Fort Collins, CO weather in January
Fort Collins is chilly and mostly dry in January, with some snow: highs average 45°F and nights drop to about 18°F. Expect about 4 wet days. Snowfall averages about 6.7 in. This is the depth of winter in Fort Collins.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 18°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.7 in
- snow on the ground 12 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 44°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 17°F | 19°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 13% | 14% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:24 am / 4:43 pm | 7:10 am / 5:16 pm |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 10.1 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am25°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 pm29°Fdew point 15°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Denver Intl Airport (57 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 70% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 25%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 snow4 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more12 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.4 in; a dry January brings about 0.1 in and a wet one about 0.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 6.7 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202003: average high 53°F
- Coolest January1993: average high 37°F
- Wettest January2014: 1.4 in
- Driest January2020: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading75°F (January 26, 2015)
- Lowest reading-16°F (January 6, 2017)
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 | 44°F | 45°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 18°F | 21°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.7 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by +1°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Cheyenne, WY41 mi · high 40°F · 5 wet days
How Fort Collins ranks in January
- Normal high217th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days21st driest of 378
- Comfortable days203rd most of 339
What to pack for Fort Collins in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 18°F, highs near 45°F
- Layers – afternoons near 45°F but nights near 18°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 12 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1034 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 Fort Collins in January?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 18°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -16°F (January 6, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Fort Collins in January?
About 4 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2014 (1.4 in); the driest was in 2020, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Fort Collins in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 6.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 12 days.
Is January a good time to visit Fort Collins?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fort Collins (40 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Ft Collins (USC00053005), 0.6 mi S of the city center, 5,004 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Denver Intl Airport (USW00003017), 57 mi SSE of the city center, 5,414 ft (410 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Cheyenne (USW00024018), 42 mi NNE of the city center, 6,128 ft (1,124 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Denver International Airport (725650-03017), 56 mi SSE of the city center, 5,404 ft (400 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.