South Lake Tahoe, CA weather in January
January in South Lake Tahoe: chilly and snowy. Highs 43°F, lows 18°F, rain or snow on about 10 days and about 37.9 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in South Lake Tahoe. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 43°F
- Normal low
- 18°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 6.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 37.9 in
- snow on the ground 27 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 19°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:18 am / 4:48 pm | 7:07 am / 5:19 pm |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 10.2 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 am38°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 am40°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon43°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm43°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm40°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm39°Fdew point 23°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Blue Canyon Airport (46 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 in10 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more27 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 6.0 in; a dry January brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 9.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 37.9 in, with about 6 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202015: average high 52°F
- Coolest January2005: average high 36°F
- Wettest January2017: 23.4 in
- Driest January2015: 0.1 in
- Highest reading66°F (January 25, 2015)
- Lowest reading-21°F (January 3, 1993)
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 | 43°F | 43°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 18°F | 19°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.8 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by 0°F from December and 0°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Elk Grove, CA83 mi · high 56°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Reno, NV42 mi · high 48°F · 7 wet days
How South Lake Tahoe ranks in January
- Normal high237th warmest of 378 cities; 59th of 60 in California
- Wet days201st driest of 378
- Comfortable days249th most of 339
What to pack for South Lake Tahoe in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 18°F, highs near 43°F
- Layers – afternoons near 43°F but nights near 18°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 27 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1066 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 South Lake Tahoe in January?
The normal high is 43°F and the normal low is 18°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -21°F (January 3, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in South Lake Tahoe in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 6.0 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (23.4 in); the driest was in 2015 (0.1 in).
Does it snow in South Lake Tahoe in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 37.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 27 days.
Is January a good time to visit South Lake Tahoe?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for South Lake Tahoe (32 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature: South Lake Tahoe Airport (USW00093230), 2.5 mi SSW of the city center, 6,314 ft (76 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain: Fallen Leaf (USS0020L10S), 3.5 mi W of the city center, 6,236 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Tahoe City (USC00048758), 18 mi NNW of the city center, 6,230 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Glenbrook (USC00263205), 10 mi NNE of the city center, 6,350 ft (112 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Blue Canyon Airport (USW00023225), 46 mi WNW of the city center, 5,276 ft (962 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lake Tahoe Airport (725847-93230), 2.5 mi SSW of the city center, 6,257 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).