Wilmington, DE weather in January
January in Wilmington: cold, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 41°F, lows 26°F, rain or snow on about 11 days and about 6.1 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Wilmington.
- Normal high
- 41°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.1 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 43°F | 42°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 25°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:23 am / 4:48 pm | 7:10 am / 5:20 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 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 am31°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 am33°Fdew point 23°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm39°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 23°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (19 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.2 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 6.1 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 49°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 32°F
- Wettest January1999: 5.4 in
- Driest January1992: 1.1 in
- Highest reading71°F (January 6, 2007)
- Lowest reading-5°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 | 46°F | 41°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 26°F | 27°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.7 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Williamsburg, VA182 mi · high 49°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Waterbury, CT181 mi · high 36°F · 10 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in January
- Normal high241st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days266th driest of 378
- Comfortable days207th most of 339
What to pack for Wilmington in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 41°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 6.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 976 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 Wilmington in January?
The normal high is 41°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -5°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.2 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (5.4 in); the driest was in 1992 (1.1 in).
Does it snow in Wilmington in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 6.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is January a good time to visit Wilmington?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (33 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Wilmington New Castle Co Airport (USW00013781), 5.8 mi SSW of the city center, 79 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Wilmington Porter Rsch (USC00079605), 1.9 mi N of the city center, 270 ft (179 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 10 ft (81 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Millville Muni Airport (USW00013735), 37 mi SE of the city center, 70 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 7 ft (84 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.