Gatlinburg, TN weather in January
January in Gatlinburg: chilly, with rain on most days. Highs 47°F, lows 27°F, about 15 days with rain or snow and about 2.4 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Gatlinburg. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 47°F
- Normal low
- 27°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 4.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.4 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 47°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 49% | 49% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:43 am / 5:31 pm | 7:34 am / 6:00 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.4 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 am35°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 am35°Fdew point 29°F
- Noon42°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm46°Fdew point 30°F
- 6 pm43°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 pm40°Fdew point 30°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport (28 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in10 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more3 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 4.8 in; a dry January brings about 3.1 in and a wet one about 5.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.4 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 57°F
- Coolest January2014: average high 41°F
- Wettest January1996: 7.2 in
- Driest January2018: 1.6 in
- Highest reading76°F (January 30, 2002)
- Lowest reading-6°F (January 20, 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 | 50°F | 47°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 27°F | 29°F |
| Wet days | 15 | 15 | 14 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.9 h |
Highs change by -3°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Athens, GA122 mi · high 55°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Knoxville, TN29 mi · high 48°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV209 mi · high 41°F · 16 wet days
How Gatlinburg ranks in January
- Normal high209th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 7 in Tennessee
- Wet days347th driest of 378
- Comfortable days158th most of 339
What to pack for Gatlinburg in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 47°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 880 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 Gatlinburg in January?
The normal high is 47°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -6°F (most recently on January 20, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Gatlinburg in January?
About 15 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (7.2 in); the driest was in 2018 (1.7 in).
Does it snow in Gatlinburg in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 2.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is January a good time to visit Gatlinburg?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Gatlinburg (39 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 and frost dates: Gatlinburg 2 Sw (USC00403420), 2.4 mi SW of the city center, 1,454 ft (164 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport (USW00013891), 28 mi WNW of the city center, 962 ft (328 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Asheville Rgnl Airport (USW00003812), 58 mi ESE of the city center, 2,117 ft (827 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mc Ghee Tyson Airport (723260-13891), 28 mi WNW of the city center, 970 ft (320 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.