New Orleans, LA weather in January
Expect cool weather with frequent rain in New Orleans in January, with highs near 64°F and lows near 47°F. Rain falls on about 10 days. It is one of the coolest months in New Orleans.
- Normal high
- 64°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 5.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 48°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:56 am / 5:11 pm | 6:51 am / 5:36 pm |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 10.8 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 am51°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am53°Fdew point 45°F
- Noon58°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm59°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm56°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 46°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New Orleans Lakefront Airport (7 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F10 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more2 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below2 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in January
Normal precipitation is 5.3 in; a dry January brings about 3.1 in and a wet one about 5.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20201999: average high 69°F
- Coolest January2010: average high 58°F
- Wettest January1998: 19.6 in
- Driest January2003: 0.2 in
- Highest reading81°F (January 16, 2020)
- Lowest reading21°F (January 17, 2018)
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 | 66°F | 64°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 47°F | 51°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 10 | 12 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 10.5 h | 11.1 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Jackson, MS162 mi · high 57°F · 10 wet days
How New Orleans ranks in January
- Normal high72nd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Louisiana
- Wet days237th driest of 378
- Comfortable days67th most of 339
What to pack for New Orleans in January
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in January
The last spring frost typically comes around Jan 24; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Feb 23. All frost dates for New Orleans.
Heating and cooling
January has 316 heating degree days and 19 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is New Orleans in January?
The normal high is 64°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 21°F (January 17, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in New Orleans in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.3 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (19.6 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.2 in).
Is January a good time to visit New Orleans?
January ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for New Orleans (57 out of 100). It has about 10 comfortable days. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: New Orleans Audubon (USW00012930), 4.2 mi SW of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: New Orleans Lakefront Airport (USW00053917), 7.1 mi NNE of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Louis Armstrong New Orleans Intl Airport (722310-12916), 13 mi WNW of the city center, -3 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).