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Johannesburg in January: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Take a look at past year’s weather for Johannesburg in January and see if it is worth visiting.
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January

Weather in Johannesburg in January 2025

Good Weather
Warm
🌧️
Rainy
Planning a trip to Johannesburg in January? You are in luck! The weather is generally good, with an average maximum temperature of +77°F and approximately 7 sunny days. Just be prepared for some rain, as there are usually around 13 rainy days and 144 mm of precipitation. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+77°F
Avg. max. temperature
+43°F
Min.
+99°F
Max.
144 mm
Total precipitation
71%
Avg. humidity
1 m/s
Avg. wind
7 ☀️
Sunny Days
11 ⛅️
Cloudy
13 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Johannesburg has good weather in January.

Average temperature in Johannesburg in January

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Johannesburg for January based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

Going from a maximum of +84°F during the day to a minimum of +50°F during the night, the temperature in January averages around +77°F.

The average maximum temperature goes down 11% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +79°F to +75°F.

Is Johannesburg warm or cold in January?

Johannesburg is typically warm in January.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +77°F to +77°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +57°F to +59°F.

It’s generally warm, but pack a long-sleeve shirt for evenings.

January is one of the warmest months in Johannesburg, here is the comparison with other months:

Climate in Johannesburg in January

Johannesburg weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
DecemberJanuaryFebruary
Avg. temperature
+77°F+77°F+77°F
Min. temperature
+41°F+43°F+48°F
Max. temperature
+95°F+99°F+93°F
Rainfall
148 mm144 mm116 mm
Wind
1 m/s1 m/s1 m/s
Humidity
69%71%71%
Air pressure
1015 HPa1014 HPa1015 HPa
Sunny days
577
Cloudy days
121111
Rainy days
141310
Snowy days
000

January weather is still as good as in December. The temperature levels stay the same in the area of +77°F for average maximum temperature during the day. As January arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 148 mm to 144 mm. Humidity rises from 69% to 71%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during January, staying around 1 m/s. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in January, from 5 to 7.

February brings much the same weather, it remains good.

Wind

Wind speed in Johannesburg in January based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 2 m/s getting up to 3 m/s which is a light breeze; barely moving the tree leaves.

The average wind speed in Johannesburg is gradually increasing during January, going from 2 m/s to 2 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during January in Johannesburg based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 74% chance of rain on an average day in January, with total rainfall of approximately 245 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 52 mm, which is considered heavy rain. January is a pretty wet month with over 23 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
January is one of the rainiest months in Johannesburg, here is a comparison with other months, total mm:
Johannesburg wettest month is December, where a typical day has a 45% chance of precipitation and 148 mm of rainfall per day. July, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 3% chance of precipitation and 4 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last January in Johannesburg?

This is the weather in Johannesburg in January 2023:
1 January
☀️
+78°F
2 January
☀️
+83°F
3 January
☁️
+81°F
4 January
🌧️
+79°F
5 January
☀️
+81°F
6 January
🌧️
+71°F
7 January
☁️
+78°F
8 January
🌧️
+75°F
9 January
☁️
+77°F
10 January
☀️
+77°F
11 January
🌧️
+76°F
12 January
☁️
+78°F
13 January
☁️
+77°F
14 January
🌧️
+79°F
15 January
☁️
+77°F
16 January
🌧️
+69°F
17 January
🌧️
+73°F
18 January
🌧️
+74°F
19 January
☁️
+76°F
20 January
☀️
+77°F
21 January
☀️
+81°F
22 January
☁️
+71°F
23 January
☁️
+73°F
24 January
☀️
+77°F
25 January
☁️
+84°F
26 January
☁️
+81°F
27 January
☁️
+75°F
28 January
🌧️
+78°F
29 January
🌧️
+71°F
30 January
🌧️
+68°F
31 January
☁️
+75°F
In January 2023 Johannesburg had 7 sunny days, 13 cloudy days, and 11 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +77°F, with an absolute maximum of +84°F and a minimum of +68°F. The average humidity was 77%, with a maximum of 98% and a minimum of 31%. The average wind speed was 2 m/s, with a maximum of 8 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Johannesburg climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Johannesburg in January has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 2000 (+75°F) and the highest in 2019 (+85°F). The driest year was 2018 with only 45 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2021 with 327 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Johannesburg in January:

Is January a good time to visit Johannesburg?

January is a really good time to go to Johannesburg. The weather is nice so plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring. Check out other good time to visit Johannesburg.

Can you sunbathe in Johannesburg in January?

January is warm in Johannesburg. You may enjoy some beach or pool time in the day, but pack something a tad warmer for the evening.

Is Johannesburg rainy in January?

Johannesburg is often rainy in January. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Johannesburg in January?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Johannesburg in January, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in South Africa

Check out the weather for other cities in South Africa.

Monthly weather in Johannesburg

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Johannesburg, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.