January Overview
- High temperature: 76°F (24°C)
- Low temperature: 66°F (19°C)
- Hours daylight/sun: 8 hours
- Water temperature: 71°F (0°C)
In January, days in Key West are the coolest of the year. Yet, the air temperatures range from 66°F (19°C) to 76°F (24°C) forming ideal weather conditions: pleasant, but not too hot. The average sea temperature measures 71°F (22°C). With only about seven precipitation days on average and approximately eight hours of sunshine per day, January offers nice opportunities for sunbathing and other lovely outdoor activities.
If you love food, then January is a good month for you to visit Key West. In January, the annual Key West Food & Wine Festival takes place offering a variety of wine and food events like waterfront tastings, winemaker and chef collaborations as well as other activities to experience foods typical for Key West. For visitors who are interested in sports, the Southernmost Regatta might be a memorable event! For five consecutive days in January, there usually are two races on two courses per day, taking place on the blue waters around the island of Key West.
Best Time to Visit Key West
As the area of Key West is characterized by traits of tropical climates, air and water temperatures remain typically warm throughout the whole year. However, the amount of rainfall shows significant monthly variations: From May through October, rainy days are very common with an average temperature of 84°F (29°C). This is the wet season. In the dry season however, days only have minimal rain but a lot of sunny and dry weather. The average temperature is slightly less than in the wet season at 74°F (23°C). Yet the range of monthly temperature averages only amounts to 15°F (8°C), implying that there are hardly any variations in temperature throughout the year. Taking the hurricane season into account as well, which occurs from June to November, the best time to pay a visit to Key West is from December to April. Accordingly, Key West has its highest visitor count in the months of December and January. During fall however, the numbers of visitors are at a minimum.
Days in Key West during the wet season (May through October) are characterized by rain and humidity. Heavy showers, especially during morning time, shortly followed by strong sunlight are typical. Precipitation reaches a peak in August through October being additionally affected by hurricanes and tropical thunderstorms at times. Visiting Key West during these months, rapidly changing weather conditions have to be expected.
Dry season (November through April) brings a lot of sunny days with low precipitation levels to Key West. Due to the dry climate, the average precipitation amounts to only 40 mm per year, causing Key West to be the driest place within Florida. While low rainfall is favorable for visits, the temperature at this time of the year can be somewhat cooler than in summer.
Due to changeable weather situations, it is highly recommended to keep an eye on local weather reports during your journey in Key West particularly to avoid major storms during hurricane season.
