San Diego, CA weather in January
January in San Diego: mild, with some rain. Highs 66°F, lows 50°F, rain on about 7 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 50°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 2.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 51°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 21% | 22% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:50 am / 4:53 pm | 6:44 am / 5:20 pm |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 10.6 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 am52°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 42°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm64°Fdew point 45°F
- 6 pm60°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from San Diego Lindbergh Fld (2 mi away); average wind 5 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph1 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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 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 2.0 in; a dry January brings about 0.4 in and a wet one about 3.0 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 71°F
- Coolest January2008: average high 61°F
- Wettest January1993: 9.1 in
- Driest January2014: 0.01 in
- Highest reading87°F (January 19, 2005)
- Lowest reading35°F (January 15, 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 | 66°F | 66°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 50°F | 52°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 14 | 12 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 10.3 h | 11.0 h |
Highs change by 0°F from December and 0°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Drier: Palm Springs, CA85 mi · high 71°F · 3 wet days
- Cooler: Big Bear Lake, CA107 mi · high 46°F · 7 wet days
How San Diego ranks in January
- Normal high60th warmest of 378 cities; 23rd of 60 in California
- Wet days83rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days38th most of 339
Heating and cooling
January has 209 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 11% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is San Diego in January?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 50°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 35°F (January 15, 2007).
Does it rain a lot in San Diego in January?
About 7 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.0 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1993 (9.1 in); the driest was in 2014 (0.01 in).
Is January a good time to visit San Diego?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for San Diego (63 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: San Diego Lindbergh Fld (USW00023188), 2.0 mi NW of the city center, 15 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Chula Vista (USC00041758), 6.7 mi SE of the city center, 56 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: San Diego International Airport (722900-23188), 2.0 mi NW of the city center, 15 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).