Chattanooga, TN weather in January
Chattanooga is chilly in January, with frequent rain: highs average 51°F and nights drop to about 32°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 1.0 in. This is the depth of winter in Chattanooga.
- Normal high
- 51°F
- Normal low
- 32°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 5.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.0 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 51°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:49 am / 5:40 pm | 7:40 am / 6:08 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 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 am36°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 am37°Fdew point 31°F
- Noon44°Fdew point 31°F
- 3 pm49°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm46°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 pm41°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Chattanooga Lovell Airport (6 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 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 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below17 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 5.0 in; a dry January brings about 3.5 in and a wet one about 6.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 1.0 in.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202017: average high 58°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 45°F
- Wettest January1999: 9.8 in
- Driest January2018: 1.2 in
- Highest reading77°F (January 30, 2002)
- Lowest reading2°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 | 53°F | 51°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 32°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Columbus, GA180 mi · high 59°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Lexington, KY213 mi · high 42°F · 13 wet days
How Chattanooga ranks in January
- Normal high174th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 7 in Tennessee
- Wet days250th driest of 378
- Comfortable days162nd most of 339
What to pack for Chattanooga in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 32°F, highs near 51°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 17 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 723 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Chattanooga in January?
The normal high is 51°F and the normal low is 32°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 2°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Chattanooga in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.0 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (9.8 in); the driest was in 2018 (1.2 in).
Does it snow in Chattanooga in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 1.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is January a good time to visit Chattanooga?
January ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chattanooga (43 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days. The best months are April and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Chattanooga Lovell Airport (USW00013882), 6.2 mi E of the city center, 671 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lovell Field Airport (723240-13882), 6.3 mi E of the city center, 669 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).