Your January weather guide
MildWeather in Benidorm in January
Benidorm in January suits a mild-weather break, not a hot beach holiday. Average daytime highs are around 15°C, nights fall to about 8°C, and sunshine averages 5.4 hours a day. For a UK traveller, the appeal is spending time outdoors without summer heat; the catch is cool evenings, some rain and a cold sea. Go for walks and relaxed days outside, with layers ready, rather than expecting reliable sunbathing weather.
Long-term climate averages for Benidorm, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Benidorm, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Benidorm.
- Average daytime high
- 15.1°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 7.7°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 5°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +7.7°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+)
- 6
- 42 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 73%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 22.7°C
- 2004-01-13
- Record low 1991-2020
- -1.4°C
- 2005-01-28
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 30 min
- 1402 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 Benidorm and ranks 68th of 134 destinations we compare for January - see where else is hot in January. Within Spain it is 36th of 87 (Spain in January). Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Benidorm is 7.7°C warmer by day and 5.5°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Benidorm peaks at 15.1°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 18.8°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 7.7°C; one night in ten drops to 4.6°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 22.7°C (2004-01-13) and the coldest night -1.4°C (2005-01-28).
Rain in January
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 6 days with 1 mm or more, 42 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 2017 with 168 mm, the driest 1993 with 1 mm. Humidity averages 73%.
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 15.3°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (26.4°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 08:17 and sets about 18:02 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 43%.
Is January a good time to visit Benidorm?
January is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Benidorm on our scoring are July, June, August; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Mild afternoons, but pack for cold evenings
January is Benidorm's coldest month, so judge it as a winter break rather than a taste of summer. The warmer days reach around 19°C or more, which can make an afternoon outdoors appealing, but that is not the everyday expectation. At the other end, the coldest nights drop to around 5°C or below. Pack trousers, tops you can layer and a warm jacket for evenings, rather than relying on holiday shorts. Plan your longer walks around the middle of the day, when temperatures are more favourable. Travellers who dislike strong heat may find this comfortable; anyone wanting warmth from breakfast until bedtime is likely to find it too cool.
Allow for rain and treat the sea as cold
Expect about 6 rainy days during the month: enough to justify a waterproof jacket and flexible outdoor plans, but not a reason to assume the whole trip will be wet. There are around 9.6 hours of daylight, so leave room for outdoor time before evening rather than planning as you would in summer. Sunshine does not mean swimming warmth: the sea averages 14.6°C, firmly in the cold category. For most travellers, time beside the water is a more realistic prospect than a comfortable swim. If swimming is central to your holiday, January is a poor match. If you mainly want daylight walks and can switch plans when rain arrives, the weather is easier to work around.
A little perspective
Benidorm 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 | 15.1°C | 7.7°C | 14.6°C | 5.4 | 42 | 6 | 0% |
| February | 15.7°C | 8.0°C | 13.9°C | 6.1 | 31 | 6 | 0% |
| March | 17.9°C | 9.7°C | 14.4°C | 6.6 | 37 | 6 | 1% |
| April | 20.1°C | 11.7°C | 15.7°C | 7.3 | 42 | 7 | 4% |
| May | 23.3°C | 14.8°C | 18.4°C | 8.2 | 32 | 5 | 28% |
| Junebest | 27.6°C | 18.8°C | 22.1°C | 10.6 | 13 | 3 | 81% |
| Julybest | 30.4°C | 21.7°C | 25.2°C | 12.0 | 5 | 1 | 99% |
| Augustbest | 30.8°C | 22.5°C | 26.4°C | 10.1 | 13 | 3 | 98% |
| September | 27.3°C | 19.8°C | 25.0°C | 7.2 | 46 | 7 | 79% |
| October | 23.3°C | 16.2°C | 22.1°C | 5.9 | 48 | 7 | 28% |
| November | 18.6°C | 11.8°C | 18.9°C | 5.3 | 48 | 6 | 3% |
| December | 15.8°C | 8.9°C | 16.2°C | 5.0 | 36 | 6 | 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
Benidorm in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Benidorm hot in January?
Benidorm is mild in January: the average daytime high is 15.1°C and nights average 7.7°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Benidorm in January?
The sea around Benidorm 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 Benidorm in January?
Benidorm sees about 6 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 42 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 2017 (168 mm) and the driest was 1993 (1 mm).
How sunny is Benidorm in January?
Benidorm 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 Benidorm compare with the UK in January?
Benidorm is on average 7.7°C warmer than London by day in January (15.1°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Benidorm?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Benidorm reached 22.7°C on 2004-01-13, and the coldest night dropped to -1.4°C on 2005-01-28.
How much warmer is Benidorm than London in January?
Benidorm's average daytime high is 15.1°C, compared with London's 7.4°C, a difference of 7.7°C. That is a useful improvement for outdoor plans, but it still means mild winter weather rather than summer warmth. Bring layers for evenings.
Is it a short flight from London?
The flight from London takes about 2 h 30 min, making Benidorm a short-haul option. That suits a winter break without a long flight, provided you are happy with mild days rather than 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 Benidorm. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 1.6 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