Galena, IL weather in January
January in Galena: very cold and snowy. Highs 29°F, lows 12°F, about 9 wet days and about 10.3 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Galena. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 29°F
- Normal low
- 12°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.3 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 30°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 15°F | 11°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:31 am / 4:39 pm | 7:16 am / 5:13 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 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 am17°Fdew point 12°F
- 9 am18°Fdew point 13°F
- Noon22°Fdew point 15°F
- 3 pm24°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm21°Fdew point 15°F
- 9 pm20°Fdew point 14°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dubuque Rgnl Airport (14 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 snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more20 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.2 in; a dry January brings about 0.7 in and a wet one about 1.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 10.3 in, with about 4 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 18°F
- Wettest January2005: 2.8 in
- Driest January2004: 0.3 in
- Highest reading60°F (January 9, 2003)
- Lowest reading-35°F (January 17, 2009)
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 | 34°F | 29°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 12°F | 15°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.5 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Springfield, IL185 mi · high 36°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Rochester, MN151 mi · high 23°F · 9 wet days
How Galena ranks in January
- Normal high354th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days158th driest of 378
- Comfortable days280th most of 339
What to pack for Galena in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 12°F, highs near 29°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 20 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1379 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 Galena in January?
The normal high is 29°F and the normal low is 12°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -35°F (January 17, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Galena in January?
About 9 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.2 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (2.8 in); the driest was in 2004 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Galena in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 10.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is January a good time to visit Galena?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Galena (26 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Bellevue L&D 12 (USC00130608), 11 mi S of the city center, 603 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Galena (USC00113312), 2.5 mi ESE of the city center, 822 ft (190 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Dubuque Rgnl Airport (USW00094908), 14 mi W of the city center, 1,056 ft (424 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dubuque Regional Airport (725470-94908), 14 mi W of the city center, 1,040 ft (408 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).