San Jose, CA weather in January
Expect cool weather with some rain in San Jose in January, with highs near 60°F and lows near 42°F. Rain falls on about 9 days. It is one of the coolest months in San Jose.
- Normal high
- 60°F
- Normal low
- 42°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 2.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 43°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:21 am / 5:00 pm | 7:11 am / 5:30 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 am47°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon53°Fdew point 45°F
- 3 pm55°Fdew point 45°F
- 6 pm53°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm51°Fdew point 45°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from San Francisco Intl Airport (32 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 29% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 57%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F6 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 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in January
Normal precipitation is 2.8 in; a dry January brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 4.5 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 January2008: average high 56°F
- Wettest January2017: 5.6 in
- Driest January2015: 0.01 in
- Highest reading77°F (January 12, 2009)
- Lowest reading26°F (January 13, 2013)
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 | 60°F | 60°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 42°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 9 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 6 | 9 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.9 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by 0°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Solvang, CA214 mi · high 67°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Yosemite Valley, CA130 mi · high 48°F · 9 wet days
How San Jose ranks in January
- Normal high100th warmest of 378 cities; 32nd of 60 in California
- Wet days175th driest of 378
- Comfortable days122nd most of 339
What to pack for San Jose in January
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Frost in January
The last spring frost typically comes around Jan 12; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Feb 14. All frost dates for San Jose.
Heating and cooling
January has 440 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is San Jose in January?
The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 42°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 26°F (January 13, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in San Jose in January?
About 9 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (5.6 in); the driest was in 2015 (0.01 in).
Is January a good time to visit San Jose?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for San Jose (51 out of 100). It has about 6 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: San Jose (USW00023293), 2.1 mi NW of the city center, 51 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: San Jose (USC00047821), 0.8 mi NNW of the city center, 67 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: San Francisco Intl Airport (USW00023234), 32 mi NW of the city center, 8 ft (73 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: N Y. Mineta Sn Jo Intl Apt (724945-23293), 2.1 mi NW of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.