Fairbanks, AK weather in January
Expect very cold, snowy weather in Fairbanks in January, with highs near 1°F and lows near -17°F. Rain or snow falls on about 9 days. Snowfall averages about 10.2 in. It is one of the coldest months in Fairbanks. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 1°F
- Normal low
- -17°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 0.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.2 in
- snow on the ground 31 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 1°F | 4°F |
| Normal low | -17°F | -14°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 10:54 am / 2:54 pm | 9:39 am / 4:28 pm |
| Daylight | 4.0 h | 6.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am-7°Fdew point -8°F
- 9 am-9°Fdew point -9°F
- Noon-6°Fdew point -7°F
- 3 pm-5°Fdew point -7°F
- 6 pm-6°Fdew point -7°F
- 9 pm-8°Fdew point -8°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fairbanks Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 2 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more31 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.6 in; a dry January brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 10.2 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202001: average high 18°F
- Coolest January2012: average high -18°F
- Wettest January1993: 2.4 in
- Driest January2016: 0.01 in
- Highest reading52°F (January 16, 2009)
- Lowest reading-51°F (January 18, 2017)
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 | 4°F | 1°F | 12°F |
| Normal low | -13°F | -17°F | -11°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 4.0 h | 5.3 h | 8.5 h |
Highs change by -3°F from December and +11°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Denali Park, AK84 mi · high 10°F · 8 wet days
How Fairbanks ranks in January
- Normal high378th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days161st driest of 378
- Comfortable days268th most of 339
What to pack for Fairbanks in January
- A warm jacket – lows near -17°F, highs near 1°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 31 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 2272 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 17% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fairbanks in January?
The normal high is 1°F and the normal low is -17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -51°F (most recently on January 18, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Fairbanks in January?
About 9 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1993 (2.4 in); the driest was in 2016 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Fairbanks in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 10.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 31 days.
Is January a good time to visit Fairbanks?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fairbanks (23 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June and July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Fairbanks Intl Airport (USW00026411), 5.2 mi WSW of the city center, 432 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fairbanks International (702610-26411), 5.3 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).