Grand Forks, ND weather in January
In January, Grand Forks sees highs around 15°F and lows around -1°F: very cold and snowy. Rain or snow falls on about 7 days. Snowfall averages about 9.5 in. It is one of the coldest months in Grand Forks. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 15°F
- Normal low
- -1°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.5 in
- snow on the ground 30 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 16°F | 16°F |
| Normal low | 1°F | -1°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 24% | 22% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:17 am / 4:45 pm | 7:56 am / 5:26 pm |
| Daylight | 8.5 h | 9.5 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 am6°Fdew point 3°F
- 9 am6°Fdew point 3°F
- Noon11°Fdew point 6°F
- 3 pm13°Fdew point 7°F
- 6 pm10°Fdew point 6°F
- 9 pm8°Fdew point 4°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Grand Forks Af (17 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
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 snow7 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 more30 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry January brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 0.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 9.5 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 29°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 3°F
- Wettest January1994: 1.0 in
- Driest January2008: 0.05 in
- Highest reading48°F (January 8, 2002)
- Lowest reading-39°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 | 21°F | 15°F | 20°F |
| Normal low | 6°F | -1°F | 3°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.5 h | 8.9 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Aberdeen, SD183 mi · high 24°F · 7 wet days
How Grand Forks ranks in January
- Normal high376th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days91st driest of 378
- Comfortable days317th most of 339
What to pack for Grand Forks in January
- A warm jacket – lows near -1°F, highs near 15°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 30 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1798 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 18% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Grand Forks in January?
The normal high is 15°F and the normal low is -1°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -39°F (January 30, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Grand Forks in January?
About 7 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1994 (1.0 in); the driest was in 2008 (0.05 in).
Does it snow in Grand Forks in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 9.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 30 days.
Is January a good time to visit Grand Forks?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Grand Forks (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: Grand Forks Univ (NWS) (USC00323621), 3.0 mi W of the city center, 830 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Grand Forks Intl Airport (USW00014916), 7.1 mi W of the city center, 842 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Grand Forks Af (USW00094925), 17 mi W of the city center, 906 ft (76 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Grand Forks AFB Airport (727575-94925), 17 mi W of the city center, 913 ft (83 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).