MIAMI · JANUARY · THE MONTH GUIDE
January is Miami running cool and dry by its own standards. At the Miami International Airport station, NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals give an average high of 76.2°F, an average low of 61.0°F and 1.83 inches of rain for the whole month. The Atlantic hurricane season closed on November 30, the sun sets at 5:52 p.m. in mid-January, and the sea off the beach still averages 77.0°F at its daily peak.
Next to its neighbors, January brings the coolest nights of the three (61.0°F, against 64.3°F in December and 63.2°F in February) and the smallest rain total. It gives up about two degrees of sea to December. For neighborhoods and transport around the year, our where-to-stay guide and getting-around guide have the detail.
MIAMI IN JANUARY · AT A GLANCE
Book January for dry 76°F afternoons and a sea near 77°F at its daily peak, and pack a sweater for 61°F evenings.
NOAA MIA NORMALS 1991–2020 · 3.8 RAIN DAYS · OUTSIDE HURRICANE SEASON · SUNSET 5:52 P.M. ON JAN 15
Go for: Vizcaya’s gardens at midday, beach mornings at Lummus Park, free Thursday evenings at PAMM, and dates outside the June 1 to November 30 hurricane season.
Think twice before: booking January for the warmest winter swim. December’s sea averages 79.1°F at its daily peak, 2.1°F above January.
Climate: NOAA NCEI, MIA station · Sea: Open-Meteo Marine · full sources at the end
On this page
- Miami weather in January76.2°F highs, 61.0°F lows, 3.8 rain days
- Can you swim in Miami in January?A sea of 72°F to 77°F, depending on the source
- Hotel prices and crowds in JanuaryThe 12% room tax, resort fees and the February price window
- Things to do in Miami in JanuaryVizcaya, Lummus Park, South Pointe and free PAMM nights
- A two-day Miami plan for JanuaryTwo days from a 7:07 a.m. sunrise to a 5:52 p.m. sunset
- Miami in December or February instead?How the three months compare on heat, rain and sea
- Is January a good time to visit Miami?Who should book January, and who should pick December
Most January trips land at MIA, about 12 miles from South Beach and 20 to 45 minutes by road depending on traffic. Route 150, the Miami Beach Airport Express, leaves the airport Metrorail station roughly every 30 minutes from about 5 a.m. to midnight, crosses the Julia Tuttle Causeway to Mid Beach and costs $2.25, with luggage racks on board. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) sits about 25 miles out, 35 to 50 minutes on I-95. Our Florida flights guide covers routes into both, and our Florida overview suggests three to four nights for Miami.
Miami weather in January: average highs, lows and rain days
| January normal (MIA station, 1991–2020) | Value |
|---|---|
| Average high | 76.2°F |
| Average low | 61.0°F |
| Precipitation | 1.83 in |
| Days with 0.10 in or more | 3.8 |
| Days with 1 in or more | 0.4 |
| Daylight on Jan 15 | 10 h 45 min |
| Sunrise and sunset on Jan 15 | 7:07 a.m. · 5:52 p.m. EST |
Every temperature and rain figure here comes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information: the 1991-2020 monthly normals for station USW00012839 at Miami International Airport. That is a real thermometer at the airport, about 12 miles from South Beach, and it can differ by a few degrees from sites quoting a modeled grid-cell reanalysis. By that station, January averages a high of 76.2°F and a low of 61.0°F, and the month’s precipitation totals 1.83 inches.
An average January logs 3.8 days with at least 0.10 inch of rain, so measurable rain falls about one day in eight. Days with an inch or more average 0.4, a proper soaking in roughly two Januaries out of five. Over a four-night stay the odds favor one wet day at most, and an indoor option such as PAMM covers it.
Between the 76.2°F afternoon and the 61.0°F dawn, the average day swings 15.2°F. Pack for both ends: shorts and swimwear for the beach, plus a sweater or light jacket and long pants for dinner after sunset and for the first trolley at 8 a.m. Closed shoes help on an evening walk along Ocean Drive.
On January 15 Miami gets about 10 hours 45 minutes of daylight. Sunrise-sunset.org gives the sun rising at 12:07 UTC and setting at 22:52 UTC, which converts to 7:07 a.m. and 5:52 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Plan the beach before 4 p.m., reach South Pointe Park by 5:30 for the last light, and expect dinner in the dark. Vizcaya’s 4:30 p.m. last admission comes with more than an hour of daylight left.
Can you swim in Miami in January? Sea temperature and what it feels like
Open-Meteo’s Marine API puts the sea surface off Miami at 77.0°F in January, averaged over 2015 to 2024. That figure is a mean of daily maxima, the warmest reading of each day, so it runs a shade warmer than a 24-hour average. Other tables disagree: seatemperature.org and Current Results give about 72°F through the winter, with January values between about 72°F and 76°F. We give the range instead of picking a side: expect 72°F to 77°F.
