St. Louis, MO weather in January
January in St. Louis: cold, with some rain and some snow. Highs 40°F, lows 24°F, rain or snow on about 9 days and about 5.7 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in St. Louis.
- Normal high
- 40°F
- Normal low
- 24°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 2.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.7 in
- snow on the ground 7 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 41°F | 42°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:18 am / 4:50 pm | 7:07 am / 5:21 pm |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 10.2 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 am29°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 am30°Fdew point 23°F
- Noon35°Fdew point 24°F
- 3 pm38°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm35°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm33°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from St Louis Lambert Intl Airport (13 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 25% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 63%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more7 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 2.6 in; a dry January brings about 1.2 in and a wet one about 3.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 5.7 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 51°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 33°F
- Wettest January2005: 9.0 in
- Driest January2009: 0.8 in
- Highest reading75°F (January 28, 2002)
- Lowest reading-8°F (January 6, 2014)
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 | 45°F | 40°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 24°F | 28°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.8 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +6°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Clarksville, TN212 mi · high 47°F · 12 wet days
- Drier: Lee's Summit, MO226 mi · high 38°F · 5 wet days
- Cooler: Peoria, IL146 mi · high 34°F · 10 wet days
How St. Louis ranks in January
- Normal high250th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 7 in Missouri
- Wet days179th driest of 378
- Comfortable days192nd most of 339
What to pack for St. Louis in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 24°F, highs near 40°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – about 5.7 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1020 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 St. Louis in January?
The normal high is 40°F and the normal low is 24°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -8°F (most recently on January 6, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in St. Louis in January?
About 9 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.6 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (9.0 in); the driest was in 2009 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in St. Louis in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 5.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 7 days.
Is January a good time to visit St. Louis?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for St. Louis (34 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: St Louis Lambert Intl Airport (USW00013994), 13 mi NW of the city center, 531 ft (67 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Cahokia St Louis Airport (USW00003960), 4.4 mi SSE of the city center, 413 ft (51 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lambert-St Louis International Airport (724340-13994), 13 mi NW of the city center, 531 ft (67 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.