What January feels like in Dakhla
Dakhla in January is mild, with daytime temperatures around 23.8 °C and nights near 13.8 °C. Relative humidity averages 51%, and the wind blows across the peninsula for most of the daylight hours, which makes the air feel two to four degrees cooler than the thermometer suggests.
Expect roughly 10 hours of sunshine per day out of 10.9 hours of daylight. Cloud in Dakhla is usually low marine stratus in the early morning rather than the thick overcast you would associate with rain.
Wind and kitesurfing in January
Reliable wind. The average daily maximum wind speed in January is 28 km/h — about 15 knots — with gusts averaging 43 km/h. The north-east trade wind follows the same daily rhythm all year: light in the morning, building from late morning as the Sahara heats up, and peaking between the early and late afternoon.
For most riders this means a 10–12 m kite is the workhorse, with an 8 m for the windier afternoons.
Sea temperature and the water in January
The Atlantic off Dakhla averages 18 °C in January. Cold — 4/3 mm wetsuit. The cold Canary Current keeps the water well below what the latitude would suggest, while the shallow lagoon warms faster than the open ocean and can feel noticeably milder at low tide on a sunny afternoon.
Rain, fog and visibility
January records about 0.9 mm of rain across roughly 0.3 wet days. Rain gear is not something to plan around here. What does affect visibility is fog: warm air moving over cold water condenses, especially in the early morning, and usually clears between 10:00 and midday.
What to pack for January
- Wetsuit: Cold — 4/3 mm wetsuit.
- Light long-sleeve layers — they block the sun and the wind at the same time.
- A warm mid-layer for evenings: nights drop to around 13.8 °C and the breeze makes it feel cooler.
- SPF 50 sunscreen, sunglasses and a buff for blowing sand.