Dover, DE weather in January
Dover is chilly in January, with some rain and some snow: highs average 44°F and nights drop to about 28°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 4.1 in. This is the depth of winter in Dover.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 28°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.1 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 45°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:21 am / 4:49 pm | 7:09 am / 5:21 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am32°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am34°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon39°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dover AFB (4 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 45% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 47%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 below22 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more3 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry January brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.1 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 54°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 37°F
- Wettest January1999: 6.5 in
- Driest January1992: 1.0 in
- Highest reading74°F (January 24, 1999)
- Lowest reading-3°F (January 19, 1994)
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 | 49°F | 44°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 28°F | 29°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.8 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Virginia Beach, VA161 mi · high 50°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Allentown, PA100 mi · high 38°F · 11 wet days
How Dover ranks in January
- Normal high223rd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days195th driest of 378
- Comfortable days185th most of 339
What to pack for Dover in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 28°F, highs near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 22 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 899 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 Dover in January?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 28°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -3°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Dover in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (6.5 in); the driest was in 1992 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Dover in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 4.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is January a good time to visit Dover?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Dover (37 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Dover (USC00072730), 1.3 mi SE of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Dover AFB (USW00013707), 3.5 mi ESE of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dover AFB Airport (724088-13707), 3.5 mi ESE of the city center, 28 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.