Philadelphia, PA weather in January
Philadelphia is cold in January, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 41°F and nights drop to about 26°F. There are about 11 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 7.1 in. This is the depth of winter in Philadelphia.
- Normal high
- 41°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.1 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 42°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 26°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:22 am / 4:46 pm | 7:09 am / 5:18 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 10.1 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 am31°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 am33°Fdew point 23°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm39°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 23°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 54% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 43%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.1 in; a dry January brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 4.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.1 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 49°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 32°F
- Wettest January1999: 4.9 in
- Driest January1992: 0.9 in
- Highest reading73°F (January 6, 2007)
- Lowest reading-5°F (January 19, 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 | 46°F | 41°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 26°F | 28°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.7 h | 10.7 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Williamsburg, VA203 mi · high 49°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Waterbury, CT157 mi · high 36°F · 10 wet days
How Philadelphia ranks in January
- Normal high242nd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in Pennsylvania
- Wet days278th driest of 378
- Comfortable days213th most of 339
What to pack for Philadelphia in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 41°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 7.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 972 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 17% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Philadelphia in January?
The normal high is 41°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -5°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Philadelphia in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.1 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (4.9 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.9 in).
Does it snow in Philadelphia in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 7.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is January a good time to visit Philadelphia?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Philadelphia (33 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 6.8 mi SSW of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Phila Franklin Inst (USC00366886), 0.6 mi NW of the city center, 60 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Philadelphia Ne Airport (USW00094732), 12 mi NE of the city center, 100 ft (65 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 6.4 mi SSW of the city center, 7 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.