January is one of the cooler months of the year in Jamaica, with average highs near 3.4°C and lows around -1.6°C (mean 0.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 99 mm of rainfall and 82% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Jamaica. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Jamaica was 2023 — when the month averaged 5.1°C — while the coldest was 1981 at -3.2°C. Typical January days reach 3.4°C with nights near -1.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
January is about average for rainfall in Jamaica, averaging 99 mm of rainfall. The wettest Januarys on record were 1999 and 2024 with 202 mm, while the driest was 1981 at 16 mm.
Relative humidity in Jamaica during January averages 82%. The most humid January was 1994 at 88%, and the least humid was 2025 at 76%.
January receives about 1.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Jamaica. The sunniest January was 2025 at 2.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1984 at 1.3.
Average wind speed in Jamaica during January is 5.2 m/s. The windiest January was 2004 at 6.1 m/s, while the calmest was 2001 at 4.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -0.5°C | 1.5°C | 0.9°C | 0.7°C | 2.2°C | +2.7°C |
| Avg High | 2.0°C | 4.1°C | 3.5°C | 3.3°C | 4.6°C | +2.6°C |
| Avg Low | -3.1°C | -1.1°C | -1.6°C | -1.8°C | -0.1°C | +3°C |
| Avg Rain | 82 mm | 112 mm | 77 mm | 120 mm | 108 mm | +27 mm |
January temperatures in Jamaica have risen by about 3.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -15.4°C (1994) to a record high of 15.8°C (2007).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 99 mm, with a wettest year of 202 mm.
A quieter season to visit Jamaica
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Jamaica. That said, January — with days averaging 3.4°C and nights around -1.6°C (mean 0.9°C) and higher rainfall (99 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.4°C | 0.2°C | -2.0°C | 9.7°C | -8.4°C | 22 mm | 76% | 5.8 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 4.7°C | 2.5°C | 0.3°C | 13.4°C | -6.3°C | 202 mm | 83% | 4.9 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2023 🔥 | 7.4°C | 5.1°C | 2.8°C | 12.2°C | -1.1°C | 156 mm | 85% | 4.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2022 | 3.0°C | 0.1°C | -2.7°C | 11.7°C | -9.4°C | 109 mm | 80% | 5.5 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2021 | 4.2°C | 1.9°C | -0.4°C | 8.8°C | -7.3°C | 70 mm | 81% | 5.2 m/s | 2 |
| 2020 | 6.1°C | 3.7°C | 1.3°C | 14.6°C | -4.9°C | 90 mm | 81% | 4.8 m/s | 2 |
| 2019 | 3.3°C | 0.6°C | -2.1°C | 12.3°C | -12.9°C | 177 mm | 81% | 5.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2018 | 2.4°C | -0.4°C | -3.2°C | 11.7°C | -13.5°C | 166 mm | 85% | 5.3 m/s | 2 |
| 2017 | 5.0°C | 3.1°C | 1.1°C | 12.5°C | -7.5°C | 187 mm | 83% | 4.9 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2016 | 4.2°C | 1.6°C | -1.0°C | 13.4°C | -8.0°C | 116 mm | 79% | 5.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2015 | 1.7°C | -1.0°C | -3.6°C | 11.0°C | -10.2°C | 192 mm | 82% | 5.7 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2014 | 1.6°C | -1.3°C | -4.2°C | 11.1°C | -12.8°C | 82 mm | 84% | 5.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2013 | 4.2°C | 2.0°C | -0.2°C | 13.3°C | -8.4°C | 70 mm | 83% | 4.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2012 | 6.2°C | 3.3°C | 0.3°C | 12.3°C | -6.6°C | 67 mm | 82% | 5.3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2011 | 1.2°C | -1.0°C | -3.3°C | 7.2°C | -11.6°C | 92 mm | 81% | 4.7 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2010 | 2.7°C | 0.3°C | -2.1°C | 12.1°C | -7.6°C | 54 mm | 82% | 5.3 m/s | 2 |
| 2009 | 1.4°C | -1.1°C | -3.6°C | 6.7°C | -10.6°C | 79 mm | 80% | 4.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2008 | 4.6°C | 2.1°C | -0.3°C | 13.0°C | -7.4°C | 63 mm | 80% | 4.9 m/s | 2 |
