Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Democratic Republic of the Congo in January.

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Kinshasa Goma Boende Manono

Are you planning a trip a to Democratic Republic of the Congo in January and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.

What to Expect in Democratic Republic of the Congo in January

In January, Democratic Republic of the Congo experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from warm to very warm and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy.

Temperatures

The average maximum daytime temperatures vary from warm in Goma at 22°C (72°F) to very warm in Gemena at 33°C (91°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 21°C (70°F) in Gemena and 16°C (61°F) in Goma. The temperatures cited for both day and night represent usual averages, but it's possible some days could be hotter. It's advisable to dress accordingly to handle the heat.

For specific regional insights in Democratic Republic of the Congo, refer to the map provided below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From low rainfall in Watsa with an average of 22 mm (0.9 in) to heavy rainfall in Lumbumbashi with 271 mm (11 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is quite limited in many locations during January. Kinshasa receives roughly 0 hours of sunlight. For destinations with more sunshine, our weather planner offers alternatives worldwide.

Explore Democratic Republic of the Congo by month

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

Best Places to Visit in Democratic Republic of the Congo in January

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Democratic Republic of the Congo

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in Democratic Republic of the Congo?

Temperature range in Democratic Republic of the Congo (January)

Precipitation variation in Democratic Republic of the Congo (January)

Kinshasa

In January Kinshasa generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 31°C (88°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 23°C (73°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
30°C (86°F)
31°C (88°F)
31°C (88°F)
Min temperature
23°C (73°F)
23°C (73°F)
23°C (73°F)
Monthly sun hours
0 hours
0 hours
0 hours
Monthly rainfall
170 mm (6.7 in)
129 mm (5.1 in)
123 mm (4.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
10 days
10 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Kinshasa →

Goma

In January Goma generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C (72°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 16°C (61°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
22°C (72°F)
22°C (72°F)
23°C (73°F)
Min temperature
16°C (61°F)
16°C (61°F)
17°C (63°F)
Monthly rainfall
324 mm (13 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
253 mm (10 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
16 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Goma →

Kalemie

In January Kalemie generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 21°C (70°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
21°C (70°F)
21°C (70°F)
22°C (72°F)
Monthly sun hours
216 hours
158 hours
158 hours
Monthly rainfall
174 mm (6.9 in)
159 mm (6.3 in)
139 mm (5.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
14 days
13 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
pleasant
pleasant
Climate in Kalemie →

Kananga

In January Kananga generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 30°C (86°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 21°C (70°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
30°C (86°F)
30°C (86°F)
31°C (88°F)
Min temperature
21°C (70°F)
21°C (70°F)
21°C (70°F)
Monthly sun hours
139 hours
148 hours
132 hours
Monthly rainfall
161 mm (6.3 in)
135 mm (5.3 in)
143 mm (5.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
12 days
12 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Kananga →

Kikwit

In January Kikwit generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 31°C (88°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 22°C (72°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
31°C (88°F)
32°C (90°F)
Min temperature
21°C (70°F)
22°C (72°F)
22°C (72°F)
Monthly sun hours
147 hours
143 hours
135 hours
Monthly rainfall
157 mm (6.2 in)
124 mm (4.9 in)
130 mm (5.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
10 days
10 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Kikwit →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In our records: Democratic Republic of the Congo January extremes

Notable January records observed across cities in Democratic Republic of the Congo in our climate database (1982 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • From our sources, the wettest January day in Democratic Republic of the Congo brought 253 mm (10 in) in Kinshasa on January 2, 2017.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Democratic Republic of the Congo in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Kinshasa 31°C (88°F) 23°C (73°F) 129 mm (5.1 in)
Goma 22°C (72°F) 16°C (61°F) 225 mm (8.9 in)
Boende 32°C (90°F) 22°C (72°F) 93 mm (3.7 in)
Manono 30°C (86°F) 21°C (70°F) 212 mm (8.3 in)
Lumbumbashi 27°C (81°F) 18°C (64°F) 271 mm (11 in)
Watsa 33°C (91°F) 20°C (68°F) 22 mm (0.9 in)

Democratic Republic of the Congo weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Democratic Republic of the Congo in January?

Expect unpleasant weather across Democratic Republic of the Congo in January. The popular destination of Kinshasa averages 31°C (88°F) by day and 23°C (73°F) at night during this month.

What is the average temperature in Democratic Republic of the Congo in January?

In Kinshasa, the average daytime high in January is 31°C (88°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 23°C (73°F).

Does Democratic Republic of the Congo get a lot of rain in January?

Kinshasa typically receives notable rainfall in January, about 129 mm (5.1 in) on average across Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Democratic Republic of the Congo?

In our opinion, January is a good time to visit Democratic Republic of the Congo with overall tolerable weather in Kinshasa. However, the weather conditions may vary depending on your destination.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, July, August and September offering mostly pleasant weather in Kinshasa. On the other hand, the weather in November tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Democratic Republic of the Congo? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.