Elgin, IL weather in January
Expect cold weather with frequent rain and some snow in Elgin in January, with highs near 30°F and lows near 14°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 9.5 in. It is one of the coldest months in Elgin. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 30°F
- Normal low
- 14°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.5 in
- snow on the ground 17 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 32°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 16°F | 14°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:21 am / 4:32 pm | 7:06 am / 5:06 pm |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 10.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am21°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 am22°Fdew point 17°F
- Noon27°Fdew point 19°F
- 3 pm28°Fdew point 19°F
- 6 pm25°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 18°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from West Chicago Dupage Airport (9 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more17 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 2.0 in; a dry January brings about 1.3 in and a wet one about 2.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 9.5 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 40°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 21°F
- Wettest January1998: 3.6 in
- Driest January2003: 0.4 in
- Highest reading63°F (January 8, 2008)
- Lowest reading-25°F (January 31, 2019)
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 | 36°F | 30°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 14°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 9.5 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Springfield, IL170 mi · high 36°F · 10 wet days
How Elgin ranks in January
- Normal high344th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days210th driest of 378
- Comfortable days279th most of 339
What to pack for Elgin in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 14°F, highs near 30°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 17 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1330 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 18% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Elgin in January?
The normal high is 30°F and the normal low is 14°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -25°F (most recently on January 31, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Elgin in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.0 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (3.6 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Elgin in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 9.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 17 days.
Is January a good time to visit Elgin?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Elgin (26 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Elgin (USC00112736), 1.8 mi N of the city center, 763 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: West Chicago Dupage Airport (USW00094892), 8.7 mi SSE of the city center, 754 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago O'hare International Airport (725300-94846), 19 mi ESE of the city center, 672 ft (68 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).