January is close to Darwin's year-round average, with average highs near 29.9°C and lows around 27.6°C (mean 28.8°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 392 mm of rainfall and 81% relative humidity across the period.
January is close to Darwin's year-round average. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Januarys in Darwin were 2016 and 2020 — when the month averaged 29.7°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 27.8°C. Typical January days reach 29.9°C with nights near 27.6°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Darwin, averaging 392 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1995 with 680 mm, while the driest was 2016 at 113 mm.
Relative humidity in Darwin during January averages 81%. The most humid Januarys were 1997 and 1999 at 84%, and the least humid was 1983 at 75%.
January receives about 5.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Darwin. The sunniest January was 1988 at 6.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2024 at 4.1.
Average wind speed in Darwin during January is 4.2 m/s. The windiest January was 2024 at 6.1 m/s, while the calmest were 2001 and 2025 at 2.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 28.7°C | 28.6°C | 28.7°C | 28.9°C | 29.2°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg High | 29.9°C | 29.7°C | 29.9°C | 30.0°C | 30.3°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Low | 27.5°C | 27.5°C | 27.6°C | 27.8°C | 28.1°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 398 mm | 439 mm | 349 mm | 422 mm | 326 mm | -72 mm |
January temperatures in Darwin have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 24.4°C (2003) to a record high of 33.2°C (1983).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 392 mm, with a wettest year of 680 mm.
A quieter season to visit Darwin
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Darwin. That said, January — with days averaging 29.9°C and nights around 27.6°C (mean 28.8°C) and higher rainfall (392 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the warmth, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30.6°C | 29.5°C | 28.4°C | 32.7°C | 27.0°C | 285 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2024 | 30.5°C | 29.5°C | 28.5°C | 33.2°C | 26.8°C | 428 mm | 81% | 6.1 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2023 | 29.8°C | 28.7°C | 27.5°C | 30.9°C | 26.6°C | 270 mm | 82% | 5 m/s | 5 |
| 2022 | 30.0°C | 29.0°C | 28.0°C | 31.4°C | 26.8°C | 304 mm | 82% | 4.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2021 | 29.9°C | 28.9°C | 27.9°C | 31.4°C | 27.0°C | 438 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2020 | 30.9°C | 29.7°C | 28.5°C | 32.3°C | 27.4°C | 232 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2019 | 30.4°C | 29.2°C | 28.0°C | 32.7°C | 27.2°C | 269 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2018 | 30.1°C | 29.1°C | 28.0°C | 32.8°C | 26.5°C | 522 mm | 80% | 4.3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2017 | 30.1°C | 29.0°C | 27.9°C | 31.7°C | 26.9°C | 254 mm | 80% | 4.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2016 🔥 | 31.2°C | 29.7°C | 28.1°C | 33.0°C | 27.4°C | 113 mm | 77% | 3.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2015 | 29.4°C | 28.4°C | 27.5°C | 30.1°C | 26.2°C | 486 mm | 83% | 5.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2014 | 29.8°C | 28.7°C | 27.5°C | 33.1°C | 26.3°C | 665 mm | 82% | 4.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2013 | 30.3°C | 29.2°C | 28.1°C | 32.5°C | 25.8°C | 319 mm | 81% | 4.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2012 | 30.2°C | 29.0°C | 27.8°C | 32.4°C | 27.0°C | 495 mm | 81% | 4.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2011 | 29.2°C | 28.2°C | 27.2°C | 30.8°C | 25.8°C | 547 mm | 83% | 4.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2010 | 29.3°C | 28.5°C | 27.6°C | 30.1°C | 26.5°C | 552 mm | 84% | 5.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2009 | 29.6°C | 28.7°C | 27.7°C | 30.2°C | 26.7°C | 341 mm | 83% | 4.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2008 | 29.6°C | 28.6°C | 27.6°C | 30.4°C | 26.8°C | 375 mm | 84% | 4.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2007 | 30.2°C | 29.0°C | 27.9°C | 31.3°C | 26.8°C | 355 mm | 82% | 3.8 m/s | 5 |
