Gulf Shores, AL weather in January
In January, Gulf Shores sees highs around 62°F and lows around 37°F: cool, with frequent rain. Expect about 11 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Gulf Shores.
- Normal high
- 62°F
- Normal low
- 37°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 5.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 62°F | 63°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 37°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:47 am / 5:01 pm | 6:41 am / 5:26 pm |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 10.7 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am48°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 am53°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon59°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm60°Fdew point 44°F
- 6 pm54°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm51°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (24 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 55% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 39%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below10 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in January
Normal precipitation is 5.5 in; a dry January brings about 3.0 in and a wet one about 5.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202012: average high 68°F
- Coolest January2014: average high 55°F
- Wettest January1998: 16.3 in
- Driest January2005: 2.1 in
- Highest reading81°F (January 17, 2017)
- Lowest reading14°F (January 18, 2018)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
January compared with December and February
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 62°F | 65°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 37°F | 40°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 9 | 11 |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 10.4 h | 11.1 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Tuscaloosa, AL205 mi · high 56°F · 11 wet days
How Gulf Shores ranks in January
- Normal high91st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Alabama
- Wet days271st driest of 378
- Comfortable days86th most of 339
What to pack for Gulf Shores in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 37°F, highs near 62°F
- Layers – afternoons near 62°F but nights near 37°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Frost in January
The last spring frost typically comes around Jan 31; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Feb 27. All frost dates for Gulf Shores.
Heating and cooling
January has 494 heating degree days and 4 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Gulf Shores in January?
The normal high is 62°F and the normal low is 37°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 14°F (most recently on January 18, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Gulf Shores in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.5 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (16.3 in); the driest was in 2005 (2.1 in).
Does it snow in Gulf Shores in January?
Snow is very rare: the 1991-2020 normal for January rounds to 0.0 in.
Is January a good time to visit Gulf Shores?
January ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Gulf Shores (54 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and rain: Fairhope 2 Ne (USC00012813), 23 mi NNW of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Dauphin Is #2 (USC00012172), 23 mi W of the city center, 8 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (USW00003855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pensacola Rgnl Airport (USW00013899), 35 mi ENE of the city center, 112 ft (105 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pensacola NAS (722225-03855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.