Lake Placid, NY weather in January
January in Lake Placid: very cold and snowy. Highs 23°F, lows 7°F, about 19 days with rain or snow and about 21.0 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Lake Placid. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 23°F
- Normal low
- 7°F
- Wet days
- 19
- 3.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 21.0 in
- snow on the ground 29 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 24°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 9°F | 6°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 61% | 54% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:31 am / 4:27 pm | 7:14 am / 5:03 pm |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.8 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 am18°Fdew point 11°F
- 9 am19°Fdew point 12°F
- Noon23°Fdew point 13°F
- 3 pm25°Fdew point 13°F
- 6 pm22°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 pm21°Fdew point 13°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Burlington Intl Airport (43 mi away); average wind 9 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 snow19 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in9 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more29 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.1 in; a dry January brings about 2.2 in and a wet one about 3.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 21.0 in, with about 10 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 37°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 16°F
- Wettest January1998: 6.5 in
- Driest January2004: 1.2 in
- Highest reading62°F (January 8, 2008)
- Lowest reading-32°F (January 25, 2011)
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 | 29°F | 23°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 14°F | 7°F | 8°F |
| Wet days | 19 | 19 | 14 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.3 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Burlington, VT40 mi · high 29°F · 15 wet days
- Drier: Burlington, VT40 mi · high 29°F · 15 wet days
How Lake Placid ranks in January
- Normal high369th warmest of 378 cities; 10th of 10 in New York
- Wet days363rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days312th most of 339
What to pack for Lake Placid in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 7°F, highs near 23°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 19 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 29 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1553 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 Lake Placid in January?
The normal high is 23°F and the normal low is 7°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -32°F (most recently on January 25, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Lake Placid in January?
About 19 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.1 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (6.5 in); the driest was in 2004 (1.2 in).
Does it snow in Lake Placid in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 21.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 29 days.
Is January a good time to visit Lake Placid?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lake Placid (21 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Lake Placid 2 S (USC00304555), 1.7 mi N of the city center, 1,888 ft (93 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Burlington Intl Airport (USW00014742), 43 mi ENE of the city center, 330 ft (1,465 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Burlington International Airport (726170-14742), 43 mi ENE of the city center, 332 ft (1,463 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).