Boston, MA weather in January
Boston is cold and snowy in January: highs average 37°F and nights drop to about 23°F. Expect about 12 wet days. Snowfall averages about 14.3 in. This is the depth of winter in Boston. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 23°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.3 in
- snow on the ground 15 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 38°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 23°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:13 am / 4:22 pm | 6:58 am / 4:56 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 10.0 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 am27°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 am29°Fdew point 18°F
- Noon33°Fdew point 19°F
- 3 pm35°Fdew point 19°F
- 6 pm33°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 pm31°Fdew point 19°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Boston Logan Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 12 mph; clear or few clouds in 29% 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°F0 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 snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more15 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 2.6 in and a wet one about 4.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.3 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202020: average high 45°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 27°F
- Wettest January1996: 7.4 in
- Driest January2004: 1.0 in
- Highest reading74°F (January 12, 2020)
- Lowest reading-7°F (January 16, 2004)
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 | 42°F | 37°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 23°F | 25°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.5 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Manchester, NH48 mi · high 32°F · 11 wet days
How Boston ranks in January
- Normal high283rd warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days303rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days236th most of 339
What to pack for Boston in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 23°F, highs near 37°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 15 days
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1086 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 Boston in January?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 23°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -7°F (January 16, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Boston in January?
About 12 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 (7.4 in); the driest was in 2004 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Boston in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 14.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 15 days.
Is January a good time to visit Boston?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Boston (28 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 2.5 mi E of the city center, 12 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Hingham (USC00193624), 12 mi SE of the city center, 35 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gen E L Logan International Airport (725090-14739), 2.5 mi E of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.