Athens, GA weather in January
Athens is cool in January, with frequent rain: highs average 55°F and nights drop to about 34°F. Rain falls on about 11 days. It is one of the coolest months in Athens.
- Normal high
- 55°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 55°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 34°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:38 am / 5:35 pm | 7:31 am / 6:02 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 10.5 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 am38°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am40°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon48°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm52°Fdew point 32°F
- 6 pm49°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 pm44°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Athens Ben Epps Airport (2 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 59% 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°F5 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 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below15 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 4.4 in; a dry January brings about 3.3 in and a wet one about 5.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202017: average high 62°F
- Coolest January2014: average high 48°F
- Wettest January2020: 7.5 in
- Driest January2003: 1.7 in
- Highest reading79°F (January 13, 2017)
- Lowest reading7°F (January 7, 2014)
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 | 57°F | 55°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 34°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 10.2 h | 11.0 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Savannah, GA184 mi · high 61°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Gatlinburg, TN122 mi · high 47°F · 15 wet days
How Athens ranks in January
- Normal high157th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Georgia
- Wet days244th driest of 378
- Comfortable days127th most of 339
What to pack for Athens in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 55°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
January has 644 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Athens in January?
The normal high is 55°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 7°F (most recently on January 7, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Athens in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2020 (7.5 in); the driest was in 2003 (1.7 in).
Does it snow in Athens in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 0.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is January a good time to visit Athens?
January ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Athens (47 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Athens Ben Epps Airport (USW00013873), 2.4 mi E of the city center, 785 ft (169 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Winterville (USC00099486), 4.6 mi ENE of the city center, 890 ft (274 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Danielsville (USC00092517), 12 mi NNE of the city center, 780 ft (164 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Athens/Ben Epps Airport (723110-13873), 2.4 mi E of the city center, 784 ft (168 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.