Your January weather guide
CoolWeather in Costa Brava in January
Costa Brava in January suits a cool-weather break, not a beach holiday. Average daytime highs of 12.5°C allow for walks with a jacket, but nights fall to 4.5°C and the sea is cold at 13.4°C. Go if you are happy to dress for winter and keep outdoor plans flexible around rain. If your main aim is warmth, swimming or long evenings outside, January is a poor fit.
Long-term climate averages for Lloret de Mar, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Costa Brava, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Lloret de Mar.
- Average daytime high
- 12.5°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 16°C
- Average night-time low
- 4.5°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 1°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +5.1°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sea temperature
- 13.4°C
- year to year: 13°C to 14°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 4.7h
- 51% of 9.3 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 7
- 51 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 78%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 20.0°C
- 2007-01-20
- Record low 1991-2020
- -3.4°C
- 2005-01-27
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 6 min
- 1076 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 Costa Brava. Within Spain it is 84th of 87 (Spain in January). Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Costa Brava is 5.1°C warmer by day and 2.3°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Costa Brava peaks at 12.5°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 15.7°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 4.5°C; one night in ten drops to 1.1°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 20.0°C (2007-01-20) and the coldest night -3.4°C (2005-01-27).
Rain in January
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 7 days with 1 mm or more, 51 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 2020 with 196 mm, the driest 1993 with 3 mm. Humidity averages 78%.
Sea temperature in January
The sea averages 13.4°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 12.7°C to 14.3°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (24.8°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 4.7 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.3 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:14 and sets about 17:42 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 50%.
Is January a good time to visit Costa Brava?
January is not the strongest month here: cool days. The best months for Costa Brava on our scoring are July, June, August; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug.
Milder afternoons, but pack for cold evenings
January is Costa Brava's coldest month, so treat any mild afternoon as a bonus rather than the basis of your packing. The warmest days can reach 15.7°C or more, making a walk more appealing, but that is not typical all-day warmth. At the other end, the coldest nights fall to 1.1°C or below. Bring layers you can adjust, a warm jacket and closed shoes rather than relying on light holiday clothing. Plan your longer outdoor stretches for the warmer part of the day, then have an indoor option for the evening. This suits travellers who enjoy being outdoors without needing it to feel summery.
Leave room for rain and short days
There are about 7 rainy days in January, so rain is a reason to stay flexible rather than rule out the trip. A waterproof outer layer is useful, especially if walking is central to your plans. Average sunshine is about 4.7 hours a day within 9.3 hours of daylight: there is scope for time outside, but do not expect sunshine throughout the day. Avoid leaving your main outdoor plans until late afternoon, when the daylight window is closing. The best approach is to use brighter spells when they arrive and keep something indoors in reserve, rather than build each day around uninterrupted dry weather.
A little perspective
Costa Brava 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 | 12.5°C | 4.5°C | 13.4°C | 4.7 | 51 | 7 | 0% |
| February | 13.3°C | 4.8°C | 12.8°C | 5.2 | 45 | 7 | 0% |
| March | 15.9°C | 7.0°C | 13.0°C | 5.7 | 57 | 8 | 0% |
| April | 18.0°C | 9.2°C | 14.0°C | 6.2 | 73 | 10 | 1% |
| May | 21.6°C | 12.7°C | 16.6°C | 6.8 | 64 | 10 | 13% |
| Junebest | 25.8°C | 16.7°C | 20.3°C | 8.5 | 47 | 7 | 59% |
| Julybest | 28.5°C | 19.6°C | 23.4°C | 9.7 | 38 | 6 | 87% |
| Augustbest | 28.7°C | 20.0°C | 24.8°C | 8.3 | 51 | 8 | 89% |
| September | 24.7°C | 16.9°C | 23.3°C | 6.0 | 85 | 11 | 48% |
| October | 20.7°C | 13.6°C | 20.1°C | 4.6 | 99 | 10 | 7% |
| November | 16.0°C | 8.8°C | 17.0°C | 4.5 | 69 | 8 | 0% |
| December | 13.1°C | 5.5°C | 14.7°C | 4.4 | 51 | 7 | 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
Costa Brava in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Costa Brava hot in January?
Costa Brava is cool in January: the average daytime high is 12.5°C and nights average 4.5°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Costa Brava in January?
The sea around Costa Brava averages 13.4°C in January, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 13°C to 14°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Costa Brava in January?
Costa Brava sees about 7 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 51 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 2020 (196 mm) and the driest was 1993 (3 mm).
How sunny is Costa Brava in January?
Costa Brava gets around 4.7 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 9.3 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Costa Brava compare with the UK in January?
Costa Brava is on average 5.1°C warmer than London by day in January (12.5°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Costa Brava?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Costa Brava reached 20.0°C on 2007-01-20, and the coldest night dropped to -3.4°C on 2005-01-27.
Can I swim in the sea in January?
The sea averages 13.4°C, which is cold rather than merely bracing. It is not a good month for comfortable holiday swimming. Choose January for time beside the water, rather than expecting to spend much time in it.
Is Costa Brava warmer than London in January?
Yes. The average daytime high is 12.5°C, compared with London's 7.4°C, a difference of 5.1°C. That makes Costa Brava milder during the day, but it is still jacket weather, and nights are cold.
When should I go instead for warmer weather?
July, June and August are the better choices for a warmth-focused holiday. January is the coldest month here, so choose it only if you are comfortable with cool days and cold evenings rather than summer conditions.
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 Lloret de Mar. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 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