Frederick, MD weather in January
January in Frederick: cold, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 39°F, lows 25°F, about 10 wet days and about 9.4 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Frederick.
- Normal high
- 39°F
- Normal low
- 25°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.4 in
- snow on the ground 8 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:29 am / 4:56 pm | 7:17 am / 5:28 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 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 am29°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm39°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm35°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm32°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (31 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 48% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 47%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 more8 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 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 9.4 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 48°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 31°F
- Wettest January1996: 6.9 in
- Driest January2004: 2.1 in
- Highest reading70°F (January 29, 2002)
- Lowest reading-12°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 | 44°F | 39°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 25°F | 26°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.8 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Washington, DC41 mi · high 45°F · 10 wet days
How Frederick ranks in January
- Normal high265th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Maryland
- Wet days238th driest of 378
- Comfortable days205th most of 339
What to pack for Frederick in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 25°F, highs near 39°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 9.4 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1029 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 17% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Frederick in January?
The normal high is 39°F and the normal low is 25°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -12°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Frederick in January?
About 10 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 1996 (6.9 in); the driest was in 2004 (2.1 in).
Does it snow in Frederick in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 9.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 8 days.
Is January a good time to visit Frederick?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Frederick (31 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Damascus 3 Ssw (USC00182336), 14 mi SE of the city center, 700 ft (417 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Frederick Police Brks (USC00183348), 1.5 mi W of the city center, 380 ft (97 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (USW00013734), 31 mi W of the city center, 534 ft (251 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Etrn Wv Rgnl/Shpherd Fd Airport (724177-13734), 30 mi W of the city center, 541 ft (258 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.