Whitefish, MT weather in January
January in Whitefish: cold and snowy. Highs 31°F, lows 16°F, about 14 wet days and about 16.5 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Whitefish. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 31°F
- Normal low
- 16°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 1.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 16.5 in
- snow on the ground 25 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 30°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 15°F | 17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 49% | 42% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:28 am / 4:52 pm | 8:07 am / 5:34 pm |
| Daylight | 8.4 h | 9.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am22°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 am22°Fdew point 18°F
- Noon27°Fdew point 21°F
- 3 pm29°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm26°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 20°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Kalispell Glacier Airport (8 mi away); average wind 4 mph.
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 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 more25 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.4 in; a dry January brings about 1.0 in and a wet one about 1.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 16.5 in, with about 7 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20201994: average high 39°F
- Coolest January1993: average high 23°F
- Wettest January1996: 2.6 in
- Driest January2001: 0.4 in
- Highest reading52°F (January 5, 2012)
- Lowest reading-29°F (January 5, 2004)
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 | 31°F | 31°F | 36°F |
| Normal low | 17°F | 16°F | 18°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 14 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.4 h | 8.8 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by 0°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Drier: Great Falls, MT154 mi · high 35°F · 7 wet days
How Whitefish ranks in January
- Normal high338th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 6 in Montana
- Wet days340th driest of 378
- Comfortable days306th most of 339
What to pack for Whitefish in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 16°F, highs near 31°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 14 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 25 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1282 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Whitefish in January?
The normal high is 31°F and the normal low is 16°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -29°F (January 5, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Whitefish in January?
About 14 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (2.6 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Whitefish in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 16.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 25 days.
Is January a good time to visit Whitefish?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Whitefish (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Kalispell Glacier Airport (USC00244558), 8.1 mi SSE of the city center, 2,957 ft (78 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and frost dates: Whitefish (USC00248902), 1.0 mi WSW of the city center, 3,100 ft (65 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Glacier Park International Airport (727790-24146), 8.1 mi SSE of the city center, 2,963 ft (72 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).