Lincoln, NE weather in January
In January, Lincoln sees highs around 36°F and lows around 14°F: cold and mostly dry, with some snow. Rain or snow falls on about 6 days. Snowfall averages about 6.5 in. It is one of the coldest months in Lincoln.
- Normal high
- 36°F
- Normal low
- 14°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 0.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.5 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 36°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 15°F | 15°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 19% | 20% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:50 am / 5:09 pm | 7:37 am / 5:42 pm |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 10.1 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 am20°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 am21°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon29°Fdew point 18°F
- 3 pm33°Fdew point 19°F
- 6 pm28°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 17°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Lincoln Muni Airport (6 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 60% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more13 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.7 in; a dry January brings about 0.4 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 6.5 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 50°F
- Coolest January2010: average high 25°F
- Wettest January1992: 1.4 in
- Driest January2000: 0.06 in
- Highest reading70°F (January 30, 2012)
- Lowest reading-19°F (January 1, 2018)
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 | 39°F | 36°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 14°F | 18°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.6 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by -3°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Wichita, KS218 mi · high 44°F · 5 wet days
- Cooler: Sioux Falls, SD190 mi · high 27°F · 7 wet days
How Lincoln ranks in January
- Normal high296th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 2 in Nebraska
- Wet days62nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days229th most of 339
What to pack for Lincoln in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 14°F, highs near 36°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1240 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 Lincoln in January?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low is 14°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -19°F (most recently on January 1, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Lincoln in January?
About 6 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.7 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1992 (1.4 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.06 in).
Does it snow in Lincoln in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 6.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is January a good time to visit Lincoln?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lincoln (32 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Lincoln Muni Airport (USW00014939), 5.5 mi NW of the city center, 1,190 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lincoln Municipal Airport (725510-14939), 6.1 mi WNW of the city center, 1,170 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.