Rochester, MN weather in January
January in Rochester: very cold and snowy. Highs 23°F, lows 7°F, about 9 days with rain or snow and about 12.2 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Rochester. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 23°F
- Normal low
- 7°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.2 in
- snow on the ground 25 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 24°F | 23°F |
| Normal low | 9°F | 7°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:44 am / 4:42 pm | 7:28 am / 5:18 pm |
| Daylight | 9.0 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 (Central Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am13°Fdew point 9°F
- 9 am14°Fdew point 9°F
- Noon18°Fdew point 12°F
- 3 pm20°Fdew point 13°F
- 6 pm17°Fdew point 12°F
- 9 pm16°Fdew point 11°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Rochester Intl Airport (8 mi away); average wind 13 mph; clear or few clouds in 49% 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
- 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 snow9 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 more25 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.0 in; a dry January brings about 0.6 in and a wet one about 1.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 12.2 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 11°F
- Wettest January2017: 2.1 in
- Driest January2006: 0.3 in
- Highest reading55°F (January 5, 2012)
- Lowest reading-30°F (January 31, 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 | 28°F | 23°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 14°F | 7°F | 11°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.3 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Cedar Rapids, IA145 mi · high 30°F · 9 wet days
How Rochester ranks in January
- Normal high374th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days183rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days303rd most of 339
What to pack for Rochester in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 7°F, highs near 23°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 25 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1558 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 19% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Rochester in January?
The normal high is 23°F and the normal low is 7°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -30°F (January 31, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Rochester in January?
About 9 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.0 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (2.1 in); the driest was in 2006 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Rochester in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 12.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 25 days.
Is January a good time to visit Rochester?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rochester (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Rochester Intl Airport (USW00014925), 8.2 mi S of the city center, 1,304 ft (280 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Rochester International Airport (726440-14925), 8.2 mi S of the city center, 1,305 ft (281 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.