New York City, NY weather in January
Expect cold weather with frequent rain and some snow in New York City in January, with highs near 40°F and lows near 28°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 8.8 in. It is one of the coldest months in New York City.
- Normal high
- 40°F
- Normal low
- 28°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.8 in
- snow on the ground 7 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 41°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:20 am / 4:39 pm | 7:06 am / 5:12 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am32°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am33°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon36°Fdew point 21°F
- 3 pm38°Fdew point 21°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm35°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New York Laguardia Airport (8 mi away); average wind 13 mph; clear or few clouds in 53% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 42%.
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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below21 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more7 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.6 in; a dry January brings about 2.8 in and a wet one about 4.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 8.8 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 48°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 31°F
- Wettest January1999: 7.0 in
- Driest January1992: 1.7 in
- Highest reading72°F (January 6, 2007)
- Lowest reading-2°F (January 19, 1994)
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 | 44°F | 40°F | 42°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 28°F | 30°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.6 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by -4°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Ocean City, MD174 mi · high 45°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Albany, NY135 mi · high 33°F · 13 wet days
How New York City ranks in January
- Normal high264th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 10 in New York
- Wet days267th driest of 378
- Comfortable days241st most of 339
What to pack for New York City in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 28°F, highs near 40°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 8.8 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 21 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 970 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 New York City in January?
The normal high is 40°F and the normal low is 28°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -2°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in New York City in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.6 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (7.0 in); the driest was in 1992 (1.7 in).
Does it snow in New York City in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 8.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 7 days.
Is January a good time to visit New York City?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for New York City (31 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: New York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728), 4.9 mi NNE of the city center, 130 ft (95 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: New York Laguardia Airport (USW00014732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 9.8 mi NNW of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: La Guardia Airport (725030-14732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 10 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.