Bournemouth weather in January

United Kingdom

Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Photo: Tony Zohari · Pexels

January in Bournemouth: cold, a little rain, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit.

#11 of 12 months in Bournemouth · #1240 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 41/100 (tier F)

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Traveller notes on Bournemouth in January

Other months in Bournemouth

August in Bournemouth is the peak of everything. A good day can reach the mid-to-high 20s°C, though the monthly average high sits nearer 21, with the sea around 17°C. The forum's real subject, though, is volume: a very hot summer's day brings roughly 80,000 people to the beach, and an airshow day upwards of 250,000. Regulars advise avoiding the Pier area for crowding and parking and heading to Southbourne, Christchurch and Hengistbury Head, or Mudeford instead. Two August fixtures worth timing around: fireworks off the pier every Friday night from late July to the end of August, and the Wednesday candlelight evenings in the lower gardens.
Tripadvisor community · August · yesterday · Read more on Tripadvisor

Year-round notes are on Bournemouth's overview. Add your own note from Bournemouth's card on the map.

Bournemouth climate normals — January

Daytime high9°C / 48°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low2°C / 35°F
Feels like (high)5°C / 41°F
Sea temperature9°C / 48°F🥶 cold sea
Rainfall74 mm / 2.9 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days12 days
Humidity85%💦 very humid
Dew point4°C / 38°F
Sunshine4 h/day
Daylight8.5 h
Wind26 km/h / 16 mph
Snowfall0.9 cm / 0.4 in
Air quality (US AQI)29🍃 good

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

Crowds in Bournemouth 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.

BusyChristmas holidays in United Kingdom, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Bournemouth'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 weatherBournemouth's weather peaks June–August, best around July.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Bournemouth in January

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

  • Season

    Seafront out of season

    1 Jan – 20 Mar · usuallyOff-season shutdownClosures

    The beach huts are boarded and the seafront kiosks and cafés cut their hours or close for the winter. The sand is yours and the New Forest is twenty minutes away, which is the whole case for coming now. Source ↗

  • Nature

    Winter waders on Poole Harbour

    15 Oct – 10 Mar · usuallyBirdlife season

    Avocets, black-tailed godwits and brent geese pack the mudflats at Arne and Brownsea through the cold months, and the hides are busiest on a falling tide. Source ↗

  • Nature

    Fossil hunting season

    1 Nov – 31 Mar · usually

    Winter storms cut into the Jurassic Coast cliffs west of here and turn out ammonites onto the beach at Charmouth and Lyme. Collecting is done on the tide line, never at the cliff face. Source ↗

  • Festival

    Christmas Tree Wonderland

    15 Nov – 2 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New Year

    The town gardens are strung with light installations and a walking trail from mid-November, which is what a seaside resort does with a month nobody would otherwise come for. Source ↗

What's on around the world in January

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Bournemouth?

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Bournemouth in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Bournemouth?
January in Bournemouth: cold, a little rain, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Bournemouth on SeasonMap's comfort score (41/100).
What is the weather like in Bournemouth in January?
In January, Bournemouth averages a daily high of 9°C and a low of 1.5°C, with about 73.5 mm of rain over roughly 11.7 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Bournemouth in January?
Bournemouth has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 29 in January.

Other months in Bournemouth

Compare Bournemouth in January

Warmer or cooler than Bournemouth in January

Similar destinations in Northern EuropeJanuary

Within 300 km: Isle of Wight's Brent geese and winter waders around 1 Oct – 15 Mar, and Brighton's Starling murmurations around 1 Nov – 28 Feb.