Modesto, CA weather in January
Modesto is cool in January, with some rain: highs average 56°F and nights drop to about 39°F. Expect about 10 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Modesto.
- Normal high
- 56°F
- Normal low
- 39°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 55°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 40°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:19 am / 4:56 pm | 7:08 am / 5:26 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 10.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am42°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 am44°Fdew point 41°F
- Noon52°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm55°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm50°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 pm46°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Stockton Metro Airport (21 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 50% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below5 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in January
Normal precipitation is 2.6 in; a dry January brings about 1.0 in and a wet one about 3.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202014: average high 66°F
- Coolest January1992: average high 50°F
- Wettest January1995: 7.3 in
- Driest January2015: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading75°F (January 17, 1998)
- Lowest reading23°F (January 17, 2012)
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 | 56°F | 56°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 39°F | 42°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.9 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by 0°F from December and +6°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Salinas, CA76 mi · high 62°F · 9 wet days
- Drier: Bakersfield, CA191 mi · high 59°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Yosemite Valley, CA78 mi · high 48°F · 9 wet days
How Modesto ranks in January
- Normal high146th warmest of 378 cities; 52nd of 60 in California
- Wet days193rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days164th most of 339
What to pack for Modesto in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 39°F, highs near 56°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in January
The last spring frost typically comes around Jan 31; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Feb 25. All frost dates for Modesto.
Heating and cooling
January has 544 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Modesto in January?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low is 39°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 23°F (most recently on January 17, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Modesto in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.6 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (7.3 in); the driest was in 2015, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Modesto in January?
Snow is very rare: the 1991-2020 normal for January rounds to 0.0 in.
Is January a good time to visit Modesto?
January ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Modesto (46 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Modesto City Co Airport (USW00023258), 2.7 mi ESE of the city center, 73 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Turlock #2 (USC00049073), 13 mi SE of the city center, 103 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Stockton Metro Airport (USW00023237), 21 mi NW of the city center, 26 ft (62 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mdsto Cty-Co H Sham Fd Apt (724926-23258), 2.5 mi ESE of the city center, 87 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.