Traverse City, MI weather in January
Expect very cold, snowy weather in Traverse City in January, with highs near 29°F and lows near 17°F. Rain or snow falls on about 14 days. Snowfall averages about 44.5 in. It is one of the coldest months in Traverse City. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 29°F
- Normal low
- 17°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 1.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 44.5 in
- snow on the ground 28 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 31°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 15°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 46% | 43% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:19 am / 5:12 pm | 8:02 am / 5:49 pm |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.8 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 16°F
- 9 am22°Fdew point 16°F
- Noon25°Fdew point 18°F
- 3 pm27°Fdew point 18°F
- 6 pm25°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 17°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 8 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 snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more28 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.7 in; a dry January brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 2.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 44.5 in, with about 13 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 37°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 20°F
- Wettest January2008: 3.4 in
- Driest January2010: 0.3 in
- Highest reading56°F (January 18, 1996)
- Lowest reading-21°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 | 35°F | 29°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 17°F | 16°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 14 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.3 h | 10.4 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Toledo, OH238 mi · high 35°F · 14 wet days
- Drier: Sister Bay, WI79 mi · high 26°F · 10 wet days
How Traverse City ranks in January
- Normal high351st warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days339th driest of 378
- Comfortable days299th most of 339
What to pack for Traverse City in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 17°F, highs near 29°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 14 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 28 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1297 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 Traverse City in January?
The normal high is 29°F and the normal low is 17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -21°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Traverse City in January?
About 14 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.7 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (3.4 in); the driest was in 2010 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Traverse City in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 44.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 28 days.
Is January a good time to visit Traverse City?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Traverse City (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (USW00014850), 2.4 mi SE of the city center, 618 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Maple City 1E (USC00205097), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 799 ft (203 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Traverse City Munson (USC00208249), 1.2 mi W of the city center, 635 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cherry Capital Airport (726387-14850), 3.1 mi ESE of the city center, 608 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).