Wilmington, NC weather in January
Wilmington is cool in January, with some rain: highs average 57°F and nights drop to about 36°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 0.7 in. It is one of the coolest months in Wilmington.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 36°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 0.7 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 58°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 37°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:17 am / 5:12 pm | 7:09 am / 5:40 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 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 am40°Fdew point 34°F
- 9 am43°Fdew point 35°F
- Noon52°Fdew point 35°F
- 3 pm54°Fdew point 35°F
- 6 pm48°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 pm44°Fdew point 36°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New River Mcaf (46 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F8 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below13 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.8 in; a dry January brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 4.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.7 in.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20201999: average high 64°F
- Coolest January2011: average high 50°F
- Wettest January1991: 10.2 in
- Driest January2001: 0.7 in
- Highest reading79°F (January 31, 2002)
- Lowest reading10°F (January 16, 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 | 60°F | 57°F | 60°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 36°F | 38°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 10.2 h | 11.0 h |
Highs change by -3°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Raleigh, NC114 mi · high 52°F · 8 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in January
- Normal high136th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days206th driest of 378
- Comfortable days102nd most of 339
What to pack for Wilmington in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 36°F, highs near 57°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
January has 568 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Wilmington in January?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 36°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 10°F (January 16, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (10.2 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.7 in).
Does it snow in Wilmington in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 0.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is January a good time to visit Wilmington?
January ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (52 out of 100). It has about 8 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Wilmington Intl Airport (USW00013748), 3.9 mi NE of the city center, 33 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: New River Mcaf (USW00093727), 46 mi NE of the city center, 26 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Jacksonville (723096-93727), 44 mi NE of the city center, 26 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.