Hartford, CT weather in January
Hartford is cold and snowy in January: highs average 37°F and nights drop to about 20°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 14.2 in. This is the depth of winter in Hartford. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 20°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.2 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 38°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 22°F | 20°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:18 am / 4:30 pm | 7:03 am / 5:04 pm |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 10.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am24°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 am26°Fdew point 17°F
- Noon31°Fdew point 18°F
- 3 pm33°Fdew point 18°F
- 6 pm30°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 pm27°Fdew point 17°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Hartford Bradley Intl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 8 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more13 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 2.9 in; a dry January brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 3.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.2 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 43°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 28°F
- Wettest January1999: 5.5 in
- Driest January2004: 1.7 in
- Highest reading71°F (January 6, 2007)
- Lowest reading-16°F (January 18, 1997)
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 | 42°F | 37°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 20°F | 22°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 9.6 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Cape May, NJ228 mi · high 43°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Manchester, NH106 mi · high 32°F · 11 wet days
How Hartford ranks in January
- Normal high282nd warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 5 in Connecticut
- Wet days235th driest of 378
- Comfortable days234th most of 339
What to pack for Hartford in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 20°F, highs near 37°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1130 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 17% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Hartford in January?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 20°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -16°F (January 18, 1997).
Does it rain a lot in Hartford in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.9 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (5.5 in); the driest was in 2004 (1.7 in).
Does it snow in Hartford in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 14.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is January a good time to visit Hartford?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Hartford (28 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Hartford Brainard Fld (USW00014752), 2.6 mi SE of the city center, 19 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and humidity and wind by hour: Hartford Bradley Intl Airport (USW00014740), 12 mi N of the city center, 190 ft (140 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Burlington (USC00060973), 13 mi W of the city center, 505 ft (455 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Bradley International Airport (725080-14740), 12 mi N of the city center, 169 ft (119 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).