Boise, ID weather in January
January in Boise: cold, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 39°F, lows 26°F, rain or snow on about 11 days and about 5.3 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Boise.
- Normal high
- 39°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 1.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.3 in
- snow on the ground 6 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 37°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:18 am / 5:18 pm | 8:02 am / 5:54 pm |
| Daylight | 9.0 h | 9.9 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am29°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am29°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm37°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm34°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm31°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Boise Air Terminal (4 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 45% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 51%.
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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below26 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more6 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.4 in; a dry January brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 1.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 5.3 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20201998: average high 46°F
- Coolest January2013: average high 27°F
- Wettest January2017: 3.0 in
- Driest January2007: 0.2 in
- Highest reading61°F (January 31, 1992)
- Lowest reading-12°F (January 5, 1991)
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 | 39°F | 39°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 26°F | 29°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.0 h | 9.4 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by 0°F from December and +7°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Sun Valley, ID93 mi · high 31°F · 10 wet days
How Boise ranks in January
- Normal high268th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 2 in Idaho
- Wet days281st driest of 378
- Comfortable days275th most of 339
What to pack for Boise in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 39°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 5.3 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 26 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1018 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 Boise in January?
The normal high is 39°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -12°F (January 5, 1991).
Does it rain a lot in Boise in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (3.0 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Boise in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 5.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 6 days.
Is January a good time to visit Boise?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Boise (31 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Boise Air Terminal (USW00024131), 3.7 mi SSW of the city center, 2,814 ft (114 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Fd Airport (726810-24131), 3.7 mi SSW of the city center, 2,823 ft (123 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.