Ocean City, MD weather in January
Expect chilly weather with frequent rain in Ocean City in January, with highs near 45°F and lows near 28°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 2.8 in. It is one of the coldest months in Ocean City.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 28°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.8 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 46°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 28°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:17 am / 4:50 pm | 7:06 am / 5:21 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 am34°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon39°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dover AFB (59 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 45% 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
- 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below22 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 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 2.3 in and a wet one about 4.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.8 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 52°F
- Coolest January2003: average high 38°F
- Wettest January2015: 5.5 in
- Driest January2008: 1.6 in
- Highest reading78°F (January 30, 2002)
- Lowest reading-9°F (January 30, 2014)
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 | 50°F | 45°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 28°F | 29°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.8 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Virginia Beach, VA114 mi · high 50°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC167 mi · high 51°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Frederick, MD146 mi · high 39°F · 10 wet days
How Ocean City ranks in January
- Normal high219th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Maryland
- Wet days245th driest of 378
- Comfortable days208th most of 339
What to pack for Ocean City in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 28°F, highs near 45°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 22 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 886 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 Ocean City in January?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 28°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -9°F (January 30, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Ocean City 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 2015 (5.5 in); the driest was in 2008 (1.6 in).
Does it snow in Ocean City in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 2.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is January a good time to visit Ocean City?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Ocean City (36 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Ocean City Muni Airport (USW00093786), 2.9 mi SW of the city center, 12 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Snow Hill 4 N (USC00188380), 17 mi WSW of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Dover AFB (USW00013707), 59 mi NNW of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Wallops Flight Facility Airport (724020-93739), 35 mi SW of the city center, 32 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.