January Weather in Cancun, Mexico - 2024

Cancún, a Mexican city on the Yucatán Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea, is known for its beaches, numerous resorts, and nightlife. It is composed of 2 distinct areas: the more traditional downtown area, El Centro, and Zona Hotelera, a long, beachfront strip of high-rise hotels, nightclubs, shops, and restaurants.

The city began as a tourism project in 1974 as an Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of the National Fund for Tourism Development). Since then, it has undergone a comprehensive transformation from being a fisherman's island surrounded by virgin forest and undiscovered shores to being one of the two most well-known Mexican resorts.

January weather in Cancun Mexico

To get a good overview of the type of weather you can expect in January in Cancun, we will look at the day and night temperature, minimum and maximum water temperature, and if January is comfortable or humid

Generally, January in Cancun will be really nice. Historical data shows that you can expect an average temperature of around 80°F / 27°C. But due to the moderate humidity it can feel slightly uncomfortable for some. During the night, it will cool down to around 69°F / 21°C. Many will prefer a location with air conditioning due to the high humidity level.

Cancun has rainy days in January. You can expect around 9 rainy days, with on average 0.9 inches / 22 mm of rain during the whole month.

January weather in Cancun Mexico in more detail

To get a better feeling for the type of weather, you can expect in January in Cancun, we will look at the temperature, rain, wind, humidity, water temperature, and sun and clouds

- What will the temperature be in Cancun in January

Generally, you can expect in January an average temperature of 80°F / 27°C during the day and an average of 69°F / 21°C during the night. In January, during the warmest part of the afternoon, the temperature can often get as high as 86°F / 30°C, and at the end of the night, it can get as low as 62°F / 17°C.

When looking at the whole year, January and December are the coldest months, with an average temperature of around 80°F / 27°C. April, May, June, July, August and September are the hottest months, with an average temperature of around 87°F / 31°C. When comparing January with the temperature in the month before and after, this is equal to December, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 80°F / 27°C. And almost equal to February, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 82°F / 28°C.

But average temperatures only tell half of the story. It is also good to check the maximum and minimum temperatures. When looking at the whole year, April, May, June, July and August are the hottest months, with a temperature of around 93°F / 34°C. January and December are the coldest months, with a temperature of around 86°F / 30°C. When comparing January with the temperature in the month before and after, this is equal to December, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 86°F / 30°C. And almost equal to February, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 89°F / 32°C.

In the following graph, you can see how many cold and hot days you can expect in Cancun each month:

- Can you expect rain in January in Cancun?

Generally, you can expect about 9 rain days in January, with on average 0.9 inches / 22 mm of rain.

When looking at the whole year, April is the dryest month, with an average rainfall of around 0.7 inches / 18 mmmm. October is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of around 3.7 inches / 93 mmmm. When comparing January with the month before and after, this is slightly less than December, which sees around 1 inches / 26 mm of rain. And almost equal to February, which sees around 0.8 inches / 21 mm of rain

If we look at the number of days with rain, April is the month with the least amount of rain days with an average of between 6 and 7 days. September is the month with the most rain days with around 22 days. When comparing January with the month before and after, this is almost equal to December, which sees an average of between 9 and 10 days of rain. And almost equal to February, which sees an average of between 7 and 8 days of rain

- What will the water temperature be in Cancun for January

You can expect in January, the water temperature for Cancun to be between 80°F / 27°C and 75°F / 24°C.

To compare the water temperature we will use the maximum water temperature. You can expect this temperature on a more sunny day, close to the shore, when the wind does not mix the relatively warmer and colder water.

August has the highest water temperature, with an average of between 86°F / 30°C and 87°F / 31°C. February and March And have the lowest water temperature, with an average of between 78°F / 26°C and 80°F / 27°C. When comparing the water temperature from January with the month before and after, January has a water temperature almost equal to December, with a water temperature of around 80°F / 27°C. And almost equal to the water temperature from February, that is an average of between 78°F / 26°C and 80°F / 27°C.

- Can you expect in January a lot of sunny days in Cancun

Generally, you can expect around 10 sunny days in January and around 17 partly sunny days. The remaining days will be cloudy.

When looking at the whole year, March is the month with the highest number of sunny days, with an average of between 14 and 15 sunny days. September is the month with the lowest number of sunny days, with around 4 sunny days. When comparing January with the number of sunny days in the month before and after, it is slightly lower than December, with around 12 sunny days. And slightly less than February, with an average of between 12 and 13 sunny days

We have looked at the sunny days in Cancun. Let's also look at the cloudy or overcast days. June is the month with the highest number of cloudy days, with an average of between 7 and 8 cloudy days. April is the month with the lowest number of cloudy days, with an average of between 1 and 2 cloudy days. When comparing January with the number of cloudy days in the month before and after, it is almost equal to December, with an average of between 3 and 4 cloudy days. And almost equal to February, with an average of between 2 and 3 cloudy days

- Will it be comfortable in January in Cancun?

Generally, January in Cancun will be moderately humid, and can feel slightly uncomfortable for some.

We use the humidity and temperature in Cancun to calculate the Wintersun Expert Comfort level for each month. The lower the Wintersun Expert Comfort level, the more comfortable it will be. Only for certain people, extremely dry air can feel slightly uncomfortable.

