Sơn La weather in January

In January, Sơn La sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 24 mm of rain across 4 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 21°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 42 min at the start of January to 11 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Sơn La's 6th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sơn La's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
12th warmest
Overnight low
12°
1st coldest
Rainfall
24 mm
4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
6:49 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
59%
6th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
3.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Sơn La is the old provincial capital of Son La province, Vietnam.

Density
328/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 21°C through the month.

A typical January day in Sơn La reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 12°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 14°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 2°C cooler than February.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12112
22112
32112
42112
52112
62112
72112
82112
92112
102112
112112
122112
132112
142112
152112
162112
172112
182112
192112
202112
212112
222112
232112
242112
252112
262112
272112
282112
292112
302112
312112

How January really feels in Sơn La

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.

Sơn La weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 12°24410.87.3
Feb23° / 13°193.611.37.9
Mar27° / 16°507.111.87.1
Apr29° / 19°7212.812.55.2
May30° / 22°14719.3133.7
Jun30° / 23°2092313.33.2
Jul29° / 23°28824.513.23.4
Aug29° / 22°28325.312.73.4
Sep29° / 21°15017.512.14.4
Oct27° / 19°498.311.56.6
Nov25° / 16°274.5117.8
Dec22° / 12°233.610.77.6

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 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
24951
34951
44852
54753
64753
74753
84555
94654
104654
114654
124654
134555
144654
154654
164654
174555
184654
194654
204555
214555
224654
234654
244654
254654
264654
274654
284654
294654
304753
314852

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitation

Sơn La gets around 24 mm of rain over 4 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 13% and peaks near 14% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
113
213
313
413
513
613
713
813
913
1013
1113
1212
1312
1412
1512
1611
1711
1811
1912
2012
2112
2212
2312
2413
2513
2614
2714
2814
2914
3014
3114

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 59% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
159338
259338
358339
458339
558339
657349
757349
857349
957358
1057358
1157358
1258357
1357367
1458366
1558366
1658366
1758366
1859365
1959365
2060355
2159356
2260346
2360346
2461336
2561336
2661336
2761327
2861327
2961327
3061327
3161327

Wind in January

Winds average 6 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 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 18 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:46 AM to 6:47 AM, and sunset from 5:29 PM to 5:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.76:465:29
210.76:465:30
310.76:465:30
410.76:475:31
510.76:475:32
610.76:475:32
710.86:475:33
810.86:485:33
910.86:485:34
1010.86:485:35
1110.86:485:35
1210.86:485:36
1310.86:485:37
1410.86:495:37
1510.86:495:38
1610.86:495:39
1710.86:495:39
1810.96:495:40
1910.96:495:41
2010.96:495:41
2110.96:495:42
2210.96:495:43
2310.96:485:43
2410.96:485:44
2510.96:485:44
2611.06:485:45
2711.06:485:46
2811.06:485:46
2911.06:475:47
3011.06:475:48
3111.06:475:48

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 3.14 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.14 kWh/m² to a high of 5.26 kWh/m² in April across the year — January's 3.14 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.2Moderate
23.2Moderate
33.1Moderate
43.1Moderate
53.1Moderate
63.1Moderate
73.1Moderate
83.1Moderate
93.1Moderate
103.1Moderate
113.1Moderate
123.1Moderate
133.1Moderate
143.1Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.1Moderate
173.1Moderate
183.2Moderate
193.2Moderate
203.2Moderate
213.2Moderate
223.2Moderate
233.2Moderate
243.2Moderate
253.2Moderate
263.2Moderate
273.3Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.3Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Sơn La

In seasonPeak

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

Sơn La's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is January a good time to visit Sơn La?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
4.5
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is one of the better times to visit Sơn La for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Sơn La in January

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

In January, Sơn La sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 12°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 4 days see rain.

UV index in Sơn La in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sơn La peaks around June 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 20UV 13Dec 18UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan7Very high
Feb9Very high
Mar11Extreme
Apr9Very high
May11Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Sơn La 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 Sơn La is worst in April — around 151 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 12.9× the cleanest month (August, 12 µg/m³).

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

0306090120150JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorUnhealthyModerateGoodModerateApr 16140 µg/m³Aug 912 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan32Moderate
Feb38Poor
Mar67Unhealthy
Apr151Very unhealthy
May58Unhealthy
Jun14Moderate
Jul12Good
Aug12Good
Sep16Moderate
Oct23Moderate
Nov26Moderate
Dec31Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Sơn La?

Sơn La sits at 21.3°N, 103.9°E, 608 m above sea level, in Vietnam. The nearest listed city is Ít Ong, 24 km away.

Dien Bien PhuXam NuaVieng XaiMường LayYên Bái

Topography around Sơn La

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sơn La has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 348 m around an average of 674 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,404 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,830 m.

The land around Sơn La is covered by trees (59%) within 3 km, trees (69%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (68%) and grassland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
348 m
16 km
1,404 m
80 km
2,830 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Ít Ong 24 km · Thị Trấn Thuận Châu 27 km · Nghĩa Lộ 69 km · Dien Bien Phu 93 km · Xam Nua 102 km · Vieng Xai 107 km · Mường Lay 111 km · Yên Bái 112 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 Sơn La (21.3256°, 103.9188°, elevation 608 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).