Washington, DC weather in January
Washington is chilly in January, with some rain and some snow: highs average 45°F and nights drop to about 30°F. There are about 10 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 4.9 in. This is the depth of winter in Washington.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 30°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.9 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 46°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:26 am / 4:56 pm | 7:15 am / 5:27 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 am33°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am35°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm42°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm39°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm37°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Washington Reagan Airport (3 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 45% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 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 below20 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more4 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 2.3 in and a wet one about 3.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.9 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 51°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 36°F
- Wettest January1998: 5.4 in
- Driest January2018: 0.9 in
- Highest reading77°F (January 30, 2002)
- Lowest reading-4°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 | 45°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 30°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.8 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by -4°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Chesapeake, VA149 mi · high 51°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Frederick, MD41 mi · high 39°F · 10 wet days
How Washington ranks in January
- Normal high221st warmest of 378 cities
- Wet days196th driest of 378
- Comfortable days187th most of 339
What to pack for Washington in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 30°F, highs near 45°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.9 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 20 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 854 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 Washington in January?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 30°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -4°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Washington 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 1998 (5.4 in); the driest was in 2018 (0.9 in).
Does it snow in Washington in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 4.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is January a good time to visit Washington?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Washington (37 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Washington Reagan Airport (USW00013743), 3.2 mi S of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 11 mi ESE of the city center, 282 ft (258 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ronald Reagan Washington Natl Airport (724050-13743), 3.3 mi S of the city center, 13 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.