United States weather in January
United States in January averages -2°C (29°F) and 17 mm of rain. It is one of the driest months of the year here.
Of the twelve months in United States, January is the coldest and the driest.
- Average temp
- -2°C (29°F)
-7–4°C · 19–39°F
- Rainfall
- 17 mm
Not much rain
- Sunshine
- —
- Wind
- 17 km/h
What is United States like in January?
Daytime
Days are cool.
Rain
Rain is usually light.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What should I pack for United States in January?
A warm mid-layer
Nights drop to around -7°C (19°F).
January compared with December and February
January in United States is 1.5°C cooler than December and about as wet as it, which averages 0°C (32°F).
January in United States is 2.2°C cooler than February and about as wet as it, which averages 1°C (33°F).
Daylight in United States in January
On 15 January the sun is up for 9 hours 40 minutes in United States, rising about 07:53 and setting about 17:33 local time.
January ends 45 minutes longer than it begins, so the last week of the month is a different length of day from the first.
That is 5 hours 19 minutes short of June, the longest-lit month here.
Travel guides for United States
What to read before you book.
United States weather by month
TemperatureRainfall
How January compares with the rest of the year
January is highlighted. Every other month links to its own page.
| Month | Average | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| January | -2°C / 29°F | 17 mm |
| February | 1°C / 33°F | 20 mm |
| March | 6°C / 44°F | 39 mm |
| April | 12°C / 53°F | 64 mm |
| May | 18°C / 64°F | 112 mm |
| June | 24°C / 74°F | 96 mm |
| July | 26°C / 79°F | 102 mm |
| August | 25°C / 77°F | 88 mm |
| September | 20°C / 69°F | 72 mm |
| October | 13°C / 56°F | 50 mm |
| November | 6°C / 42°F | 29 mm |
| December | 0°C / 32°F | 26 mm |
Check another month
This is the month you are reading. Change either side to look at another.
FAQs about United States in January
January climate averages for United States, 1991–2020.
United States averages -2°C (29°F) in January, ranging from about -7°C (19°F) at night to 4°C (39°F) in the afternoon. That is a 1991–2020 average, so an individual week can run either side of it.
Barely. January sees only about 17 mm, so rain is unlikely to affect your plans.
No. January averages -2°C (29°F) against 1°C (33°F) in February — 2.2°C cooler.
January is 1.5°C cooler than December, and about as wet.
It is outside the easiest window. The most comfortable stretch here is May to October; January sits outside it, which usually means more heat, more rain, or both — worth it if you would rather have the place to yourself.
This page does not show today's weather. It is a 1991–2020 climate normal from Meteostat — a long-run average of what January is usually like, which is what you want when booking months ahead. For today or the coming week, check a live forecast.
About 9 hours 40 minutes of daylight in mid-January, against 14 hours 59 minutes in June and 9 hours 22 minutes in December.
On 15 January, sunrise is about 07:53 and sunset about 17:33 local time. Both shift across the month — the month ends 45 minutes longer than it starts.
