Detroit, MI weather in January
January in Detroit: cold and snowy. Highs 32°F, lows 20°F, about 13 days with rain or snow and about 14.0 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Detroit. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 32°F
- Normal low
- 20°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 2.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.0 in
- snow on the ground 17 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 34°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 22°F | 19°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 45% | 40% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:01 am / 5:10 pm | 7:46 am / 5:44 pm |
| Daylight | 9.2 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 am25°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 am25°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon29°Fdew point 20°F
- 3 pm31°Fdew point 20°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm28°Fdew point 20°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Detroit City Airport (6 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 29% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 64%.
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 snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more17 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 2.2 in; a dry January brings about 1.4 in and a wet one about 3.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.0 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 41°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 24°F
- Wettest January2020: 4.1 in
- Driest January2003: 0.4 in
- Highest reading63°F (January 7, 2008)
- Lowest reading-17°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 | 37°F | 32°F | 35°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 20°F | 21°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.5 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Cincinnati, OH236 mi · high 41°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Carmel, IN228 mi · high 33°F · 10 wet days
How Detroit ranks in January
- Normal high319th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days333rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days295th most of 339
What to pack for Detroit in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 20°F, highs near 32°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 13 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 17 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1206 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 Detroit in January?
The normal high is 32°F and the normal low is 20°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -17°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Detroit in January?
About 13 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.2 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2020 (4.1 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Detroit in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 14.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 17 days.
Is January a good time to visit Detroit?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Detroit (26 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Detroit City Airport (USW00014822), 5.7 mi NNE of the city center, 626 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847), 16 mi WSW of the city center, 631 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Flint Bishop Intl Airport (USW00014826), 57 mi NW of the city center, 770 ft (172 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Detroit City Airport (725375-14822), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 623 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.