VeabirdBeach

The Alabama & Mississippi coast in January

January is one of the weakest months for a beach trip to the Alabama & Mississippi coast: a typical day grades C-, the 12th best of the 12 months. Expect highs near 60°F, water around 59°F and about a 31% chance of rain on a given day. Beaches are typically quiet (New Year holiday and MLK weekend).

Typical dayC-12th of 12 months
Highs / water60°FSea 59°F
Rain chance31%on a given day
Waves2.9 fttypical
CrowdsQuietNew Year holiday
Storm riskVery lowoutside storm season

The Alabama & Mississippi coast month by month

Typical grade and high for each month. Higher is better: A+ to F.

December: C+ · January: C- · February: C. The best months are usually May, October and November, and the weakest are January and February.

Best beaches in the Alabama & Mississippi coast in January

Resorts with the best typical January, and their grades for the next few days.

BeachTypical JanThis week
Golden Nugget BiloxiCSatB+SunBMonA-TueA-WedA-
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino BiloxiCSatB+SunBMonA-TueA-WedA-
Beau Rivage Resort & CasinoCSatB+SunBMonA-TueA-WedA-
Island View Casino ResortCSatB+SunB+MonA-TueA-WedA-
Bay St. Louis Beach HotelsCSatBSunB+MonA-TueA-WedA-
Turquoise PlaceC-SatBSunC+MonB+TueB+WedB+
Perdido Beach ResortC-SatBSunC+MonB+TueB+WedB+
Hilton Garden Inn Orange BeachC-SatBSunC+MonB+TueB+WedA-

Grades for the next few days from Veabird's beach forecast, updated Oct 3, 18:00 UTC. Higher is better: A+ to F.

Better beach options in January

Elsewhere in Florida & the Gulf Coast, Florida Keys (B+), Southwest Florida (B) and Tampa Bay (C+) usually grade higher in January. Further afield: Huatulco (A), Puerto Vallarta (A) and the Yucatán Gulf Coast (A). Every destination in January.

Questions

Is January a good time to visit the Alabama & Mississippi coast?
January is one of the weakest months for a beach trip to the Alabama & Mississippi coast: a typical day grades C-, the 12th best of the 12 months. Expect highs near 60°F, water around 59°F and about a 31% chance of rain on a given day. Beaches are typically quiet (New Year holiday and MLK weekend).
How warm is the Alabama & Mississippi coast in January?
Typical highs are about 60°F and the sea is about 59°F. The water is on the cool side for long swims.
Is January hurricane season in the Alabama & Mississippi coast?
No. Storm risk is very low in January.
How crowded is the Alabama & Mississippi coast in January?
Typically quiet, around New Year holiday and MLK weekend. The quietest months are usually January and December.

Plan it

Typical-month numbers from Veabird's year-ahead outlook for the 11 resorts here (median resort): 6 years of ERA5 climate normals, the seasonal pattern of the Atlantic sargassum belt, holiday crowd calendars and historical storm tracks. Any given year can differ; check the 16-day forecast before you go.

Coordinates approximate; forecasts are estimates, not safety guidance.