Omaha, NE weather in January
January in Omaha: cold, with some rain and some snow. Highs 34°F, lows 15°F, about 7 days with rain or snow and about 7.2 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Omaha. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 34°F
- Normal low
- 15°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.2 in
- snow on the ground 14 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 34°F | 35°F |
| Normal low | 16°F | 16°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 23% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:49 am / 5:05 pm | 7:35 am / 5:38 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
- Noon27°Fdew point 17°F
- 3 pm31°Fdew point 18°F
- 6 pm27°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 17°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Omaha Eppley Airfield (4 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 43% 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 snow7 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 more14 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 0.4 in and a wet one about 1.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 7.2 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 46°F
- Coolest January2010: average high 23°F
- Wettest January2001: 1.6 in
- Driest January2012: 0.06 in
- Highest reading69°F (January 30, 2012)
- Lowest reading-20°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 | 38°F | 34°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 15°F | 19°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.6 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -4°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Topeka, KS153 mi · high 40°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Sioux Falls, SD163 mi · high 27°F · 7 wet days
How Omaha ranks in January
- Normal high306th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Nebraska
- Wet days96th driest of 378
- Comfortable days238th most of 339
What to pack for Omaha in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 15°F, highs near 34°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 14 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1258 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 18% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Omaha in January?
The normal high is 34°F and the normal low is 15°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -20°F (most recently on January 1, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Omaha 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 2001 (1.6 in); the driest was in 2012 (0.06 in).
Does it snow in Omaha in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 7.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 14 days.
Is January a good time to visit Omaha?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Omaha (31 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Omaha Eppley Airfield (USW00014942), 4.1 mi NNE of the city center, 982 ft (74 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Eppley Airfield Airport (725500-14942), 4.1 mi NNE of the city center, 980 ft (76 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.