| 2006 | 29.5°C | 28.5°C | 27.6°C | 30.7°C | 26.3°C | 479 mm | 82% | 5.6 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2005 | 30.2°C | 29.1°C | 27.9°C | 32.3°C | 26.9°C | 309 mm | 81% | 4.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2004 | 29.7°C | 28.5°C | 27.4°C | 31.7°C | 26.2°C | 335 mm | 82% | 3.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2003 | 30.4°C | 29.0°C | 27.6°C | 31.9°C | 24.4°C | 440 mm | 80% | 4.7 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2002 | 30.3°C | 29.0°C | 27.8°C | 31.5°C | 26.8°C | 163 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2001 | 29.9°C | 28.4°C | 27.0°C | 32.1°C | 26.1°C | 328 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2000 | 29.6°C | 28.3°C | 27.0°C | 31.1°C | 26.0°C | 370 mm | 82% | 3.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1999 | 29.6°C | 28.4°C | 27.3°C | 31.9°C | 26.4°C | 390 mm | 84% | 3.5 m/s | 5 |
| 1998 | 29.7°C | 28.7°C | 27.7°C | 31.0°C | 27.0°C | 555 mm | 84% | 5.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 28.8°C | 27.8°C | 26.8°C | 30.5°C | 24.8°C | 669 mm | 84% | 4.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1996 | 29.7°C | 28.5°C | 27.2°C | 30.8°C | 26.7°C | 277 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1995 🌧️ | 29.9°C | 28.9°C | 27.9°C | 31.5°C | 26.6°C | 680 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 5 |
| 1994 | 29.7°C | 28.6°C | 27.5°C | 31.5°C | 26.8°C | 203 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1993 | 29.8°C | 28.7°C | 27.6°C | 31.7°C | 26.8°C | 493 mm | 81% | 4.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1992 | 30.2°C | 28.8°C | 27.5°C | 31.5°C | 26.8°C | 228 mm | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1991 | 29.3°C | 28.4°C | 27.6°C | 30.7°C | 26.7°C | 552 mm | 84% | 5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1990 | 30.1°C | 28.8°C | 27.6°C | 32.9°C | 26.5°C | 346 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1989 | 29.9°C | 28.6°C | 27.2°C | 31.5°C | 25.3°C | 305 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1988 | 30.3°C | 29.1°C | 27.9°C | 31.6°C | 26.7°C | 206 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1987 | 30.0°C | 28.8°C | 27.7°C | 32.7°C | 26.5°C | 520 mm | 79% | 4.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1986 | 29.4°C | 28.2°C | 27.0°C | 31.3°C | 25.5°C | 577 mm | 81% | 4.1 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1985 | 30.2°C | 28.7°C | 27.3°C | 31.9°C | 25.8°C | 220 mm | 77% | 3.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1984 | 29.1°C | 28.1°C | 27.1°C | 30.3°C | 26.0°C | 421 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1983 | 31.0°C | 29.5°C | 28.0°C | 33.2°C | 27.0°C | 175 mm | 75% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 29.9°C | 28.8°C | 27.7°C | 32.4°C | 26.6°C | 518 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 29.5°C | 28.5°C | 27.5°C | 30.9°C | 26.6°C | 644 mm | 80% | 5.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 29.9°C with lows near 27.6°C (mean 28.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 392 mm of rainfall in Darwin, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 680 mm in 1995.
The hottest January reached 33.2°C in 1983. The coldest dipped to 24.4°C in 2003.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 29.9°C to 30.2°C and overnight lows from 27.5°C to 28.1°C over the same span.
January is close to Darwin's year-round average and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 29.9°C daytime highs and 27.6°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 8th coolest month in Darwin, averaging 28.8°C.
For January in Darwin, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 29.9°C and lows of 27.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 81% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 4.2 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 6.1 m/s (2024).
The wettest January on record was 1995 with 680 mm. On average, January sees 392 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Darwin behaves each January, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for January specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
