Sioux Falls, SD weather in January
January in Sioux Falls: very cold and snowy. Highs 27°F, lows 9°F, rain or snow on about 7 days and about 8.0 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Sioux Falls. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 27°F
- Normal low
- 9°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.0 in
- snow on the ground 22 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 27°F | 28°F |
| Normal low | 10°F | 9°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 22% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:00 am / 5:00 pm | 7:44 am / 5:36 pm |
| Daylight | 9.0 h | 9.9 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 am14°Fdew point 9°F
- 9 am15°Fdew point 10°F
- Noon21°Fdew point 13°F
- 3 pm23°Fdew point 14°F
- 6 pm20°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 pm17°Fdew point 12°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Sioux Falls (3 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% 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°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 more22 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.6 in; a dry January brings about 0.4 in and a wet one about 0.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.0 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 38°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 15°F
- Wettest January2001: 1.5 in
- Driest January2002: 0.2 in
- Highest reading63°F (January 26, 2002)
- Lowest reading-30°F (January 2, 2010)
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 | 32°F | 27°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 9°F | 13°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.0 h | 9.4 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Omaha, NE163 mi · high 34°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Fargo, ND230 mi · high 18°F · 9 wet days
How Sioux Falls ranks in January
- Normal high360th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days105th driest of 378
- Comfortable days323rd most of 339
What to pack for Sioux Falls in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 9°F, highs near 27°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 22 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1461 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 Sioux Falls in January?
The normal high is 27°F and the normal low is 9°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -30°F (January 2, 2010).
Does it rain a lot in Sioux Falls in January?
About 7 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2001 (1.5 in); the driest was in 2002 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Sioux Falls in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 8.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 22 days.
Is January a good time to visit Sioux Falls?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Sioux Falls (27 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Sioux Falls (USW00014944), 3.0 mi NNW of the city center, 1,430 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Joe Foss Field Airport (726510-14944), 3.3 mi NW of the city center, 1,419 ft (54 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.