Kenya

Kenya Weather in January

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

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Nairobi Diani Beach Mombasa Malindi

Thinking about venturing to Kenya this January and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:

What to Expect in Kenya in January

The weather in Kenya in January can be quite varied, with temperatures that range from warm to very hot and precipitation levels ranging from almost none to high.

Temperatures

During the day temperatures vary from warm in Nyeri at 23°C (73°F) to very hot in Lodwar at 37°C (99°F). At night it cools down to 25°C (77°F) in Lodwar and 11°C (52°F) in Nyeri.

For a closer look at conditions across Kenya, refer to the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From almost no rainfall in Mandera with an average of 2.5 mm (0.1 in) to high rainfall in Ololaimutiek with 142 mm (5.6 in).

Average sunshine

Most destinations offer generous amounts of sunshine this January. For example, Nairobi gets approximately 288 hours of sunlight, perfect for anyone wanting bright, sunny days.

Explore Kenya by month

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

Best Places to Visit in Kenya in January

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

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 Kenya

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

Temperature range in Kenya (January)

Precipitation variation in Kenya (January)

Nairobi

In January Nairobi generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 27°C (81°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
26°C (79°F)
27°C (81°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
15°C (59°F)
15°C (59°F)
16°C (61°F)
Monthly sun hours
257 hours
288 hours
266 hours
Monthly rainfall
65 mm (2.6 in)
39 mm (1.5 in)
33 mm (1.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
8 days
7 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
perfect
Climate in Nairobi →

Diani Beach

In January Diani Beach generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 32°C (90°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 26°C (79°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
32°C (90°F)
32°C (90°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
26°C (79°F)
Monthly sun hours
258 hours
272 hours
254 hours
Monthly rainfall
66 mm (2.6 in)
29 mm (1.1 in)
22 mm (0.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
6 days
4 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Diani Beach →

Malindi

In January Malindi generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 30°C (86°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
30°C (86°F)
30°C (86°F)
Min temperature
26°C (79°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly rainfall
54 mm (2.1 in)
19 mm (0.7 in)
12 mm (0.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
7 days
4 days
3 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Malindi →

Watamu

In January Watamu generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 31°C (88°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
31°C (88°F)
31°C (88°F)
31°C (88°F)
Min temperature
26°C (79°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly rainfall
53 mm (2.1 in)
20 mm (0.8 in)
14 mm (0.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
8 days
4 days
3 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Watamu →

Mombasa

In January Mombasa generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 32°C (90°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C (77°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
32°C (90°F)
32°C (90°F)
33°C (91°F)
Min temperature
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
25°C (77°F)
Monthly sun hours
258 hours
272 hours
254 hours
Monthly rainfall
68 mm (2.7 in)
30 mm (1.2 in)
23 mm (0.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
5 days
3 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Mombasa →

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

Popular cities in January

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Nairobi 27°C (81°F) 15°C (59°F) 39 mm (1.5 in)
Diani Beach 32°C (90°F) 26°C (79°F) 29 mm (1.1 in)
Mombasa 32°C (90°F) 25°C (77°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)
Malindi 30°C (86°F) 25°C (77°F) 19 mm (0.7 in)
Kisumu 28°C (82°F) 19°C (66°F) 107 mm (4.2 in)
Naivasha 24°C (75°F) 11°C (52°F) 76 mm (3 in)

Kenya weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Kenya in January?

In January, Kenya generally has perfect weather conditions. Nairobi sees daytime temperatures near 27°C (81°F), with nights cooling to roughly 15°C (59°F).

What is the average temperature in Kenya in January?

Nairobi averages a daytime maximum of 27°C (81°F) in January, with overnight lows close to 15°C (59°F).

Does Kenya get a lot of rain in January?

January is on the drier side in Kenya. Nairobi averages only about 39 mm (1.5 in), with most days staying dry.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Kenya?

We consider January to be one of the best times to travel to Kenya. Typically, the climate in Nairobi is perfect. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

Generally speaking, January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October and December provide perfect weather in Nairobi.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Kenya.

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

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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