Cook Islands

Cook Islands Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the Cook Islands in January.

🔎
Rarotonga Arutanga Arorangi Rakahanga

Planning a journey to the Cook Islands this January and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What to Expect in the Cook Islands in January

January in the Cook Islands generally has warm temperatures, with heavy precipitation.

Temperatures

You can expect warm maximum daytime temperatures of around 28°C (82°F) and nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) in Rarotonga.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of the Cook Islands, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From heavy rainfall in Penrhyn with an average of 202 mm (8 in) to heavy rainfall in Pukapuka with 358 mm (14 in). Going by our weather data, it is the wettest month of the year in Rarotonga.

Average sunshine

Sunshine levels are moderate in most locations. Rarotonga typically sees 167 hours of sunlight, creating comfortable conditions that aren't too bright or too dim. Looking for something sunnier? Our weather planner helps you discover destinations with more reliable sunshine.

Explore the Cook Islands by month

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

Best Places to Visit in the Cook Islands in January

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across the Cook Islands.

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 the Cook Islands

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in the Cook Islands?

Temperature range in the Cook Islands (January)

Precipitation variation in the Cook Islands (January)

Rarotonga

In January Rarotonga generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
Monthly sun hours
173 hours
167 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
200 mm (7.9 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
209 mm (8.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Rarotonga →

Arutanga

In January Arutanga generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C (84°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 26°C (79°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
29°C (84°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
26°C (79°F)
Monthly sun hours
172 hours
186 hours
156 hours
Monthly rainfall
223 mm (8.8 in)
268 mm (11 in)
265 mm (10 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Arutanga →

Arorangi

In January Arorangi generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
Monthly sun hours
173 hours
167 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
200 mm (7.9 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
209 mm (8.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Arorangi →

Avarua

In January Avarua generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
Monthly sun hours
173 hours
167 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
200 mm (7.9 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
210 mm (8.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Avarua →

Ngatangiia

In January Ngatangiia generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
Monthly sun hours
173 hours
167 hours
167 hours
Monthly rainfall
199 mm (7.8 in)
225 mm (8.9 in)
210 mm (8.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
13 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Ngatangiia →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the Cook Islands.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the Cook Islands in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Rarotonga 28°C (82°F) 25°C (77°F) 225 mm (8.9 in)
Arutanga 29°C (84°F) 26°C (79°F) 268 mm (11 in)
Arorangi 28°C (82°F) 25°C (77°F) 225 mm (8.9 in)
Rakahanga 29°C (84°F) 26°C (79°F) 281 mm (11 in)
Pukapuka 29°C (84°F) 26°C (79°F) 358 mm (14 in)
Penrhyn 29°C (84°F) 26°C (79°F) 202 mm (8 in)

The Cook Islands weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the Cook Islands in January?

In January, the Cook Islands generally has unpleasant weather conditions. Rarotonga sees daytime temperatures near 28°C (82°F), with nights cooling to roughly 25°C (77°F).

What is the average temperature in the Cook Islands in January?

Daytime temperatures in Rarotonga peak at roughly 28°C (82°F) in January, dropping to about 25°C (77°F) overnight.

Does the Cook Islands get a lot of rain in January?

Yes. January brings heavy rainfall to the Cook Islands, with Rarotonga averaging around 225 mm (8.9 in). Expect frequent showers and pack accordingly.

Is January a Good Time to Visit the Cook Islands?

In our opinion, January may not be the ideal time to visit the Cook Islands due to the typically unpleasant weather in Rarotonga.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, August, September and October offering mostly perfect weather in Rarotonga. On the other hand, the months of January, February and December tend to have unpleasant weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the Cook Islands.

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

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.

Bucket list

Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.

The perfect escape to get away from it all

Still relatively untouched the Cook Islands are what paradise looks like in your wildest dreams. Expect tropical and green landscapes, mesmerizing turquoise waters and powder soft white sand.
Must visit in the Cook Islands →