Baltimore, MD weather in January
Baltimore is chilly in January, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 43°F and nights drop to about 25°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 6.4 in. This is the depth of winter in Baltimore.
- Normal high
- 43°F
- Normal low
- 25°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.4 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 44°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 25°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:26 am / 4:53 pm | 7:14 am / 5:25 pm |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 10.2 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 am30°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 am33°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon39°Fdew point 24°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 23°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Baltimore Wash Intl Airport (9 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 45% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more4 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.1 in; a dry January brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 3.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 6.4 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 51°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 35°F
- Wettest January1996: 6.8 in
- Driest January2018: 1.0 in
- Highest reading72°F (January 11, 2020)
- Lowest reading-5°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 | 48°F | 43°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 25°F | 27°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.8 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Williamsburg, VA140 mi · high 49°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Gettysburg, PA50 mi · high 38°F · 10 wet days
How Baltimore ranks in January
- Normal high233rd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Maryland
- Wet days217th driest of 378
- Comfortable days198th most of 339
What to pack for Baltimore in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 25°F, highs near 43°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 6.4 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 951 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 Baltimore in January?
The normal high is 43°F and the normal low is 25°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -5°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Baltimore in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.1 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (6.8 in); the driest was in 2018 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Baltimore in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 6.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is January a good time to visit Baltimore?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Baltimore (35 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Baltimore Wash Intl Airport (USW00093721), 9.4 mi SSW of the city center, 156 ft (120 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Md Sci Ctr Baltimore (USW00093784), 0.7 mi SSE of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 36 mi SSW of the city center, 282 ft (246 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Baltimore-Washington Intl Airport (724060-93721), 9.0 mi SSW of the city center, 138 ft (102 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.