Your January weather guide
MildWeather in Vilamoura in January
Vilamoura in January suits a mild-weather break, not a beach holiday built around swimming. Average daytime highs of 15.2°C are noticeably warmer than London's 7.4°C, but the sea is cold at 15.6°C. Go for time outdoors with layers and flexible plans rather than dependable warmth. This is Vilamoura's coldest month, so the appeal is a gentler January climate, with some rain to work around and cool evenings to prepare for.
Long-term climate averages for Vilamoura, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Vilamoura, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Vilamoura.
- Average daytime high
- 15.2°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 17°C
- Average night-time low
- 9.3°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 6°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +7.8°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sea temperature
- 15.6°C
- year to year: 15°C to 16°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.1h
- 53% of 9.7 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 7
- 50 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 77%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 19.8°C
- 1999-01-07
- Record low 1991-2020
- 0.6°C
- 2009-01-09
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 54 min
- 1685 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How January compares
January is the 12th warmest month of the year in Vilamoura. Within Portugal it is 8th of 13 (Portugal in January). Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Vilamoura is 7.8°C warmer by day and 7.1°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Vilamoura peaks at 15.2°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 17.2°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 9.3°C; one night in ten drops to 6.3°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day here reached 19.8°C (1999-01-07) and the coldest night 0.6°C (2009-01-09).
Rain in January
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 7 days with 1 mm or more, 50 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 1996 with 265 mm, the driest 2005 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 77%.
Sea temperature in January
The sea averages 15.6°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 14.9°C to 16.3°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (20.9°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.1 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.7 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:45 and sets about 17:38 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 48%.
Is January a good time to visit Vilamoura?
January is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Vilamoura on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Comfortable for getting outside, cool after dark
The daytime temperature makes walking and spending time outdoors more appealing than sitting still in beachwear. Pack layers you can adjust, with a jumper and jacket for when the warmth fades. Average night lows are 9.3°C, while the coldest nights can fall to 6.3°C or below, so do not pack as though this were a summer trip. Warmer days can reach 17.2°C or more, but treat those as a bonus rather than the basis of your plans. January suits travellers who prefer mild conditions to heat; if hot afternoons and warm evenings are the priority, June, July or August would be better months to consider.
Leave room for rain and make use of daylight
Expect some weather interruptions rather than assuming every day will be dry. There are about 7 rainy days in January, making a waterproof jacket useful and flexible outdoor plans sensible. Sunshine averages 5.1 hours within 9.7 hours of daylight: there is scope for bright spells, but not a promise of clear skies throughout your stay. Put outdoor time into the brighter parts of the forecast and keep your evenings less dependent on being outside. The main catch is the combination of limited daylight, cool air and occasional rain. It works best if you are happy to adjust plans rather than needing reliable sun every day.
A little perspective
Vilamoura through the year
January is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuarySelected | 15.2°C | 9.3°C | 15.6°C | 5.1 | 50 | 7 | 0% |
| February | 15.9°C | 9.6°C | 15.0°C | 5.6 | 48 | 6 | 0% |
| March | 17.8°C | 11.2°C | 15.3°C | 6.2 | 60 | 8 | 0% |
| April | 19.3°C | 12.4°C | 16.1°C | 6.9 | 53 | 7 | 2% |
| May | 22.1°C | 14.7°C | 17.3°C | 8.3 | 39 | 6 | 21% |
| Junebest | 25.8°C | 17.5°C | 19.0°C | 10.9 | 9 | 2 | 60% |
| Julybest | 28.7°C | 19.4°C | 20.2°C | 12.8 | 1 | 0 | 92% |
| Augustbest | 28.7°C | 19.9°C | 20.9°C | 11.3 | 3 | 1 | 94% |
| September | 26.0°C | 18.4°C | 20.8°C | 8.3 | 25 | 4 | 66% |
| October | 22.4°C | 16.0°C | 19.7°C | 5.8 | 66 | 8 | 16% |
| November | 18.4°C | 12.6°C | 18.0°C | 5.2 | 67 | 8 | 0% |
| December | 16.0°C | 10.6°C | 16.6°C | 4.6 | 76 | 8 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in January
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
Tunisia · 15°C by day · sea 16°C
Hammamet
Spain · 15°C by day · sea 15°C
Malaga
Spain · 16°C by day · sea 16°C
Costa de la Luz
Spain · 15°C by day · sea 15°C
Marbella
Malta · 15°C by day · sea 16°C
Valletta
A little more detail
Vilamoura in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Vilamoura hot in January?
Vilamoura is mild in January: the average daytime high is 15.2°C and nights average 9.3°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Vilamoura in January?
The sea around Vilamoura averages 15.6°C in January, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 15°C to 16°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Vilamoura in January?
Vilamoura sees about 7 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 50 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 1996 (265 mm) and the driest was 2005 (0 mm).
How sunny is Vilamoura in January?
Vilamoura gets around 5.1 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 9.7 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Vilamoura compare with the UK in January?
Vilamoura is on average 7.8°C warmer than London by day in January (15.2°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Vilamoura?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Vilamoura reached 19.8°C on 1999-01-07, and the coldest night dropped to 0.6°C on 2009-01-09.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in January?
At an average of 15.6°C, the sea is cold rather than comfortably swimmable. If relaxed sea swimming is central to your holiday, January is a poor fit. Plan around time beside the water rather than warmth in it.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London takes about 2 h 54 min, making Vilamoura a short-haul option for a milder January break. The important trade-off is the weather: a relatively short flight brings milder days, not dependable beach heat.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Vilamoura. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 1.5 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C