Malaga in January: weather, water temperatures and things to do
Is January a good time to visit?
January in Malaga is suitable for sightseeing. Daytime temperatures average +16 °C, so a jacket will be useful for walks. The water is cold, so this month is unsuitable for a swimming holiday.
Weather in January
Average daytime temperatures vary little between early, mid- and late January. There is no clear advantage in warmth between these periods.
- Water
- +15 °C
- Daytime air
- +16 °C
- Night-time air
- +10 °C
Sun and precipitation in January
Monthly averages
Sunny
15 days
Sun and clouds
11 days
Cloudy
5 days
By part of the month
| Dates | Sunny | Sun and clouds | Cloudy | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | 5 days | 4 days | 1 day | 2 days |
| 11–20 | 5 days | 3 days | 2 days | 3 days |
| 21–31 | 5 days | 4 days | 2 days | 2 days |
Early, mid or late January?
| Travel dates | Day | Night | WaterWater | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 January | +16 °C | +10 °C | +16 °C | about 2 out of 10 |
| 11–20 January | +16 °C | +9 °C | +15 °C | about 3 out of 10 |
| 21–31 January | +16 °C | +10 °C | +15 °C | about 2 out of 11 |
Water in January
Seasonal data gives an average water temperature of +15 °C for the month. It averages +16 °C in the first ten days and +15 °C towards the end. These are seasonal averages, so the water on your travel dates can be warmer or cooler. Before your trip, check the water temperature and weather in the forecast for Malaga.
Rainfall in January
Historical records show that January has precipitation from time to time.
December, January or February: which should you choose?
| Month | Day | Night | WaterWater |
|---|---|---|---|
| December | +17 °C | +12 °C | +16 °C |
| January | +16 °C | +10 °C | +15 °C |
| February | +17 °C | +11 °C | +15 °C |
January and December have similar average daytime temperatures. Neither has a clear advantage in warmth. February is warmer during the day than January, while water temperatures are similar. The water is cold in both months.
The annual charts for Malaga compare air and water temperatures throughout the year. For historical weather in January across different years, see the weather archive.
Things to do in January
- At the hilltop Alcazaba, you can explore the fortifications and the palace within them.
- The Muelle 1 waterfront promenade leads towards La Farola lighthouse. La Malagueta is nearby.
- The Picasso Museum in Buenavista Palace displays works from different periods of the artist’s career, including Cubist pieces and ceramics.
About the data
Air temperatures use the WorldWeatherAI archive for 2020–2025. Precipitation uses data for 2020–2025.Sea temperature data source: NASA. Coastal area: La Malagueta. Averages from complete months in: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
Cloud cover is estimated from local six-hour intervals weighted by their overlap with daylight: up to 25% clear or mostly clear, 75% or more mostly cloudy, and partly cloudy in between. These are the site’s categories. Rounded day counts add up to the period length; icons do not represent particular dates. Precipitation is counted separately and may coincide with sunshine. Sunshine hours come from the archive, not from cloud cover. Each metric requires complete data for the same set of years; incomplete metrics are omitted.