Alicante (Costa Blanca) weather in January

January in Alicante: nice, a little rain, with clean air — a good time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Alicante🇪🇸 Spain · Catalonia, Valencia & the Balearics · Beach69
  1. 69Jan
  2. 75Feb
  3. 75Mar
  4. 81Apr
  5. 88May
  6. 95Jun
  7. 94Jul
  8. 92Aug
  9. 91Sep
  10. 87Oct
  11. 74Nov
  12. 68Dec

#11 of 12 months in Alicante · #720 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 69/100 (tier C)

Days
18°C
Nights
8°C
Wet days
4
Sun
8 h
Humidity
71%
Daylight
10 h
Alicante, Spain
Photo: Emilio Sánchez Hernández · Pexels

Traveller notes on Alicante in January

Forum posters put January days around 15C, dropping to 5-6C at night, with a few midday hours occasionally reaching 16-18C - sunny and genuinely pleasant if you're out of the wind, but cold once the sun goes down. One geographic quirk posters mention often: mountains just north of the city block most rain-bearing weather systems, so Alicante misses out on much of the rain that hits other parts of Spain this time of year. It's honestly not beach weather - maybe an hour or two of comfortable sun at most - but posters recommend renting accommodation with proper central heating, since the combination of cold and coastal humidity can make indoor spaces feel colder than expected. The harbour promenade, markets, plazas and castle views are named as the main draws for a January visit instead.
Tripadvisor community · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Alicante

Regulars are consistent this stays genuinely warm enough for the beach, water still comfortably swimmable, though the risk of rain climbs as the month goes on, arriving as occasional big downpours rather than a steady drizzle. Our row backs that warm, still-mild read, 26C reading as a hot 27C, over 16.1C nights, with 53.7mm of rain across 6.6 days and humidity at 74 percent. Regulars are specific evenings cool down enough to need a jacket or cardigan even on an otherwise warm day, a real contrast to the daytime highs still in the mid-20s Celsius. This remains a genuinely good month overall for a beach trip, long sunny spells the norm between any rain event. The sea sits at a warm 23.6C. The record: 9.4 hours of sun, a 12.8 kph wind and AQI 38.
BeachWeatherButDownpourRiskGrows · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Regulars describe May here as capable of rain that passes quickly before the sun returns, with late May specifically singled out as long, warm and largely dry - the better half of a month that starts more mixed. Our row sits closer to the cautious early-month read, 25.2C over 15.7C with 48mm of rain across 6.5 days, though by late May regulars report low-twenties air and a sea warm enough to swim in, our column reading 20.8C. Pools, they note, run a few degrees cooler than the sea itself at this point in the year, worth knowing before assuming a hotel pool will be the warmer option. The record: humidity 67 percent, 12.6 hours of sun, a 14.9 kph wind and AQI 44.
ShowersDontLastThenTheSunReturns · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Alicante-forum threads on September weather describe early in the month as not quite as fierce as peak summer but still genuinely hot, sea temperatures staying warm and inviting throughout. A thunderstorm or two becomes more likely as the month progresses, most posters describing them as quick and isolated rather than settling in for a stretch, with plenty of sunshine still filling the days around them. By mid-September regulars call conditions close to perfect, warm days, warm water, and enough of a break from August's intensity to make sightseeing genuinely comfortable again. Rain, when it shows up, is consistently described as brief, rarely lasting more than a couple of hours even on an unlucky day. Evenings stay mild enough that shorts and a t-shirt remain entirely reasonable well after dark. The record: 29.2C days feeling like a punishing 32C, 20.1C nights, 69mm across 8.4 days, a 27.1C sea, 74 percent humidity and 10.7 hours of sun.
PlayaDelPostiguetSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
August on the Costa Blanca is hot, muggy and busier than July, and regulars describe any wind at all as welcome relief. Their range of about 22C to 31C sits just under our row's 23C and 32.2C, which reads as 35C once the humidity is in. The sun is almost always out - our row gives 4.3 precipitation days - and the compensation is the water, which they call lovely and warm for swimming and our row puts at 29.3C, among the warmest seas in this whole round. Two small local notes: mosquitoes come out in the evening, and air conditioning is worth checking before you book. The record: 20.9mm of rain, humidity 68 percent and 12.2 hours of sun.
AnyWindIsWelcome · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Alicante climate normals — January

Daytime high18°C / 64°F😎 nice
Nighttime low8°C / 46°F
Feels like (high)16°C / 61°F
Sea temperature15°C / 59°F🥶 cold sea
Rainfall38 mm / 1.5 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days4 days
Humidity71%💧 humid
Dew point5°C / 41°F
Sunshine8 h/day
Daylight9.8 h
Wind15 km/h / 9 mph
Snowfall0.3 cm / 0.1 in
Air quality (US AQI)33🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Alicante in January

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsCabalgata de Reyes (Three Kings), Navidad Gigante and the giant Belen, Christmas holidays in Spain(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Alicante's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherAlicante's weather peaks June–August.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Alicante in January

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Festival

    Cabalgata de Reyes (Three Kings)

    5 JanChristmas & New YearCrowded

    On the evening of 5 January the Three Kings land at the port and parade through the centre to the town hall, throwing sweets. Families stake out the Rambla early, and the 6th is a holiday with most shops shut. Source ↗

  • Nature

    Almond blossom inland

    25 Jan – 28 Feb · usuallyWildflowers & blooms

    Almond orchards in the Vall de Xalo and Vall de Guadalest, about an hour's drive north, flower from late January and peak into February; Alcalali runs guided walks and tastings. A cold or mild winter shifts the peak by weeks. Source ↗

  • Festival

    Navidad Gigante and the giant Belen

    22 Nov – 7 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowded

    The city's Christmas programme centres on a monumental nativity scene in Plaza del Ayuntamiento, listed by Guinness, with the square closed to traffic, a fairground and lit streets until Epiphany. It opens in late November. Source ↗

What's on around the world in January →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Alicante — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Alicante?

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Alicante in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Alicante?
January in Alicante: nice, a little rain, with clean air — a good time to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Alicante on SeasonMap's comfort score (69/100).
What is the weather like in Alicante in January?
In January, Alicante averages a daily high of 18°C and a low of 7.6°C, with about 37.6 mm of rain over roughly 4.4 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Alicante in January?
Alicante has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 33 in January.

Within 300 km: Sierra Nevada's Ski season around 25 Nov – 30 Apr, and Benidorm's Winter-sun season on 15 Oct – 31 Mar.