Palm Springs, CA weather in January
January in Palm Springs: mild and mostly dry. Highs 71°F, lows 48°F, rain on about 3 days. It is one of the coolest months in Palm Springs. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 71°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 3
- 1.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 48°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 9% | 9% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:51 am / 4:48 pm | 6:43 am / 5:15 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 10.5 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 am43°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 35°F
- Noon68°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm70°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm56°Fdew point 34°F
- 9 pm50°Fdew point 34°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Desert Resorts Rgnl Airport (26 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 78% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 19%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F22 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 snow3 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in January
Normal precipitation is 1.4 in; a dry January brings about 0.04 in and a wet one about 2.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202003: average high 78°F
- Coolest January2008: average high 64°F
- Wettest January1993: 8.0 in
- Driest January1999: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading92°F (January 31, 2003)
- Lowest reading24°F (January 14, 2007)
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 | 69°F | 71°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 48°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 21 | 22 | 17 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 10.2 h | 11.0 h |
Highs change by +2°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Big Bear Lake, CA35 mi · high 46°F · 7 wet days
How Palm Springs ranks in January
- Normal high24th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 60 in California
- Wet days6th driest of 378
- Comfortable days1st most of 339
Heating and cooling
January has 197 heating degree days and 13 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Palm Springs in January?
The normal high is 71°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest January reading was 92°F (January 31, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in Palm Springs in January?
About 3 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1993 (8.0 in); the driest was in 1999, with no measurable precipitation.
Is January a good time to visit Palm Springs?
January ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Palm Springs (74 out of 100). It has about 22 comfortable days. The best months are January, February and December.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Palm Springs Rgnl Airport (USW00093138), 2.3 mi E of the city center, 421 ft (58 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Palm Springs (USC00046635), 2.0 mi E of the city center, 425 ft (54 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Desert Resorts Rgnl Airport (USW00003104), 26 mi ESE of the city center, -118 ft (597 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Desert Resorts Rgnl Arpt (747187-03104), 26 mi ESE of the city center, -118 ft (597 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.