Your January weather guide
CoolWeather in Costa del Sol in January
January is a reasonable time for the Costa del Sol if you want mild weather for walking, not a beach holiday. Daytime highs average around 15°C, nights fall to about 9°C, and the sea is only 15°C. Pack layers rather than relying on sunshine to keep you warm. It suits travellers happy to spend dry spells outdoors and adjust their plans when rain arrives; anyone after reliable heat should choose another month.
Long-term climate averages for Malaga, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Costa del Sol, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Malaga.
- Average daytime high
- 14.7°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 18°C
- Average night-time low
- 8.7°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 6°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +7.3°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sea temperature
- 15.1°C
- year to year: 15°C to 16°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.2h
- 53% of 9.8 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 8
- 61 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 76%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 23.0°C
- 2018-01-03
- Record low 1991-2020
- -1.6°C
- 2009-01-10
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 48 min
- 1639 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 del Sol. Within Spain it is 47th of 87 (Spain in January). Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Costa del Sol is 7.3°C warmer by day and 6.5°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Costa del Sol peaks at 14.7°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 17.6°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 8.7°C; one night in ten drops to 5.9°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 23.0°C (2018-01-03) and the coldest night -1.6°C (2009-01-10).
Rain in January
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 8 days with 1 mm or more, 61 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 1996 with 380 mm, the driest 2005 with 2 mm. Humidity averages 76%.
Sea temperature in January
The sea averages 15.1°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 14.6°C to 15.6°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (23.0°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.2 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.8 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:30 and sets about 18:24 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 47%.
Is January a good time to visit Costa del Sol?
January is not the strongest month here: cool days. The best months for Costa del Sol on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Mild afternoons, but keep your coat
January is the Costa del Sol's coolest month, so think of it as a milder winter break rather than an early summer holiday. The warmer days reach around 18°C or more, which can make being outdoors pleasant, but that is not the everyday expectation. At the colder end, nights fall to around 6°C or below. Take a jumper, a jacket and long trousers, with layers you can remove during a mild afternoon. Keep warmer clothing handy for evenings rather than dressing for the daytime high alone. If sitting outside in light clothing is central to your plans, January is not a dependable choice.
Plan around rain and limited daylight
There are about 8 rainy days in January, so a completely dry stay is not something to count on. A waterproof jacket and shoes that cope with wet pavements are more useful than packing only for fair weather. Sunshine averages about 5.2 hours within 9.8 hours of daylight: there is scope for time outdoors, but sunshine is not an all-day promise. Put your longer walks into the daylight hours and leave room to change plans if rain arrives. The practical trade-off is clear: you can enjoy mild outdoor weather, but you need to be comfortable with some wet days and cool evenings.
A little perspective
Costa del Sol 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 | 14.7°C | 8.7°C | 15.1°C | 5.2 | 61 | 8 | 0% |
| February | 15.3°C | 9.0°C | 14.8°C | 6.0 | 52 | 7 | 0% |
| March | 17.0°C | 10.4°C | 15.1°C | 6.4 | 58 | 7 | 1% |
| April | 18.7°C | 12.0°C | 15.8°C | 7.4 | 44 | 7 | 1% |
| May | 21.8°C | 14.7°C | 17.2°C | 8.8 | 26 | 5 | 14% |
| Junebest | 25.7°C | 18.2°C | 19.3°C | 11.5 | 8 | 1 | 60% |
| Julybest | 28.7°C | 20.9°C | 21.6°C | 12.8 | 1 | 0 | 93% |
| Augustbest | 28.9°C | 21.5°C | 23.0°C | 11.1 | 4 | 1 | 95% |
| September | 25.6°C | 18.9°C | 21.4°C | 8.3 | 27 | 4 | 60% |
| October | 21.9°C | 15.7°C | 19.3°C | 6.1 | 62 | 7 | 12% |
| November | 17.8°C | 12.1°C | 17.2°C | 5.4 | 75 | 7 | 1% |
| December | 15.5°C | 10.0°C | 15.9°C | 4.7 | 77 | 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.
A little more detail
Costa del Sol in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Costa del Sol hot in January?
Costa del Sol is cool in January: the average daytime high is 14.7°C and nights average 8.7°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Costa del Sol in January?
The sea around Costa del Sol averages 15.1°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 Costa del Sol in January?
Costa del Sol sees about 8 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 61 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 1996 (380 mm) and the driest was 2005 (2 mm).
How sunny is Costa del Sol in January?
Costa del Sol gets around 5.2 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 9.8 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Costa del Sol compare with the UK in January?
Costa del Sol is on average 7.3°C warmer than London by day in January (14.7°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Costa del Sol?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Costa del Sol reached 23.0°C on 2018-01-03, and the coldest night dropped to -1.6°C on 2009-01-10.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in January?
The sea averages 15.1°C, which is cold rather than comfortably swimmable. If leisurely sea swimming is a priority, January is a poor fit. Treat time by the water as a chance to walk or sit out when the weather allows, rather than expecting a swimming holiday.
How much warmer is it than London?
The average daytime high is 14.7°C, compared with London's 7.4°C in January - a difference of 7.3°C. That is a noticeable improvement for time outdoors, but it still means mild winter weather, not dependable warmth for sunbathing.
Is it a short flight from London?
The flight from London is about 2 hours 48 minutes, making this a short-haul option for a milder winter break. The key is matching expectations to the weather: go for outdoor time between showers, rather than expecting heat or a warm sea.
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 Málaga (Malaga). 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