Louisville, KY weather in January
In January, Louisville sees highs around 44°F and lows around 28°F: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Expect about 11 wet days. Snowfall averages about 4.5 in. It is one of the coldest months in Louisville.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 28°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.5 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 44°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 28°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:59 am / 5:33 pm | 7:48 am / 6:03 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 10.3 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 am32°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am32°Fdew point 25°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm40°Fdew point 27°F
- 6 pm38°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm36°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Louisville Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 40% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 56%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below21 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry January brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.5 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 53°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 35°F
- Wettest January1999: 7.2 in
- Driest January2015: 0.9 in
- Highest reading72°F (January 2, 2006)
- Lowest reading-22°F (January 19, 1994)
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 | 47°F | 44°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 28°F | 31°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.9 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by -3°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Nashville, TN151 mi · high 49°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Indianapolis, IN114 mi · high 36°F · 12 wet days
How Louisville ranks in January
- Normal high229th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Kentucky
- Wet days284th driest of 378
- Comfortable days189th most of 339
What to pack for Louisville in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 28°F, highs near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.5 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 21 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 908 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 Louisville in January?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 28°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -22°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Louisville in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (7.2 in); the driest was in 2015 (0.9 in).
Does it snow in Louisville in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 4.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is January a good time to visit Louisville?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Louisville (35 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Louisville Intl Airport (USW00093821), 5.0 mi WNW of the city center, 488 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Louisville Bowman Fld (USW00013810), 4.3 mi N of the city center, 540 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Louisville Intl-Standiford Field Airport (724230-93821), 4.5 mi W of the city center, 480 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.