Salinas, CA weather in January
January in Salinas: cool, with some rain. Highs 62°F, lows 42°F, about 9 days with rain. It is one of the coolest months in Salinas.
- Normal high
- 62°F
- Normal low
- 42°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 2.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 62°F | 63°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 42°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:19 am / 5:01 pm | 7:09 am / 5:30 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 10.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F10 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 more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below2 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 1.1 in and a wet one about 4.0 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 71°F
- Coolest January2002: average high 58°F
- Wettest January1995: 7.8 in
- Driest January2015: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading86°F (January 17, 2014)
- Lowest reading22°F (January 13, 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 | 62°F | 62°F | 63°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 42°F | 43°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 10.0 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by 0°F from December and +1°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Santa Clarita, CA236 mi · high 70°F · 6 wet days
- Drier: Bakersfield, CA173 mi · high 59°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Tracy, CA74 mi · high 57°F · 13 wet days
How Salinas ranks in January
- Normal high87th warmest of 378 cities; 30th of 60 in California
- Wet days180th driest of 378
- Comfortable days70th most of 339
What to pack for Salinas in January
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Frost in January
The last spring frost typically comes around Jan 29; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Mar 1. All frost dates for Salinas.
Heating and cooling
January has 405 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Salinas in January?
The normal high is 62°F and the normal low is 42°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 22°F (January 13, 2007).
Does it rain a lot in Salinas in January?
About 9 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 (7.8 in); the driest was in 2015, with no measurable precipitation.
Is January a good time to visit Salinas?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Salinas (56 out of 100). It has about 10 comfortable days. The best month is July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Salinas Municipal Airport (USW00023233), 2.8 mi ESE of the city center, 74 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Salinas #2 (USC00047668), 1.4 mi SSW of the city center, 45 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: N Y. Mineta Sn Jo Intl Apt (724945-23293), 49 mi NNW of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).