Mackinac Island, MI weather in January
January in Mackinac Island: very cold and snowy. Highs 27°F, lows 11°F, about 16 days with rain or snow and about 24.2 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Mackinac Island. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 27°F
- Normal low
- 11°F
- Wet days
- 16
- 1.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 24.2 in
- snow on the ground 29 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 29°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 15°F | 9°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 50% | 48% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:19 am / 5:04 pm | 8:01 am / 5:42 pm |
| Daylight | 8.7 h | 9.7 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 am17°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 am17°Fdew point 13°F
- Noon22°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm24°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm22°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 pm20°Fdew point 14°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pellston Rgnl Airport (21 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
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 snow16 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more29 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.8 in; a dry January brings about 1.3 in and a wet one about 2.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 24.2 in, with about 9 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 35°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 17°F
- Wettest January1997: 3.9 in
- Driest January2010: 0.4 in
- Highest reading55°F (January 13, 2013)
- Lowest reading-24°F (January 21, 2019)
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 | 33°F | 27°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 11°F | 10°F |
| Wet days | 15 | 16 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.7 h | 9.1 h | 10.4 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Warren, MI245 mi · high 32°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Sister Bay, WI129 mi · high 26°F · 10 wet days
How Mackinac Island ranks in January
- Normal high359th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days351st driest of 378
- Comfortable days298th most of 339
What to pack for Mackinac Island in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 11°F, highs near 27°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 16 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 29 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1417 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 Mackinac Island in January?
The normal high is 27°F and the normal low is 11°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -24°F (January 21, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Mackinac Island in January?
About 16 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1997 (3.9 in); the driest was in 2010 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Mackinac Island in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 24.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 29 days.
Is January a good time to visit Mackinac Island?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Mackinac Island (22 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Cheboygan (USC00201492), 15 mi SSE of the city center, 588 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: St Ignace Mackinac Br (USC00207274), 5.0 mi W of the city center, 595 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Pellston Rgnl Airport (USW00014841), 21 mi SSW of the city center, 705 ft (107 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pellston Regional Arpt Of Emmet County Arpt (727347-14841), 21 mi SSW of the city center, 706 ft (108 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).