Cape Verde weather in January

Cape Verde weather in January across the islands

On Sal, January averages about 25 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night, and the long-term rainfall average is zero. Boa Vista, just as flat and low, is very similar: see Boa Vista weather. The sun is strong at this latitude even in midwinter, so sunscreen matters more than the thermometer suggests, but evenings on a terrace can feel cool in the wind: pack a light jumper. Our Sal weather guide explains why the island stays so dry.

The mountainous islands are a different story. Santiago, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Fogo and Brava are dry in January too, but the heights are noticeably cooler, and on the rim of Fogo's crater or the ridges of Santo Antão a fleece and a windproof are needed, especially early in the morning. January is good hiking weather on Santo Antão: no heat to speak of and no rain, although the valleys are browner than after the autumn rains.

Sea, trade winds and Saharan haze

At about 24 °C the sea is warmer in January than in the following three months, and the sheltered bay at Santa Maria on Sal is the easiest place to swim. The north-east trade winds blow hard from roughly December to May, which makes January part of the kitesurf and windsurf season at Kite Beach and Ponta Preta on Sal. Winter swells also reach the exposed coasts, so on many beaches the surf is too strong for children; read the flags and ask locally.

Between roughly November and March the Harmattan can carry Saharan dust across the islands. These days of bruma seca turn the sky milky, hide the views from the mountains and occasionally delay inter-island flights, so leave slack in any island-hopping plan.

What to do in January

January suits a mix of beach and activity: kitesurf lessons on Sal, quad and jeep trips across the desert of Boa Vista, and walks on Santo Antão or up Fogo's volcano. There is no turtle nesting and the humpback whales are not expected until about March, so compare the year-round options in our tours guide instead.

Two public holidays fall in January: Freedom and Democracy Day on 13 January and National Heroes' Day on 20 January, the anniversary of Amílcar Cabral's death. In Mindelo on São Vicente the groups are preparing for Carnival, which in 2027 peaks on 9 February. Our Carnival guide explains how to plan a trip around it.

Crowds and prices in January

The first days of January are part of the expensive Christmas and New Year peak. After that, demand dips until the February half-term in the UK, and early to mid-January is often one of the better-value windows of the winter-sun season, with prices still well above those of May or June. See the best time to visit for how the whole year compares. How the islands see in the New Year, from the fireworks in Praia to the concerts in Mindelo, is covered in Christmas and New Year in Cape Verde.