Lào Cai weather in January

In January, Lào Cai sees average daytime highs of 18°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 96 mm of rain across 18.1 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 18°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Lào Cai's 9th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lào Cai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
18°
12th warmest
Overnight low
11°
1st coldest
Rainfall
96 mm
18.1 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
6:51 AM – 5:36 PM
Cloud cover
73%
9th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
2.56 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 18°C through the month.

A typical January day in Lào Cai reaches about 18°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C cooler than December and about 2°C cooler than February.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11811
21811
31811
41811
51811
61811
71811
81811
91811
101811
111811
121811
131811
141811
151811
161811
171811
181811
191811
201811
211811
221811
231811
241811
251811
261811
271811
281811
291811
301811
311811

How January really feels in Lào Cai

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.

Lào Cai weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 11°9618.110.84.7
Feb20° / 12°871711.25.0
Mar24° / 15°1261911.85.5
Apr27° / 19°12917.612.55.2
May29° / 22°20019.713.14.1
Jun30° / 24°2422213.43.3
Jul30° / 24°26123.213.23.4
Aug30° / 23°26822.412.83.6
Sep28° / 22°16518.212.14.6
Oct26° / 19°11816.611.55.7
Nov23° / 15°8813.810.96.1
Dec19° / 12°9214.110.65.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% 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 70%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23565
33466
43466
53367
63268
73070
83169
93169
103169
113070
123070
132971
142872
152872
162773
172773
182773
192773
202872
212773
222773
232773
242872
252971
262971
273070
283070
293169
303268
313367

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Lào Cai gets around 96 mm of rain over 18.1 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 (%)
151
252
353
455
555
656
757
858
958
1058
1159
1259
1359
1459
1560
1660
1760
1860
1960
2060
2160
2260
2359
2459
2559
2659
2759
2859
2959
3059
3158

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 63% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
159356
259356
359356
459356
559356
660346
760346
860346
961336
1061336
1162335
1262335
1362335
1464324
1564324
1664324
1764324
1864324
1965314
2065314
2165314
2265314
2366304
2465305
2565305
2665305
2765305
2864306
2964306
3063316
3163316

Wind in January

Winds average 4 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 36 min at the start of January to 11 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:48 AM to 6:49 AM, and sunset from 5:27 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.66:485:27
210.66:485:27
310.76:495:28
410.76:495:28
510.76:495:29
610.76:495:30
710.76:505:30
810.76:505:31
910.76:505:32
1010.76:505:32
1110.76:505:33
1210.76:505:34
1310.76:505:34
1410.76:505:35
1510.86:515:36
1610.86:515:36
1710.86:515:37
1810.86:515:38
1910.86:515:38
2010.86:505:39
2110.86:505:40
2210.86:505:40
2310.86:505:41
2410.96:505:42
2510.96:505:42
2610.96:505:43
2710.96:505:44
2810.96:495:44
2910.96:495:45
3010.96:495:46
3111.06:495:46

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.56 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.56 kWh/m² to a high of 4.91 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 2.56 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.7Moderate
22.6Moderate
32.6Moderate
42.6Moderate
52.6Moderate
62.6Moderate
72.6Moderate
82.6Moderate
92.6Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.5Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.6Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.7Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.8Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Lào Cai

In seasonPeak

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

Lào Cai's rainy season runs March–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Lào Cai?

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

4.7
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
1.6
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a reasonable time to visit Lào Cai for sightseeing.

What to pack for Lào Cai in January

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

In January, Lào Cai sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 11°C. Pack rain gear. About 18 days see rain.

rain gear

UV index in Lào Cai in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Lào Cai peaks around June 21 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 21UV 13Dec 18UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb8Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr8Very high
May10Very high
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct8Very high
Nov7High
Dec5High

Air quality in Lào Cai 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 Lào Cai is worst in March — around 49 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.8× the cleanest month (July, 17 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorMar 2349 µg/m³Jul 1817 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan36Poor
Feb40Poor
Mar49Poor
Apr48Poor
May30Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep23Moderate
Oct28Moderate
Nov33Moderate
Dec36Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Lào Cai?

Lào Cai sits at 22.5°N, 104.0°E, 86 m above sea level, in Vietnam. The nearest listed city is Sapa, 21 km away.

Bắc QuangMường LayÍt OngHà Giang

Topography around Lào Cai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Lào Cai has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 298 m around an average of 141 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,148 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,050 m.

The land around Lào Cai is covered by trees (65%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 3 km, trees (90%) within 16 km, and trees (85%) within 80 km.

3 km
298 m
16 km
2,148 m
80 km
3,050 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Sapa 21 km · Thị Trấn Phố Lu 29 km · Lai Châu 54 km · Thị Trấn Việt Quang 86 km · Bắc Quang 92 km · Mường Lay 102 km · Ít Ong 108 km · Hà Giang 111 km

Vietnam travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / F
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 29% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$5,066
2025
Happiness
6.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
59%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.5
per 100k, 2011
Road deaths
30.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 500
Religion
none 86%Catholic 6%Buddhist 6%Protestant 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 Lào Cai (22.4856°, 103.9707°, elevation 86 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. 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).