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Costa Rica Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Costa Rica in January.

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Jacó San José Tamarindo Fortuna

Planning a trip to Costa Rica this January? Here's what you need to know about the weather:

What to Expect in Costa Rica in January

Costa Rica has a wide variety of climate types. During January, you can expect temperatures that range from pleasant to very warm and precipitation levels ranging from almost none to heavy.

Temperatures

During the day the temperature is pleasant in Cachí at 22°C (72°F) and very warm in Santa Cruz at 34°C (93°F). As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 23°C (73°F) in Santa Cruz and 13°C (55°F) in Cachí.

To explore the conditions in Costa Rica in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From almost no rainfall in Coco with an average of 4 mm (0.2 in) to heavy rainfall in Barrio Palermo with 269 mm (11 in).

Average sunshine

January brings good sunshine to many areas. Jacó sees around 264 hours of sunlight, great for visitors looking for bright days.

Explore Costa Rica by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Costa Rica - and find the best time to visit. (based on Jacó)

January29°C (84°F) February29°C (84°F) March30°C (86°F) April29°C (84°F) May29°C (84°F) June29°C (84°F) July28°C (82°F) This monthAugust28°C (82°F) September28°C (82°F) October28°C (82°F) November28°C (82°F) December28°C (82°F)
Best Time to Visit Costa Rica →

Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica in January

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

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 Costa Rica

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica?

Temperature range in Costa Rica (January)

Precipitation variation in Costa Rica (January)

Jacó

In January Jacó generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C (84°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
29°C (84°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
233 hours
264 hours
252 hours
Monthly rainfall
190 mm (7.5 in)
77 mm (3 in)
46 mm (1.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
10 days
7 days
Weather conditions
good
excellent
excellent
Climate in Jacó →

San José

In January San José generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C (75°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
16°C (61°F)
15°C (59°F)
15°C (59°F)
Monthly sun hours
244 hours
283 hours
265 hours
Monthly rainfall
150 mm (5.9 in)
83 mm (3.3 in)
62 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
12 days
9 days
Weather conditions
very good
excellent
excellent
Climate in San José →

Tamarindo

In January Tamarindo generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 32°C (90°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 24°C (75°F) and almost no monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
32°C (90°F)
33°C (91°F)
Min temperature
24°C (75°F)
24°C (75°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
258 hours
295 hours
275 hours
Monthly rainfall
14 mm (0.6 in)
4.2 mm (0.2 in)
3.5 mm (0.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
7 days
5 days
Weather conditions
excellent
excellent
excellent
Climate in Tamarindo →

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

In January Puerto Viejo de Talamanca generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 23°C (73°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are less favorable that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
28°C (82°F)
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
Min temperature
23°C (73°F)
23°C (73°F)
23°C (73°F)
Monthly sun hours
145 hours
158 hours
154 hours
Monthly rainfall
424 mm (17 in)
265 mm (10 in)
197 mm (7.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
12 days
9 days
Weather conditions
less favorable
less favorable
good
Climate in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca →

Fortuna

In January Fortuna generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 19°C (66°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are very good that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
27°C (81°F)
27°C (81°F)
Min temperature
20°C (68°F)
19°C (66°F)
19°C (66°F)
Monthly sun hours
233 hours
264 hours
252 hours
Monthly rainfall
222 mm (8.7 in)
130 mm (5.1 in)
77 mm (3 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
10 days
7 days
Weather conditions
mixed
very good
excellent
Climate in Fortuna →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Costa Rica.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Costa Rica in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Jacó 29°C (84°F) 25°C (77°F) 77 mm (3 in)
San José 24°C (75°F) 15°C (59°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Tamarindo 32°C (90°F) 24°C (75°F) 4.2 mm (0.2 in)
Fortuna 27°C (81°F) 19°C (66°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Santa Teresa 29°C (84°F) 26°C (79°F) 23 mm (0.9 in)
Uvita 26°C (79°F) 21°C (70°F) 210 mm (8.3 in)

Costa Rica weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Costa Rica in January?

Expect excellent weather across Costa Rica in January. The popular destination of Jacó averages 29°C (84°F) by day and 25°C (77°F) at night during this month.

What is the average temperature in Costa Rica in January?

Daytime temperatures in Jacó peak at roughly 29°C (84°F) in January, dropping to about 25°C (77°F) overnight.

Does Costa Rica get a lot of rain in January?

January is on the drier side in Costa Rica. Jacó averages only about 77 mm (3 in), with most days staying dry.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Costa Rica?

We believe that January is one of the best times to visit Costa Rica with overall excellent weather in Jacó. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

Generally speaking, January and February provide excellent weather in Jacó. The weather in May, June, July, August, September, October and November, on the other hand, tends to be less favorable.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Costa Rica.

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

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.

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