| 2007 | 5.8°C | 3.3°C | 0.8°C | 15.8°C | -9.7°C | 96 mm | 81% | 5 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2006 | 6.7°C | 4.0°C | 1.3°C | 13.3°C | -6.9°C | 117 mm | 86% | 5.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2005 | 2.7°C | 0.0°C | -2.6°C | 11.2°C | -12.2°C | 87 mm | 86% | 5.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2004 | -0.1°C | -2.7°C | -5.3°C | 10.1°C | -13.2°C | 44 mm | 84% | 6.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2003 | 0.9°C | -1.4°C | -3.7°C | 8.0°C | -10.8°C | 70 mm | 82% | 5.8 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2002 | 6.7°C | 4.2°C | 1.7°C | 14.6°C | -3.0°C | 57 mm | 79% | 4.8 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2001 | 2.9°C | 0.5°C | -1.9°C | 8.1°C | -5.9°C | 81 mm | 84% | 4.3 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2000 | 3.1°C | 0.2°C | -2.7°C | 13.8°C | -11.5°C | 76 mm | 83% | 6 m/s | 2 |
| 1999 🌧️ | 4.9°C | 1.8°C | -1.3°C | 12.3°C | -8.6°C | 202 mm | 82% | 5.3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1998 | 6.3°C | 4.0°C | 1.8°C | 12.8°C | -7.0°C | 123 mm | 84% | 4.9 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1997 | 3.5°C | 0.7°C | -2.2°C | 10.8°C | -11.2°C | 81 mm | 82% | 6 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1996 | 2.3°C | -0.6°C | -3.5°C | 11.4°C | -12.3°C | 141 mm | 87% | 5.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1995 | 5.1°C | 3.0°C | 0.9°C | 11.6°C | -6.5°C | 81 mm | 82% | 5.3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1994 | 0.5°C | -2.8°C | -6.1°C | 8.7°C | -15.4°C | 141 mm | 88% | 5.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1993 | 4.8°C | 2.5°C | 0.3°C | 12.7°C | -3.8°C | 69 mm | 80% | 5.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1992 | 4.5°C | 1.9°C | -0.8°C | 13.0°C | -8.1°C | 52 mm | 79% | 5.3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1991 | 4.1°C | 1.6°C | -0.9°C | 9.7°C | -9.1°C | 111 mm | 81% | 4.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1990 | 5.2°C | 3.0°C | 0.7°C | 10.8°C | -3.3°C | 118 mm | 86% | 4.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1989 | 4.9°C | 2.3°C | -0.2°C | 8.6°C | -9.2°C | 53 mm | 80% | 4.9 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1988 | 1.7°C | -0.6°C | -3.0°C | 7.7°C | -11.7°C | 81 mm | 82% | 4.8 m/s | 2 |
| 1987 | 2.4°C | 0.1°C | -2.3°C | 9.7°C | -11.7°C | 158 mm | 85% | 5.5 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1986 | 3.5°C | 0.8°C | -1.9°C | 9.7°C | -10.0°C | 103 mm | 81% | 5.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1985 | 1.2°C | -1.3°C | -3.7°C | 11.8°C | -14.6°C | 33 mm | 80% | 5.8 m/s | 2 |
| 1984 | 1.0°C | -1.4°C | -3.9°C | 6.7°C | -12.2°C | 53 mm | 87% | 4.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1983 | 4.0°C | 1.5°C | -0.9°C | 11.8°C | -10.6°C | 110 mm | 81% | 5.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 0.0°C | -2.9°C | -5.9°C | 12.6°C | -14.3°C | 129 mm | 86% | 6 m/s | — |
| 1981 ❄️ | -0.3°C | -3.2°C | -6.0°C | 5.8°C | -13.8°C | 16 mm | 82% | 5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 3.4°C with lows near -1.6°C (mean 0.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 99 mm of rainfall in Jamaica, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 202 mm in 1999.
The hottest January reached 15.8°C in 2007. The coldest dipped to -15.4°C in 1994.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 3.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 1.2°C to 4.3°C and overnight lows from -4.1°C to -0.4°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Jamaica and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 3.4°C daytime highs and -1.6°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Jamaica, averaging 0.9°C.
For January in Jamaica, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 3.4°C and lows of -1.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 82% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 5.2 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 6.1 m/s (2004).
The wettest January on record was 1999 with 202 mm. On average, January sees 99 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 Jamaica 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.
