Xiamen weather in January

January in Xiamen: nice, a little rain — an excellent time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Xiamen🇨🇳 China · Southern China & Hong Kong · City81
  1. 81Jan
  2. 79Feb
  3. 83Mar
  4. 74Apr
  5. 60May
  6. 47Jun
  7. 49Jul
  8. 44Aug
  9. 57Sep
  10. 73Oct
  11. 85Nov
  12. 89Dec

#4 of 12 months in Xiamen · #464 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 81/100 (tier A)

Days
19°C
Nights
11°C
Wet days
6
Sun
7.6 h
Humidity
72%
Daylight
11 h
Xiamen, China
Photo: toter yau · Pexels

Traveller notes on Xiamen in January

Other months in Xiamen

Forum posters describe rain building through May along China's southeast coast, including Xiamen, with conditions worsening further into June when thunderstorms become common. Posters consistently recommend the second week of May specifically, avoiding both the May 1st national holiday crowds and, ideally, some of the month's rain, while acknowledging there's no guarantee of dry weather even then. Posters note April can also bring real rain, so May isn't necessarily worse than the month before it. Posters generally recommend staying around Zhongshan Road in Xiamen's old town for the most authentic local food and atmosphere regardless of exact travel dates. Posters generally rate May as a workable but increasingly wet month to visit Xiamen, with the first half of the month a better bet than the back half.
Tripadvisor community · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe Xiamen's weather as genuinely pleasant even heading into the cooler months, with one comparison likening its winter conditions to a Tampa, Florida winter - well above freezing, generally comfortable, and with notably good air quality for a Chinese coastal city. Occasional cold fronts can push temperatures down by 5C or more for a few days at a stretch before things return to the milder baseline, so posters recommend packing a layer for those cooler snaps even though the overall month reads as mild. As a subtropical coastal city, Xiamen is repeatedly named among the more livable, walkable options on China's southern coast for travelers looking to avoid the harsher winters further north or inland.
Tripadvisor community · November · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Xiamen's card on the map.

Xiamen climate normals — January

Daytime high19°C / 67°F😎 nice
Nighttime low11°C / 52°F
Feels like (high)17°C / 63°F
Sea temperature15°C / 60°F🥶 cold sea
Rainfall48 mm / 1.9 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days6 days
Humidity72%💧 humid
Dew point9°C / 49°F
Sunshine7.6 h/day
Daylight10.8 h
Wind16 km/h / 10 mph
Air quality (US AQI)100🙂 moderate

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

Crowds in Xiamen 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 crowdsXiamen Marathon, Winter break (around Chinese New Year) in China, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Xiamen'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).

Fair weatherXiamen's best weather comes in March, November and December — separate windows, not one continuous season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Xiamen in January

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

  • Festival

    Xiamen Marathon

    11 JanSporting eventCrowdedBook early

    One of China's oldest big-city races, run along the island's sea road in the first half of January. Hotels on the ring road and the ferry side of town go early for it. Source ↗

  • Rule

    Gulangyu is capped and pre-booked

    1 Jan – 31 DecBook earlyClosures

    The island runs on a daily visitor limit and timed ferry tickets bought online, and visitors sail from the cruise terminal rather than the pier opposite it. Buy before you arrive in the city. Source ↗

What's on around the world in January →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Xiamen?

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Xiamen in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Xiamen?
January in Xiamen: nice, a little rain — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Xiamen on SeasonMap's comfort score (81/100).
What is the weather like in Xiamen in January?
In January, Xiamen averages a daily high of 19.2°C and a low of 10.9°C, with about 47.5 mm of rain over roughly 6 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Xiamen in January?
Xiamen has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 100 in January.

Within 300 km: Alishan's Sunrise and sea of clouds around 15 Oct – 15 Apr.