Your January weather guide
MildWeather in Nerja in January
Nerja in January suits a mild-weather break, not a hot beach holiday. Average afternoons reach 15.6°C, nights fall to 9.8°C and the sea sits at a cold 15°C. For a UK traveller, the appeal is spending time outdoors without summer heat, provided you bring layers and accept some rain. Go for walks and relaxed afternoons outside when the weather allows; choose another month if swimming and warm evenings are central to your plans.
Long-term climate averages for Nerja, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Nerja, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Nerja.
- Average daytime high
- 15.6°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 9.8°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 7°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +8.2°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sea temperature
- 15.0°C
- year to year: 15°C to 16°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.5h
- 57% of 9.7 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 7
- 47 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 76%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 22.7°C
- 2012-01-06
- Record low 1991-2020
- 0.8°C
- 2005-01-28
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 48 min
- 1627 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 Nerja. Within Spain it is 29th of 87 (Spain in January). Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Nerja is 8.2°C warmer by day and 7.6°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Nerja peaks at 15.6°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 9.8°C; one night in ten drops to 7.0°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 (2012-01-06) and the coldest night 0.8°C (2005-01-28).
Rain in January
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 7 days with 1 mm or more, 47 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 1996 with 182 mm, the driest 1993 with 8 mm. Humidity averages 76%.
Sea temperature in January
The sea averages 15.0°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 14.5°C to 15.6°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (23.8°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.5 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.7 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:27 and sets about 18:22 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 44%.
Is January a good time to visit Nerja?
January is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Nerja on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Mild afternoons, cool evenings
The daytime average is 8.2°C higher than London's in January, so Nerja offers a noticeable lift in temperature rather than summer warmth. The warmer days reach 18.6°C or more, which can make an afternoon outdoors appealing, but that is not the everyday expectation. Pack layers you can remove as it warms up, plus a jacket for evenings. The coldest nights fall to 7°C or below, so do not base your packing on the daytime figure alone. Walking is a better fit than lying out in swimwear, and there is little reason to arrange your day around avoiding intense midday heat. Keep outdoor plans flexible enough to use the warmer spells.
Make the most of daylight, with a rain plan
January brings about 5.5 hours of sunshine within 9.7 hours of daylight, giving you scope for time outside but a relatively short window for daytime plans. Put longer walks earlier in the day rather than leaving them until late afternoon. Around 7 days have measurable rain, so a waterproof jacket is sensible, and it helps to have an indoor alternative ready. Rain need not define the trip, but a completely dry stay is not something to assume. Treat time by the sea as a chance to walk or sit out when conditions suit, rather than a promise of beach weather. This month works best if you can adjust your plans to the forecast.
A little perspective
Nerja 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 | 15.6°C | 9.8°C | 15.0°C | 5.5 | 47 | 7 | 0% |
| February | 16.1°C | 10.2°C | 14.8°C | 6.2 | 43 | 7 | 0% |
| March | 17.9°C | 11.7°C | 15.1°C | 6.7 | 55 | 7 | 1% |
| April | 19.4°C | 13.3°C | 15.8°C | 7.7 | 35 | 6 | 1% |
| May | 22.6°C | 16.2°C | 17.5°C | 9.0 | 21 | 4 | 23% |
| Junebest | 26.7°C | 20.0°C | 19.9°C | 11.5 | 8 | 2 | 76% |
| Julybest | 30.1°C | 23.0°C | 22.4°C | 12.8 | 1 | 0 | 99% |
| Augustbest | 30.3°C | 23.5°C | 23.8°C | 11.2 | 3 | 1 | 100% |
| September | 26.6°C | 20.4°C | 22.0°C | 8.4 | 18 | 3 | 76% |
| October | 22.9°C | 17.1°C | 19.6°C | 6.5 | 45 | 6 | 20% |
| November | 18.7°C | 13.2°C | 17.2°C | 5.6 | 62 | 7 | 1% |
| December | 16.4°C | 11.0°C | 15.9°C | 4.9 | 64 | 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
Nerja in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Nerja hot in January?
Nerja is mild in January: the average daytime high is 15.6°C and nights average 9.8°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Nerja in January?
The sea around Nerja averages 15.0°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 Nerja in January?
Nerja sees about 7 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 47 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 1996 (182 mm) and the driest was 1993 (8 mm).
How sunny is Nerja in January?
Nerja gets around 5.5 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 9.7 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Nerja compare with the UK in January?
Nerja is on average 8.2°C warmer than London by day in January (15.6°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Nerja?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Nerja reached 22.7°C on 2012-01-06, and the coldest night dropped to 0.8°C on 2005-01-28.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in January?
For most holidaymakers, no. The sea averages 15°C, with a year-to-year range of 14°C to 16°C, so it is cold rather than merely bracing. If comfortable sea swimming is a priority, January is a poor fit.
Is January Nerja's coldest month?
Yes. January ranks as Nerja's coldest month, despite being milder than London during the day. It suits travellers who prefer mild conditions to heat; June, July and August rate better overall for a warmer-weather holiday.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London is about 2 h 48 min, making this a short-haul option. That is an appealing trade-off if you want milder daytime weather without a long flight, but not if you need reliable 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 Nerja. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 3.1 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