Fayetteville, NC weather in January
Fayetteville is chilly in January, with frequent rain: highs average 54°F and nights drop to about 32°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 0.6 in. This is the depth of winter in Fayetteville.
- Normal high
- 54°F
- Normal low
- 32°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 0.6 in
- normal snowfall
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 55°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 32°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:23 am / 5:14 pm | 7:15 am / 5:42 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.5 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 am38°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am41°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon49°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm53°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm48°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 pm44°Fdew point 33°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fayetteville Rgnl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 49% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 44%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F5 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 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below18 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 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 2.0 in and a wet one about 4.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.6 in.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20201999: average high 61°F
- Coolest January2003: average high 49°F
- Wettest January1998: 7.8 in
- Driest January2001: 1.4 in
- Highest reading79°F (January 31, 2002)
- Lowest reading7°F (January 20, 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 | 57°F | 54°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 32°F | 33°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 5 | 8 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by -3°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Columbia, SC143 mi · high 60°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC193 mi · high 51°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Richmond, VA190 mi · high 48°F · 10 wet days
How Fayetteville ranks in January
- Normal high160th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days249th driest of 378
- Comfortable days126th most of 339
What to pack for Fayetteville in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 32°F, highs near 54°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 18 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 684 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fayetteville in January?
The normal high is 54°F and the normal low is 32°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 7°F (most recently on January 20, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Fayetteville in January?
About 11 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 1998 (7.8 in); the driest was in 2001 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in Fayetteville in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 0.6 in.
Is January a good time to visit Fayetteville?
January ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fayetteville (46 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Fayetteville (PWC) (USC00313017), 1.2 mi ENE of the city center, 96 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Fayetteville Rgnl Airport (USW00093740), 4.2 mi S of the city center, 186 ft (84 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pope AFB (USW00013714), 11 mi NW of the city center, 218 ft (116 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Simmons AAF Airport (746930-93737), 6.3 mi NNW of the city center, 244 ft (142 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.