila sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 186 mm of rain across 17.9 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°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 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Port Vila's 9th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Vila's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
26°
10th coldest
Rainfall
186 mm
17.9 wet days
Daylight
13 hours
5:27 AM – 6:25 PM
Cloud cover
62%
9th clearest
Wind
22 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
6.72 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Port Vila is capital and largest city of Vanuatu.

Density
1,521/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 27°C through the month.

A typical January day in Port Vila reaches about 27°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 26°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)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62726
72726
82726
92726
102726
112726
122726
132726
142726
152726
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292826
302826
312826

Port Vila weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°18617.912.95.3
Feb28° / 26°19219.112.64.8
Mar28° / 26°23721.812.14.7
Apr27° / 26°2091911.65.1
May26° / 25°14612.611.26.2
Jun25° / 24°10410.2116.7
Jul24° / 23°667.8117.3
Aug24° / 23°577.611.47.4
Sep24° / 23°73811.97.3
Oct25° / 24°858.612.47.2
Nov26° / 25°7910.412.86.7
Dec27° / 25°13214.6136.0

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 15% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
44951
54951
64951
74951
84852
94753
104753
114654
124654
134555
144555
154555
164456
174555
184555
194555
204555
214555
224555
234555
244555
254456
264555
274654
284555
294555
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Port Vila gets around 186 mm of rain over 17.9 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 58% and peaks near 60% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
152
253
354
455
555
656
757
857
958
1058
1159
1259
1359
1459
1559
1659
1758
1858
1958
2058
2158
2258
2358
2458
2558
2658
2758
2859
2959
3059
3160

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 57% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
10116326
20116227
30116128
40116029
50106129
60106030
70106030
81105831
9195931
10195931
11195832
12195832
13195832
14195832
151105732
161105732
171105732
181105732
191105732
201105732
211105732
221105633
231105633
241105534
251105435
26195535
27195436
28195337
29185338
30185239
31175339

Wind in January

Winds average 22 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 21 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
123breezy
223breezy
323breezy
423breezy
523breezy
623breezy
722breezy
822breezy
922breezy
1022breezy
1122breezy
1222breezy
1322breezy
1422breezy
1522breezy
1622breezy
1722breezy
1822breezy
1922breezy
2022breezy
2122breezy
2222breezy
2322breezy
2422breezy
2522breezy
2622breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2921breezy
3021breezy
3121breezy

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:19 AM to 5:36 AM, and sunset from 6:21 PM to 6:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:196:21
213.05:196:22
313.05:206:22
413.05:206:22
513.05:216:23
613.05:216:23
713.05:226:23
813.05:236:23
913.05:236:24
1013.05:246:24
1113.05:246:24
1213.05:256:24
1313.05:266:24
1413.05:266:24
1513.05:276:25
1613.05:276:25
1712.95:286:25
1812.95:296:25
1912.95:296:25
2012.95:306:25
2112.95:306:25
2212.95:316:25
2312.95:326:25
2412.95:326:25
2512.95:336:25
2612.95:336:25
2712.85:346:25
2812.85:346:25
2912.85:356:24
3012.85:366:24
3112.85:366:24

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.72 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.57 kWh/m² to a high of 6.72 kWh/m² in January across the year — January's 6.72 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.0Intense
27.0Intense
37.0Intense
47.0Intense
56.9Intense
66.9Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Port Vila

In seasonPeak

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

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

Port Vila's rainy season runs December–May, 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 Port Vila?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Port Vila for sightseeing.

What to pack for Port Vila in January

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

In January, Port Vila sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Port Vila 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 February 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
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr28Tropical
May27Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Port Vila in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Port Vila peaks around February 15 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 7 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 15UV 16Jun 20UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep13Extreme
Oct15Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Port Vila?

Port Vila sits at 17.7°S, 168.3°E, 10 m above sea level, in Vanuatu. The nearest listed city is Ouvéa, 374 km away.

Topography around Port Vila

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Vila has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 132 m around an average of 25 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 646 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 631 m.

The land around Port Vila is covered by trees (42%) and water (33%) within 3 km, trees (51%) and water (40%) within 16 km, and water (90%) within 80 km.

3 km
132 m
16 km
646 m
80 km
631 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Ouvéa 374 km · Bourail 518 km · Dumbéa 528 km · Mont-Dore 535 km · Noumea 541 km · Nadi 964 km · Lautoka 968 km · Sigatoka 973 km

Vanuatu travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,039
2025
Safe drinking water
19%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.3
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
14.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 40%Roman Catholic 12%other 12%customary beliefs 3%

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 Port Vila (-17.7365°, 168.3137°, elevation 10 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).