Houston, TX weather in January
January in Houston: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 64°F, lows 46°F, about 10 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Houston.
- Normal high
- 64°F
- Normal low
- 46°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 4.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 65°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 47°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:16 am / 5:33 pm | 7:11 am / 5:57 pm |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 10.8 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 am48°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 am51°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon59°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm62°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm57°Fdew point 44°F
- 9 pm53°Fdew point 45°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Houston Intercont Airport (15 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 28% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 60%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F11 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below2 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in January
Normal precipitation is 4.1 in; a dry January brings about 2.2 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.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 71°F
- Coolest January1991: average high 58°F
- Wettest January1991: 9.6 in
- Driest January2009: 0.4 in
- Highest reading82°F (January 3, 2009)
- Lowest reading19°F (January 17, 2018)
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 | 66°F | 64°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 46°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 11 | 13 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 10.5 h | 11.2 h |
Highs change by -2°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Drier: New Braunfels, TX166 mi · high 64°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Tyler, TX179 mi · high 58°F · 9 wet days
How Houston ranks in January
- Normal high76th warmest of 378 cities; 9th of 38 in Texas
- Wet days219th driest of 378
- Comfortable days62nd most of 339
What to pack for Houston in January
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in January
The last spring frost typically comes around Jan 30; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Mar 1. All frost dates for Houston.
Heating and cooling
January has 330 heating degree days and 19 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 8% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Houston in January?
The normal high is 64°F and the normal low is 46°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 19°F (January 17, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Houston in January?
About 10 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.1 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (9.6 in); the driest was in 2009 (0.4 in).
Is January a good time to visit Houston?
January ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Houston (58 out of 100). It has about 11 comfortable days. The best month is March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Houston Hobby Airport (USW00012918), 9.9 mi SSE of the city center, 44 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Houston Intercont Airport (USW00012960), 15 mi N of the city center, 95 ft (59 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: G Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston Airport (722430-12960), 15 mi N of the city center, 90 ft (54 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.