At 77.0°F the water is warmer than the 61.0°F average low and close to the 76.2°F afternoon high, so the swim tends to feel mild and the minutes after it cooler. If the lower tables are nearer the mark, 72°F makes a brisk first plunge for most people. Swim between late morning and early afternoon, when the air sits nearest its high, and leave a dry layer on the sand for getting out.
We found no wind or swell figures for January that we could verify, so we give no number for either. Ask the lifeguards on duty at Lummus Park about conditions before you go in, and check the forecast on the morning itself.
How busy is Miami in January? Crowds and prices
January sits inside south Florida’s warm, dry stretch, which runs from December to April at roughly 65°F to 80°F. Market data relayed by travel guides puts hotel rates highest from February to April and lowest from August to October. The source is a market trend and carries no official weight, and we found no monthly rate or occupancy series for Miami, so we do not rank January’s prices. On the calendar, January falls one month ahead of the stretch those guides flag as the priciest.
We could not verify a booking lead time for January, so we name no number of weeks. Two facts still shape the booking. January falls outside the June 1 to November 30 hurricane season, so the usual storm reason to pay extra for a refundable rate does not apply. And a stay that runs past January 31 crosses into the February-to-April window: price those last nights separately before you commit.
Miami-Dade County levies a 6.0% transient rental tax, filed and paid together with the 6% state sales tax, so 12% goes on the room rate. We could not verify whether a city-level tax adds to that on Miami Beach, so we give no further percentage. Many Miami Beach hotels also add a nightly resort fee. Published amounts diverge widely, from about $25 on average to $35 to $95 depending on the property, so ask for the all-in nightly total before you book.
Pay extra, if anywhere, for a bed on Miami Beach close to a trolley stop. The free trolley runs 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., about every 20 minutes, on five routes including the Collins Express along Collins Avenue, and Lummus Park is free around the clock. A cheaper mainland bed adds the drive and, on weekends, a $20 flat rate at the South Pointe Park lot. Our where-to-stay guide compares the areas, and Florida trip costs sets out the budget tiers.
Things to do in Miami in January
January is dry and mild enough to spend the middle of the day outdoors on foot. The MIA gauge records 1.83 inches for the month, against 10.51 inches in June, the wettest month of the year there, and summer highs reach about 90°F with humidity of 85 to 90 percent. A garden walk at noon, a beach at two and a sunset at South Pointe fit into one January day without a retreat indoors.
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, in north Coconut Grove inside the City of Miami, overlooks Biscayne Bay and opens Wednesday to Monday from 9:30 a.m., last admission 4:30 p.m., closed Tuesdays. Adults pay $20 while restoration work runs (usually $25), children 6 to 12 pay $5 and under-6s enter free. Lummus Park fronts Ocean Drive from 5th to 15th Streets: free, open 24 hours, with lifeguards, restrooms and picnic tables. South Pointe Park is free to enter, its lot $2 an hour or $20 flat on weekends and holidays. Crandon Park on Key Biscayne charges $7 to park on weekdays and $10 at weekends.
The sea barely moves across the turn of the month, 77.0°F in January and 76.9°F in February, while the afternoon air climbs two degrees, from 76.2°F to 78.2°F. January’s gap sits at dawn: the 61.0°F average low is 16°F cooler than the water. At Lummus Park at 8 a.m., the water will usually feel warmer than the air, and Vizcaya’s gardens stay comfortable for walking well past lunch.
Several things cost nothing in January. The Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is free every Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., and with sunset around 5:52 p.m. in mid-January, the free window opens with about 50 minutes of daylight left. PAMM is also free all day on the second Saturday of each month (January 9 in 2027), with art-making from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Metromover over Downtown and Brickell is free, and so is the Miami Beach trolley. The year-round list lives in things to do in Florida.
Miami in January: a two-day itinerary
Day one, Miami Beach. Sunrise is 7:07 a.m. in mid-January and the free trolley starts at 8 a.m.: ride a South Beach loop to Lummus Park and walk the sand between 5th and 15th Streets while the air climbs out of the low 60s. Swim from late morning to about 2 p.m., when the air is nearest its 76°F high. Around 3 p.m., head south to South Pointe Park (free entry, lot $2 an hour, $20 flat on weekends). Stay for the 5:52 p.m. sunset, then pull on the sweater for dinner.
Day two, the mainland. Avoid Tuesday, when Vizcaya is closed. From the beach, Route 120 Beach MAX ($2.25) crosses the MacArthur Causeway to the Downtown Bus Terminal. Change to Metrorail for Vizcaya station, a few minutes’ walk from the gate, and the transfer is free. Arrive for the 9:30 a.m. opening ($20 adults), and fare capping stops the day’s transit spend at $5.65. With a car, finish at Crandon Park ($7 weekday parking). If one of January’s 3.8 wet days lands, swap the beach for the free Metromover, cars every three minutes off-peak, or PAMM on a Thursday evening.
