Your January weather guide
MildWeather in Alicante in January
Alicante in January suits a mild-weather city break, not a winter beach holiday. Average daytime highs of 15°C make outdoor time appealing with a jacket, but nights around 8°C mean you will still need warm clothes. The sea is cold at 14.6°C, so swimming is not the main draw. Go if you want gentler daytime weather than London and are happy to work around some rain rather than expect dependable warmth.
Long-term climate averages for Alicante, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Alicante, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Alicante.
- Average daytime high
- 15.2°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 8.0°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 5°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +7.8°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sea temperature
- 14.6°C
- year to year: 14°C to 15°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.4h
- 56% of 9.6 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 5
- 34 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 71%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 23.5°C
- 2018-01-04
- Record low 1991-2020
- -1.4°C
- 2006-01-29
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 30 min
- 1424 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 Alicante and ranks 67th of 134 destinations we compare for January - see where else is hot in January. Within Spain it is 33rd of 87 (Spain in January). Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Alicante is 7.8°C warmer by day and 5.8°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Alicante peaks at 15.2°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 18.6°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 8.0°C; one night in ten drops to 4.8°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 23.5°C (2018-01-04) and the coldest night -1.4°C (2006-01-29).
Rain in January
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 5 days with 1 mm or more, 34 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 2020 with 103 mm, the driest 1993 with 1 mm. Humidity averages 71%.
Sea temperature in January
The sea averages 14.6°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 14.1°C to 15.2°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (26.5°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.4 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.6 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:18 and sets about 18:04 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 44%.
Is January a good time to visit Alicante?
January is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Alicante on our scoring are July, June, August; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Comfortable afternoons, but pack for cold evenings
January is Alicante's coldest month, so think layers rather than a suitcase of summer clothes. Warmer days can reach around 19°C, making a sunny afternoon pleasant for sitting outside, but that is not the everyday expectation. At the colder end, nights can fall to around 5°C or below, so a warm jacket is a sensible choice if you plan to stay out after dark. There are about 5.4 hours of sunshine within 9.6 hours of daylight: arrange your longer outdoor plans around the middle of the day to make the most of the warmth and light. Keep an extra layer handy as the afternoon fades.
Allow for rain and treat the sea as a backdrop
Rain is a possibility rather than a reason to rule January out. About 5 rainy days in the month suggest you can plan outdoor time, but should keep your schedule flexible and pack a waterproof layer. A monthly average cannot promise a dry break, so avoid making every plan depend on sunshine. The bigger limitation for a beach-focused trip is the sea: its January range of 14°C to 15°C stays firmly cold. For most travellers, time by the water will be more appealing than time in it. If your idea of a holiday involves lingering outdoors in light clothing and regular swims, January is a poor fit; if walking in mild weather matters more, it makes better sense.
A little perspective
Alicante 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 | 8.0°C | 14.6°C | 5.4 | 34 | 5 | 0% |
| February | 15.8°C | 8.3°C | 13.9°C | 6.0 | 29 | 5 | 0% |
| March | 17.9°C | 10.2°C | 14.4°C | 6.5 | 39 | 6 | 1% |
| April | 19.9°C | 12.2°C | 15.8°C | 7.1 | 45 | 7 | 2% |
| May | 22.8°C | 15.3°C | 18.5°C | 8.1 | 35 | 6 | 21% |
| Junebest | 26.7°C | 19.2°C | 22.2°C | 10.5 | 16 | 3 | 77% |
| Julybest | 29.3°C | 21.9°C | 25.3°C | 11.9 | 5 | 2 | 99% |
| Augustbest | 29.7°C | 22.6°C | 26.5°C | 10.0 | 14 | 3 | 99% |
| September | 26.8°C | 20.1°C | 24.9°C | 7.1 | 47 | 7 | 78% |
| October | 23.2°C | 16.4°C | 22.0°C | 5.9 | 44 | 7 | 28% |
| November | 18.7°C | 12.0°C | 18.8°C | 5.3 | 42 | 6 | 2% |
| December | 15.9°C | 9.1°C | 16.2°C | 5.0 | 32 | 5 | 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.
A little more detail
Alicante in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Alicante hot in January?
Alicante is mild in January: the average daytime high is 15.2°C and nights average 8.0°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Alicante in January?
The sea around Alicante averages 14.6°C in January, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 14°C to 15°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Alicante in January?
Alicante sees about 5 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 34 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 2020 (103 mm) and the driest was 1993 (1 mm).
How sunny is Alicante in January?
Alicante gets around 5.4 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 9.6 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Alicante compare with the UK in January?
Alicante 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 Alicante?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Alicante reached 23.5°C on 2018-01-04, and the coldest night dropped to -1.4°C on 2006-01-29.
How much warmer is Alicante than London in January?
Alicante's average daytime high is 15.2°C, compared with London's 7.4°C, a difference of 7.8°C. That is a noticeable improvement for daytime outdoor plans, but it is still mild winter weather rather than summer warmth.
Is January a good choice if I want hot weather?
No. Days reaching 25°C account for 0% in January, so do not choose it for heat. July, June and August are the better-rated months here overall and are more sensible starting points if warmth is your priority.
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 Alicante. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 2.3 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