Duluth, MN weather in January
In January, Duluth sees highs around 23°F and lows around 6°F: very cold and snowy. There are about 7 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 14.5 in. It is one of the coldest months in Duluth. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 23°F
- Normal low
- 6°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.5 in
- snow on the ground 26 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 23°F | 23°F |
| Normal low | 8°F | 5°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 23% | 21% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:53 am / 4:30 pm | 7:33 am / 5:09 pm |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | 9.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am8°Fdew point 4°F
- 9 am9°Fdew point 4°F
- Noon14°Fdew point 6°F
- 3 pm17°Fdew point 7°F
- 6 pm14°Fdew point 6°F
- 9 pm12°Fdew point 6°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Duluth (6 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 47%.
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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more26 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry January brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 1.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 14.5 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 34°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 10°F
- Wettest January1993: 2.4 in
- Driest January2003: 0.06 in
- Highest reading51°F (January 8, 2003)
- Lowest reading-33°F (January 18, 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 | 27°F | 23°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 6°F | 9°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | 9.0 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -4°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Grand Forks, ND244 mi · high 15°F · 7 wet days
How Duluth ranks in January
- Normal high373rd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days114th driest of 378
- Comfortable days301st most of 339
What to pack for Duluth in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 6°F, highs near 23°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 26 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1576 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 Duluth in January?
The normal high is 23°F and the normal low is 6°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -33°F (January 18, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Duluth in January?
About 7 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1993 (2.4 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.06 in).
Does it snow in Duluth in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 14.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 26 days.
Is January a good time to visit Duluth?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Duluth (23 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Superior (USC00478349), 4.2 mi SSE of the city center, 607 ft (93 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Duluth (USW00014913), 6.1 mi NW of the city center, 1,428 ft (728 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Duluth International Airport (727450-14913), 5.7 mi NW of the city center, 1,422 ft (722 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.