SeasonMapNkhata Bay weather in January
Malawi
January in Nkhata Bay: warm, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 29 rainy days.
#11 of 12 months in Nkhata Bay · #1020 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 55/100 (tier D)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Nkhata Bay in January
No notes yet. Open Nkhata Bay on the map to add the first one.
Nkhata Bay climate normals — January
| Daytime high | 26°C / 80°F | 🌤 warm |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 24°C / 74°F | |
| Rainfall | 431 mm / 17 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 29 days | |
| Humidity | 81% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 21°C / 70°F | |
| Sunshine | 7.6 h/day | |
| Daylight | 12.7 h | |
| Wind | 8 km/h / 5 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 29 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Nkhata Bay 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.
Quietschool holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Nkhata Bay'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 weatherNkhata Bay's weather peaks August–October, best around September.
January coincides with Bilharzia risk in the lake.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Nkhata Bay in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Bilharzia risk in the lake
1 Jan – 31 DecFreshwater snails carry bilharzia in the shallows year-round. The local advice is not to gamble on it: take the single-dose treatment about six weeks after any contact with the water, since both symptoms and tests lag behind exposure. Source ↗
- Hazard
Malaria season
1 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyInsect seasonRisk on the lakeshore runs all year but climbs hardest during the wet season from November to April. Prophylaxis is standard advice, and the humid nights around the bay are when repellent matters most. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk29 rainy days and about 431 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.
from the climate normals
Where is Nkhata Bay?
Nkhata Bay in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Nkhata Bay?
- January in Nkhata Bay: warm, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 29 rainy days. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Nkhata Bay on SeasonMap's comfort score (55/100).
- What is the weather like in Nkhata Bay in January?
- In January, Nkhata Bay averages a daily high of 26.4°C and a low of 23.5°C, with about 430.6 mm of rain over roughly 29.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Nkhata Bay in January?
- Nkhata Bay has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 29 in January.