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Zanzibar in January: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Zanzibar in January will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Zanzibar, based on historical data.
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January

Weather in Zanzibar in January 2025

OK Weather
Warm
☁️
Cloudy
If you plan to visit Zanzibar in January, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +84°F during the day and approximately 3 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 5 rainy days in the month and around 52 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+84°F
Avg. max. temperature
+75°F
Min.
+90°F
Max.
52 mm
Total precipitation
78%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
3 ☀️
Sunny Days
23 ⛅️
Cloudy
5 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Zanzibar has OK weather in January.

Average temperature in Zanzibar in January

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

The expected average maximum temperature in January is +84°F with a maximum of +88°F and a minimum of +79°F.

The average maximum temperature goes down 20% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +86°F to +84°F.

Is Zanzibar warm or cold in January?

Zanzibar is typically warm in January.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +84°F to +84°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +79°F to +79°F.

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

Take a look at how January is compared to other months in Zanzibar:

Climate in Zanzibar in January

Zanzibar weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
DecemberJanuaryFebruary
Avg. temperature
+84°F+84°F+84°F
Min. temperature
+75°F+75°F+77°F
Max. temperature
+88°F+90°F+90°F
Rainfall
111 mm52 mm39 mm
Wind
2 m/s3 m/s2 m/s
Humidity
80%78%78%
Air pressure
1010 HPa1009 HPa1008 HPa
Sunny days
433
Cloudy days
142321
Rainy days
1354
Snowy days
000

January weather is still as ok as in December. The temperature levels stay the same in the area of +84°F for average maximum temperature during the day. As January arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 111 mm to 52 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 80% to 78%. Winds are stronger in comparison to December, going up from 2 m/s to 3 m/s on average. The days becoming less sunny, going from 4 sunny days in December to 3 in January.

But maybe it is worth considering traveling in February as the weather gets better.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 8 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Zanzibar is gradually decreasing during January, going from 4 m/s to 3 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during January in Zanzibar based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in January stands at 77%, leading to total precipitation of around 48 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 7 mm, which is considered light rain. January is a pretty wet month with over 24 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
Here’s how January is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Zanzibar wettest month is April, where a typical day has a 67% chance of precipitation and 189 mm of rainfall per day. September, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 7% chance of precipitation and 27 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last January in Zanzibar?

This is the weather in Zanzibar in January 2023:
1 January
☀️
+86°F
2 January
☀️
+85°F
3 January
☀️
+85°F
4 January
☀️
+85°F
5 January
☀️
+86°F
6 January
☀️
+86°F
7 January
☀️
+86°F
8 January
☀️
+85°F
9 January
☀️
+85°F
10 January
☀️
+85°F
11 January
🌧️
+85°F
12 January
☀️
+85°F
13 January
☀️
+85°F
14 January
☀️
+85°F
15 January
☀️
+86°F
16 January
☀️
+85°F
17 January
☀️
+87°F
18 January
☀️
+86°F
19 January
🌧️
+82°F
20 January
☁️
+85°F
21 January
☁️
+83°F
22 January
☁️
+83°F
23 January
☁️
+83°F
24 January
☁️
+84°F
25 January
☁️
+84°F
26 January
🌧️
+83°F
27 January
☀️
+84°F
28 January
☁️
+84°F
29 January
☁️
+83°F
30 January
🌧️
+83°F
31 January
🌧️
+83°F
In January 2023 Zanzibar had 18 sunny days, 8 cloudy days, and 5 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +84°F, with an absolute maximum of +88°F and a minimum of +82°F. The average humidity was 75%, with a maximum of 94% and a minimum of 46%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 14 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?

Climate Change Over the Years

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

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 1993 (+84°F) and the highest in 2016 (+92°F). The driest year was 2003 with only 7 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 1998 with 207 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Zanzibar in January:

Is January a good time to visit Zanzibar?

It’s always a good time to visit Zanzibar, but the weather is changeable in January, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in Zanzibar in January?

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

Is Zanzibar rainy in January?

Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar in January?

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

Other cities in Tanzania

Check out the weather for other cities in Tanzania.

Monthly weather in Zanzibar

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Zanzibar, 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.