Cedar Rapids, IA weather in January
January in Cedar Rapids: cold and snowy. Highs 30°F, lows 13°F, rain or snow on about 9 days and about 8.7 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Cedar Rapids. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 30°F
- Normal low
- 13°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.7 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 31°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 14°F | 13°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:34 am / 4:45 pm | 7:20 am / 5:19 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 am17°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 am18°Fdew point 14°F
- Noon24°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm26°Fdew point 17°F
- 6 pm22°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 pm20°Fdew point 15°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Cedar Rapids Muni Airport (9 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 50% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 45%.
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 1.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.7 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202002: average high 42°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 20°F
- Wettest January1996: 2.6 in
- Driest January2002: 0.3 in
- Highest reading62°F (January 8, 2003)
- Lowest reading-33°F (January 16, 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 | 35°F | 30°F | 35°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 13°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.2 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, MN145 mi · high 23°F · 9 wet days
How Cedar Rapids ranks in January
- Normal high345th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Iowa
- Wet days167th driest of 378
- Comfortable days287th most of 339
What to pack for Cedar Rapids in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 13°F, highs near 30°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 1356 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 19% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Cedar Rapids in January?
The normal high is 30°F and the normal low is 13°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -33°F (January 16, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Cedar Rapids 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 1996 (2.6 in); the driest was in 2002 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Cedar Rapids in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 8.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is January a good time to visit Cedar Rapids?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Cedar Rapids (27 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: Cedar Rapids #1 (USC00131319), 4.0 mi NE of the city center, 813 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Cedar Rapids Muni Airport (USW00014990), 9.4 mi SSW of the city center, 868 ft (60 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Eastern Iowa Regional Airport (725450-14990), 9.6 mi SSW of the city center, 840 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.