Burlington, VT weather in January
January in Burlington: very cold and snowy. Highs 29°F, lows 13°F, about 15 days with rain or snow and about 21.1 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Burlington. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 29°F
- Normal low
- 13°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 2.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 21.1 in
- snow on the ground 25 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 31°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 16°F | 12°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 49% | 44% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:29 am / 4:23 pm | 7:12 am / 5:00 pm |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.8 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 am18°Fdew point 11°F
- 9 am19°Fdew point 12°F
- Noon23°Fdew point 13°F
- 3 pm25°Fdew point 13°F
- 6 pm22°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 pm21°Fdew point 13°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Burlington Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more25 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 2.1 in; a dry January brings about 1.5 in and a wet one about 2.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 21.1 in, with about 6 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 36°F
- Coolest January2004: average high 16°F
- Wettest January1998: 5.2 in
- Driest January2004: 0.5 in
- Highest reading66°F (January 15, 1995)
- Lowest reading-29°F (January 27, 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 | 35°F | 29°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 13°F | 14°F |
| Wet days | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.3 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -6°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Lowell, MA159 mi · high 34°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: North Conway, NH107 mi · high 30°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY40 mi · high 23°F · 19 wet days
How Burlington ranks in January
- Normal high355th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Vermont
- Wet days343rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days263rd most of 339
What to pack for Burlington in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 13°F, highs near 29°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 25 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1367 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 Burlington in January?
The normal high is 29°F and the normal low is 13°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -29°F (January 27, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Burlington in January?
About 15 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.1 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (5.2 in); the driest was in 2004 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Burlington in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 21.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 25 days.
Is January a good time to visit Burlington?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Burlington (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Burlington Intl Airport (USW00014742), 3.1 mi E of the city center, 330 ft (135 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Burlington International Airport (726170-14742), 3.1 mi E of the city center, 332 ft (137 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).