Raleigh, NC weather in January
January in Raleigh: chilly, with some rain. Highs 52°F, lows 32°F, about 8 days with rain or snow and about 2.6 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Raleigh.
- Normal high
- 52°F
- Normal low
- 32°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.6 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 52°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 27% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:24 am / 5:11 pm | 7:15 am / 5:40 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.4 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 am36°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 am38°Fdew point 30°F
- Noon46°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm50°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm45°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm41°Fdew point 30°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 6 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°F4 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 snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below17 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 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 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.6 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 58°F
- Coolest January2003: average high 45°F
- Wettest January1998: 8.0 in
- Driest January2008: 1.3 in
- Highest reading80°F (January 31, 2002)
- Lowest reading2°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 | 55°F | 52°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 32°F | 33°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by -3°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Wilmington, NC114 mi · high 57°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV208 mi · high 41°F · 16 wet days
How Raleigh ranks in January
- Normal high172nd warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days143rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days155th most of 339
What to pack for Raleigh in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 32°F, highs near 52°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 8 days
- A hat and gloves – about 17 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 724 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Raleigh in January?
The normal high is 52°F and the normal low is 32°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 2°F (most recently on January 20, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Raleigh in January?
About 8 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.7 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (8.0 in); the driest was in 2008 (1.3 in).
Does it snow in Raleigh in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 2.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is January a good time to visit Raleigh?
January ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Raleigh (43 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Raleigh State Univ (USC00317079), 3.6 mi WNW of the city center, 400 ft (85 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (USW00013722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 416 ft (101 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pope AFB (USW00013714), 46 mi SSW of the city center, 218 ft (97 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (723060-13722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 395 ft (80 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.