Buffalo, NY weather in January
Buffalo is cold and snowy in January: highs average 32°F and nights drop to about 19°F. There are about 19 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 26.7 in. This is the depth of winter in Buffalo. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 32°F
- Normal low
- 19°F
- Wet days
- 19
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 26.7 in
- snow on the ground 21 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 34°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 22°F | 18°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 61% | 59% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:46 am / 4:51 pm | 7:31 am / 5:26 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.9 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am24°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 am25°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon28°Fdew point 19°F
- 3 pm28°Fdew point 20°F
- 6 pm27°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 pm26°Fdew point 19°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Buffalo (8 mi away); average wind 12 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow19 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in9 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more21 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry January brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 26.7 in, with about 8 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 41°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 24°F
- Wettest January1999: 5.8 in
- Driest January2016: 1.8 in
- Highest reading68°F (January 13, 2005)
- Lowest reading-10°F (January 6, 1996)
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 | 37°F | 32°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 19°F | 20°F |
| Wet days | 18 | 19 | 16 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.4 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +1°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Gettysburg, PA228 mi · high 38°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Warren, MI211 mi · high 32°F · 11 wet days
How Buffalo ranks in January
- Normal high322nd warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 10 in New York
- Wet days371st driest of 378
- Comfortable days240th most of 339
What to pack for Buffalo in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 19°F, highs near 32°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 19 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 21 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1223 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 Buffalo in January?
The normal high is 32°F and the normal low is 19°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -10°F (most recently on January 6, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Buffalo in January?
About 19 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (5.8 in); the driest was in 2016 (1.8 in).
Does it snow in Buffalo in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 26.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 21 days.
Is January a good time to visit Buffalo?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Buffalo (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 and humidity and wind by hour: Buffalo (USW00014733), 8.3 mi ENE of the city center, 693 ft (91 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Buffalo Niagara International Airpor (725280-14733), 8.1 mi ENE of the city center, 709 ft (107 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).