Miami in January vs December and February
| Measure | December | January | February |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average high (NOAA, MIA) | 78.2°F | 76.2°F | 78.2°F |
| Average low (NOAA, MIA) | 64.3°F | 61.0°F | 63.2°F |
| Precipitation | 2.44 in | 1.83 in | 2.15 in |
| Days with 0.10 in or more | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| Sea surface (daily max, Open-Meteo) | 79.1°F | 77.0°F | 76.9°F |
January is the coolest of the three months at the MIA station. Its 76.2°F high sits 2.0°F below both December and February, and its 61.0°F low runs 3.3°F under December’s and 2.2°F under February’s. By total it is also the driest, 1.83 inches against 2.44 and 2.15, although the count of rain days barely moves: 3.7, 3.8 and 3.6. At sea, December runs 2.1°F warmer, while February comes in within 0.1°F of January.
Shifting four weeks earlier, into December, buys 2.0°F at midday, nights 3.3°F warmer and a sea 2.1°F warmer, for 0.61 inch more rain. Shifting four weeks later, into February, buys the same 2.0°F at midday and nights 2.2°F warmer, with the sea level at 76.9°F. The trade there is price, since February opens the window market data flags as the priciest. Details sit in Miami in December and Miami in February.
Is January a good time to visit Miami?
Yes, for travelers who want to be outdoors all day: garden walks at Vizcaya, beach mornings at Lummus Park, dinner in a sweater at 61°F, and only 3.8 days of measurable rain in an average month. Less so for anyone whose trip turns on long, warm swims, since January’s sea runs 72°F to 77°F depending on the source. Anyone who wants light late into the evening should note the 5:52 p.m. sunset in mid-January.
If the swim decides the trip, pick December. NOAA’s normals give it a 78.2°F high and a 64.3°F low, and Open-Meteo puts its sea at 79.1°F at the daily peak, at the cost of 2.44 inches of rain against January’s 1.83. Early December also brings Art Basel Miami Beach to the Miami Beach Convention Center, with 2026 dates our sources disagree on. The rest is in Miami in December.
Among the three winter months we compare, January pairs the lowest rain total at the MIA gauge, 1.83 inches, with the coolest nights, 61.0°F, which suits anyone planning to walk more than swim.
The last word
Book January if your Miami is a walking one, pack the sweater next to the swimsuit, and spend the extra on a room near a Miami Beach trolley stop before a bigger room anywhere else. If you add a day beyond the city, make it the Everglades. The National Park Service charges $35 per private vehicle for seven days, and the park’s three entrances sit at least an hour’s drive apart, so pick one with our Everglades guide before you leave the hotel.
Sources & data for this guide
- January, December and February normals, rain days · NOAA NCEI monthly normals 1991–2020, station USW00012839 (Miami International Airport) · checked Sep 24, 2026
- Sea surface, mean of daily maxima 2015–2024 · Open-Meteo Marine API · checked Sep 24, 2026
- Winter sea temperature, about 72°F to 76°F in January · seatemperature.org and Current Results · the gap with Open-Meteo is unresolved, so we give the range
- Daylight, sunrise and sunset on January 15 · sunrise-sunset.org, converted from UTC to Eastern Standard Time · checked Sep 24, 2026
- Hurricane season dates · NOAA National Hurricane Center · checked Sep 24, 2026
- Transient rental tax · Florida Department of Revenue, form DR-15TDT · checked Sep 24, 2026 · we could not verify any city-level tax on Miami Beach
- Hotel rate trend · market data relayed by travel guides, no official statistic · checked Sep 24, 2026 · we found no monthly rate series, no occupancy series and no booking lead-time data
- Resort fees · fee comparison sites and local guides · checked Sep 24, 2026 · amounts diverge strongly, so we give the range only
- Vizcaya hours, prices and location · vizcaya.org · checked Sep 24, 2026
- PAMM free hours · pamm.org · checked Sep 24, 2026
- Lummus Park, South Pointe Park and Crandon Park · City of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade Parks · checked Sep 24, 2026 · parking rates change
- Transit fares, fare cap, trolley, Metromover, routes 120 and 150 · Miami-Dade County and City of Miami Beach · checked Sep 24, 2026
- Airport distances and drive times · airport transport sources · checked Sep 24, 2026 · indicative times, not official schedules
- Everglades vehicle fee and entrances · National Park Service · our reading date for this one was not recorded, so check before you drive
- We found no wind or swell data for January that we could verify.