Fargo, ND weather in January
Fargo is very cold and snowy in January: highs average 18°F and nights drop to about 0°F. There are about 9 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 10.3 in. This is the depth of winter in Fargo. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 18°F
- Normal low
- 0°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 0.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.3 in
- snow on the ground 29 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 19°F | 19°F |
| Normal low | 2°F | 0°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:12 am / 4:48 pm | 7:52 am / 5:28 pm |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | 9.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am8°Fdew point 3°F
- 9 am8°Fdew point 3°F
- Noon12°Fdew point 6°F
- 3 pm14°Fdew point 7°F
- 6 pm12°Fdew point 6°F
- 9 pm10°Fdew point 5°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fargo Hector Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 49% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 47%.
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 snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 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 0.7 in; a dry January brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 0.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 10.3 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 31°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 5°F
- Wettest January1996: 1.8 in
- Driest January2008: 0.09 in
- Highest reading55°F (January 5, 2012)
- Lowest reading-36°F (January 30, 2004)
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 | 24°F | 18°F | 23°F |
| Normal low | 8°F | 0°F | 4°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | 9.0 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Aberdeen, SD127 mi · high 24°F · 7 wet days
How Fargo ranks in January
- Normal high375th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days168th driest of 378
- Comfortable days316th most of 339
What to pack for Fargo in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 0°F, highs near 18°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 29 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1730 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 19% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fargo in January?
The normal high is 18°F and the normal low is 0°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -36°F (January 30, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Fargo in January?
About 9 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.7 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (1.8 in); the driest was in 2008 (0.09 in).
Does it snow in Fargo in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 10.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 29 days.
Is January a good time to visit Fargo?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fargo (24 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, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Fargo Hector Intl Airport (USW00014914), 3.5 mi NNW of the city center, 900 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Hector International Airport (727530-14914), 3.4 mi NNW of the city center, 895 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.