San Juan del Sur (SJDS) weather in January

January in San Juan del Sur: hot, dry, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

San Juan del Sur🇳🇮 Nicaragua · Northern Central America · Beach88
  1. 88Jan
  2. 87Feb
  3. 91Mar
  4. 89Apr
  5. 74May
  6. 63Jun
  7. 78Jul
  8. 75Aug
  9. 68Sep
  10. 60Oct
  11. 72Nov
  12. 85Dec

#3 of 12 months in San Juan del Sur · #242 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 88/100 (tier A)

Days
30°C
Nights
24°C
Wet days
5
Sun
10.5 h
Humidity
77%
Daylight
12 h
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Photo: 🇻🇳🇻🇳 Việt Anh Nguyễn 🇻🇳🇻🇳 · Pexels

Traveller notes on San Juan del Sur in January

Notes from nearby Granada (76 km away)

San Juan del Sur doesn't have its own notes for January yet — these are about Granada, close enough to share the season.

Forum posters describe January nights typically in the low-to-mid-70sF, warming to the upper-80s to low-90sF by day - genuinely hot, with Granada named by posters as one of the hottest cities in the country on average. Posters consistently call this the dry season here: the surrounding landscape turns brown and dusty, a sharp contrast to the lush green of the wetter months. Posters recommend the November-January stretch as the best overall window for a first visit to Granada and Nicaragua generally, though they note conditions keep warming through January itself - by the back half of the month, several posters mention needing a fan overnight as nights stop cooling off as much as earlier in the month.
Tripadvisor community · January · 1 month ago · about Granada · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur's forum describes September and October as the heaviest rain of the year here, but the typical day still follows a manageable rhythm: cooler and overcast at dawn, clouds burning off by mid-morning, then sunny through the afternoon before rain returns. Posters said showers roll in roughly every other day and usually last only an hour or two rather than the whole day. A few forum regulars specifically preferred August over September, since the risk of a genuinely wet stretch climbs the closer you get to the end of the month.
NicaraguaSurfCoastRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe March as squarely inside the strong seasonal wind window that runs January through March, with the ocean itself running noticeably cooler (around 17C) during the windiest stretch and beach days sometimes getting genuinely uncomfortable - one reviewer described wind strong enough to feel like it was 'beating' them while trying to lie on the beach. By March the pattern shifts toward hot, dry and dusty conditions on land even as the wind persists, with posters generally naming April (before or right after Easter week) or very early May as calmer, more comfortable alternatives for travelers who prioritize a still, sunny beach day over surf conditions - Papagayo-style offshore winds like this one are prized by kitesurfers even as they frustrate sunbathers.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from San Juan del Sur's card on the map.

San Juan del Sur climate normals — January

Daytime high30°C / 85°F🥵 hot
Nighttime low24°C / 76°F
Feels like (high)30°C / 86°F
Sea temperature25°C / 76°F🙂 pleasant
Rainfall13 mm / 0.5 in☀️ dry
Rainy days5 days
Humidity77%💦 very humid
Dew point22°C / 72°F
Sunshine10.5 h/day
Daylight11.5 h
Wind36 km/h / 22 mph
Air quality (US AQI)33🍃 good

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

Crowds in San Juan del Sur 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 and New Year crowds, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for San Juan del Sur'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 weatherSan Juan del Sur's best weather comes in January, March and April — separate windows, not one continuous season.

January includes Arribadas at La Flor.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in San Juan del Sur in January

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

  • Nature

    Arribadas at La Flor

    1 Jul – 31 JanTurtle nestingBook early

    Olive ridleys come ashore at the La Flor refuge, twenty kilometres south, in mass arribadas that run about six days each and land between July and January. Rangers control access; September and October are the heaviest. Source ↗

  • Season

    Papagayo offshore winds

    1 Dec – 15 Apr · usuallyWind season

    Wind funnelling across Lake Nicaragua blows hard offshore through the dry season, grooming the waves into clean, hollow shapes. The same wind cools the water, makes boat trips bumpy and can blow sand along the beach all afternoon. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year crowds

    20 Dec – 2 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    After Semana Santa the busiest weeks of the year, when Nicaraguan families and returning expats fill the town. Book rooms ahead; the rest of the year a walk-in usually works. Source ↗

What's on around the world in January →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is San Juan del Sur?

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San Juan del Sur in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit San Juan del Sur?
January in San Juan del Sur: hot, dry, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #3 of 12 months for San Juan del Sur on SeasonMap's comfort score (88/100).
What is the weather like in San Juan del Sur in January?
In January, San Juan del Sur averages a daily high of 29.7°C and a low of 24.4°C, with about 12.8 mm of rain over roughly 4.9 rainy days.
What is the air quality in San Juan del Sur in January?
San Juan del Sur has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 33 in January.

Within 300 km: Nosara's Dry season around 1 Dec – 15 Apr, and La Fortuna's Dry season and clear Arenal around 15 Jan – 30 Apr.