When looking at the whole year, January has the lowest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "slightly uncomfortable" (moderately humid). July has the highest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "extremely uncomfortable" (extremely humid). When comparing January with the month before and after, this is slightly less than December, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "very uncomfortable" (very high humidity). And almost equal to February, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "slightly uncomfortable" (moderately humid)

What to do in Cancun Mexico in January

Cancún has notable places that are worthwhile visiting:

• Art/Archeological sites/ museum: snowbirds can learn about the history of the town in some of these places El Rey (Las Ruinas del Rey), El Meco, Chichen Itza, the Maya Museum of Cancun and The Cancun Underwater Museum.
• The Beaches: snowbirds can enjoy the dazzling turquoise blue sea and white sand at the town's lovely beaches. E.g de las Perlas, Juventud, Linda, Langosta, Tortugas, Caracol, and Chac-mool.
• Nature & Parks: in the heart of Cancún is Urbano Kabah Park (Parque Kabah), also known as the Kabah Ecological Park. This natural oasis is a popular spot for a stroll, a jog, or a picnic, Snowbirds can also see the coral reefs of Garrafon Natural Reef Park.
• Golf: Golf lovers will be pleased to know that there is an 18-hole public golf course known as Pok-ta-Pok.
• Clubs: on their vacation to Cancun, snowbirds are encouraged to definitely include at least one night of partying, and there are many club options to choose from. Among the most popular nightclubs are Mandala, Coco Bongo, Congo Bar, Palazzo, La Vaquita, and the City.

Is it humid in Cancun Mexico in January?

A lot of people ask interested in the humidity or relative humidity for Cancun Mexico in January. But the real question they want to ask is not about humidity but the amount of moisture in the air. Or better, about comfort. Will it be comfortable in January in Cancun, or will high humidity make it uncomfortable.

To answer this question, we have to look at the dew point. Relative humidity can change a lot in Cancun during the day and night, as it changes when the amount of moisture changes and, but also when the temperature changes. It is a lot less reliable for comfort. Where the dew point only varies with the amount of moisture in the air.

Looking at the dew point, we can see that for the month of January, you can expect that Cancun will be moderately humid, and can feel slightly uncomfortable for some.

January is the month with the most comfort. It will be moderately humid, and can feel slightly uncomfortable for some. July is the most uncomfortable month. It will be extremely humid, and can feel extremely uncomfortable. In the graph, you can see that there is not a lot of difference between the most comfortable and most uncomfortable months.

Is January a good time to go to Cancun Mexico?

Trying to answer the question of whether January is a good time to go to Cancun is not as easy as it first seems. Some people like colder weather, and others prefer a warmer climate. Some are fine with some humidity, and others are not. If your location has air conditioning, the night temperature is less important.

These are some examples. I will try to answer the question with a more generic person in mind. The more detailed information in this article should be enough to check further if this applies to you as well.

If we look at the average temperature for Cancun in January, we can see that it will be fine for most people. In January, you can expect it to be really nice, with an average temperature of around 80°F / 27°C. But due to the moderate humidity it can feel slightly uncomfortable for some. During the night, it will be around 69°F / 21°C.

As the number of overcast days is not high, you can enjoy the sun with around 10 sunny days and 17 partly sunny days.

The last aspect we will look at is rain. You can expect around 9 rainy days, with on average 0.9 inches / 22 mm of rain during January. More then 5 days rain per month makes the chance higher you will see some rain during a shorter stay. But a day with rain does not mean a day you can not enjoy.

We have looked at the average day temperature, the night temperature, humidity, the number of overcast days, and the rain. We think that January a good time to go to Cancun Mexico for most visitors.

Does it rain all day in Cancun Mexico in January?

In Cancun, it does not rain all day in January. You can expect around 9 rainy days, with on average 0.9 inches / 22 mm of rain during the month.

Another way of looking at the rain is the number of sunny days. For Cancun Mexico, there are, on average 10 sunny days and 17 partly sunny days in January. That clearly shows that it is not raining all the time.

Is January the rainiest month in Cancun Mexico?

January is not the month with the most rainy days, and not the month with the most rain.

To answer what the rainiest month is in Cancun, we will both look at the month with the most rain, and the month with the highest number of rainy days.

September is the month with the the highest number of rainiest days. On average, you can expect 22 days with rain. April is the month with the lowest number of rainy days, with aproximately 7 days.

September is the month with the most rain. This is not equal as the one with the most rainy days. On average, you can expect 3.7 inches / 93 mm of rain. April is the month with the least amount of rain. This is not the same month as the one with the lowest number of rainy days. You can expect approximately 0.7 inches / 18 mm of rain.

Is January the most sunniest month in Cancun Mexico?

January is not the month with the most sunny days, not the month with the most partly sunny days, and it is not the month with the lowest number of overcast days.

To answer what the sunniest month is in Cancun, we will of course look at the month with the most sunniest days, but also look at the month with the biggest number of days that are sunny or partly sunny.

March is the month with the highest number of sunny days. On average, you can expect 10 sunny days, and 17 partly suny days. September is the month with the lowest number of sunny days.

March is the month with the highest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined. While June is the month with the lowest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined.

The last thing we will look at is the number of overcast days. April is the month with the lowest number of overcast days. While June is the month with the highest number of overcast days.

More information about Cancun Mexico

Weather in Cancun Mexico in other months

• Weather in Cancun Mexico for February
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for March
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for April
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for May
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for June
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for July
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for August
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for September
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for October
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for November
• Weather in Cancun Mexico for December

What to do in Cancun Mexico for each month

• What to do in January in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in February in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in March in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in April in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in May in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in June in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in July in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in August in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in September in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in October in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in November in Cancun Mexico
• What to do in December in Cancun Mexico