Faraya weather in January

January in Faraya: cold, rainy, with clean air — a good time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Faraya🇱🇧 Lebanon · Levant · Ski63
  1. 63Jan
  2. 56Feb
  3. 41Mar
  4. 25Apr
  5. 14May
  6. 20Jun
  7. 17Jul
  8. 16Aug
  9. 19Sep
  10. 13Oct
  11. 23Nov
  12. 37Dec

#1 of 12 months in Faraya · #877 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 63/100 (tier C)

Days
9°C
Nights
1°C
Wet days
14
Sun
8.1 h
Humidity
78%
Daylight
10 h
Faraya, Lebanon
Photo: Potatoes8895 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Traveller notes on Faraya in January

Forum posters describe January snow here as typically the best of the season, which runs from the first week of January through the last week of March, with mountain temperatures commonly cited around 10C at the daytime max and dropping to 0 to -5C at the low end - a real contrast to Beirut's much milder coastal climate barely an hour's drive away. Posters are candid conditions vary year to year: some seasons bring many feet of fresh snow ideal for both downhill and cross-country skiing, while one visitor's New Year's trip found the snow disappointingly thin and the weather unusually warm for January. Posters consistently recommend skiing on weekdays rather than Fridays specifically, since Friday is a popular day off that brings noticeably bigger crowds to Lebanon's most popular and most Beirut-convenient resort.
Tripadvisor community · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Faraya

Faraya-forum threads on visiting Lebanon in June call this genuinely one of the best months countrywide, posters citing average highs around the upper seventies Fahrenheit and comfortable lows in the upper sixties. Regulars call Faraya a real summer draw alongside the Cedars, Aley and the Chouf, all recommended together for a mountain-focused Lebanon itinerary. Posters describe the drive from Beirut as quick, under an hour by taxi or car. Regulars call the village club and restaurants still active in June despite the resort's winter reputation, real nightlife and dining both reported by summer visitors. Posters recommend real layers for the evening regardless of a warm June day, mountain elevation delivering a genuine temperature drop after dark. Regulars call June a strong window for anyone wanting mountain scenery without winter crowds or full summer heat. The record: 24.9C days feeling like 26C, 15.4C nights, effectively no measurable precipitation and 57 percent humidity.
FarayaJuneRegular · June · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Faraya-forum threads asking whether March is worth a ski visit describe the local season as genuinely running early January through the last week of March, making this month the real tail end. Posters call conditions directly tied to how much fell earlier in the winter, one visitor reporting a fully snow-covered resort in late March while others describe a leaner year with less coverage by the same date. Regulars call the roughly ninety-minute drive from Beirut a real draw, close enough for a day trip. Posters recommend checking current conditions before committing, snow availability genuinely dependent on the specific winter. Regulars describe daytime readings as comfortably mild, evenings turning noticeably cooler once the sun drops. Posters recommend real layers for the sunset swing regardless of midday warmth. The record: 12.2C days feeling like 10C, 3.4C nights, an extraordinarily high 102.9mm across 13 days and 73 percent humidity.
FarayaMarchRegular · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Faraya-forum reviews on visiting Mzaar are direct there's genuinely more to do here outside the winter resort season than most visitors expect, the mountain village and surrounding trails both worth a trip on their own merits. Posters describe August as sitting well within the region's reliably dry stretch, comfortable mountain air a real relief from the genuinely uncomfortable, humid conditions that regulars call typical of Beirut this time of year. Regulars recommend Faraya specifically as a preferred summer escape from the coast, the roughly 45-minute drive from Beirut making it an easy day trip or overnight. Posters describe the combination of a cooler mountain morning and a warm Mediterranean afternoon as a genuine draw for anyone splitting a day between the two. Layers for the evening are still worth packing even during the comfortably warm daytime stretch. The record: 28.4C days feeling like 27C, 18.5C nights, a very low 61 percent humidity and 12.4 hours of sun.
FarayaAugustRegular · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Faraya-Mzaar reviews describe February as squarely inside the core of the roughly four-month ski season here, comparable in length to a typical Alpine resort, with the largest ski area in the Middle East drawing regulars back season after season. Posters flag the upper slopes as capable of genuinely harsh wind chill on a bad day, proper cold-weather gear treated as essential rather than optional regardless of how the base village feels. Regulars call the resort's roughly 80 kilometers of runs across dozens of lifts a real reason it stays the standard choice for skiers across the region rather than the smaller Cedars resort. An hour's drive from Beirut is repeatedly named as making a day trip entirely realistic, though an overnight stay is recommended for anyone wanting a full day on the slopes without a long drive home after. The record: a frigid 9.5C by day dropping to 0.5C at night, a notably high 9.9cm of fresh snowfall and 75 percent humidity.
MzaarFebruaryRegular · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Faraya climate normals — January

Daytime high9°C / 47°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low1°C / 33°F
Feels like (high)5°C / 41°F
Sea temperature20°C / 68°F🌊 fresh
Rainfall139 mm / 5.5 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days14 days
Humidity78%💦 very humid
Dew point1°C / 33°F
Sunshine8.1 h/day
Daylight10.2 h
Wind14 km/h / 9 mph
Snowfall14.4 cm / 5.7 in
Air quality (US AQI)46🍃 good

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

Crowds in Faraya 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 crowdsPeak ski weekends, Mzaar ski season, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Faraya'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).

Best weatherFaraya's weather peaks January–March.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Faraya in January

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

  • Season

    Peak ski weekends

    1 Jan – 15 Mar · usuallySki seasonCrowdedBook early

    Beirut drives up on Saturday and Sunday through the deep winter, so chalets book out and the climb from Jounieh backs up. Storms leave black ice on the last few kilometres. Source ↗

  • Season

    Mzaar ski season

    1 Dec – 10 Apr · usuallyCrowded

    The runs above the village usually hold from December into April, though a thin winter shortens it at both ends. Everything in Faraya is built around whether they are open. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year

    20 Dec – 6 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    Christmas and New Year are public holidays and the diaspora flies home: flights into Beirut fill, hotels and chalets charge peak rates, streets are strung with lights and restaurants and clubs sell out for New Year's Eve. Source ↗

What's on around the world in January →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Faraya?

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Faraya in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Faraya?
January in Faraya: cold, rainy, with clean air — a good time to visit. It ranks #1 of 12 months for Faraya on SeasonMap's comfort score (63/100).
What is the weather like in Faraya in January?
In January, Faraya averages a daily high of 8.6°C and a low of 0.5°C, with about 139.4 mm of rain over roughly 13.7 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Faraya in January?
Faraya has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 46 in January.
Does it snow in Faraya in January?
Faraya sees roughly 14.4 cm of snowfall in January.

Within 300 km: Bethlehem's Greek Orthodox Christmas on 6–7 Jan, and Jerusalem's Christmas in Bethlehem on 20 Dec – 8 Jan.