Lowell, MA weather in January
Lowell is cold and snowy in January: highs average 34°F and nights drop to about 16°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 17.2 in. This is the depth of winter in Lowell. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 34°F
- Normal low
- 16°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 17.2 in
- snow on the ground 18 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 35°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 15°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:15 am / 4:22 pm | 7:00 am / 4:56 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.9 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 am22°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 am23°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon30°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 pm26°Fdew point 16°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Manchester Airport (22 mi away); average wind 7 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
- 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 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more18 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.6 in; a dry January brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 17.2 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 40°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 25°F
- Wettest January1996: 6.6 in
- Driest January2004: 1.6 in
- Highest reading70°F (January 13, 2020)
- Lowest reading-17°F (January 27, 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 | 40°F | 34°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 22°F | 16°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.5 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: New Bedford, MA72 mi · high 39°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Stowe, VT144 mi · high 26°F · 12 wet days
How Lowell ranks in January
- Normal high304th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days274th driest of 378
- Comfortable days253rd most of 339
What to pack for Lowell in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 16°F, highs near 34°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 18 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1243 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 Lowell in January?
The normal high is 34°F and the normal low is 16°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -17°F (January 27, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Lowell in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.6 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (6.6 in); the driest was in 2004 (1.6 in).
Does it snow in Lowell in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 17.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 18 days.
Is January a good time to visit Lowell?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lowell (25 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Lowell (USC00194313), 2.5 mi WNW of the city center, 110 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Reading (USC00196783), 12 mi SE of the city center, 110 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Manchester Airport (USW00014710), 22 mi NNW of the city center, 225 ft (108 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 24 mi SE of the city center, 12 ft (105 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gen E L Logan International Airport (725090-14739), 24 mi SE of the city center, 11 ft (106 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.