Chesapeake, VA weather in January
January in Chesapeake: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 51°F, lows 34°F, about 11 days with rain or snow and about 3.2 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Chesapeake.
- Normal high
- 51°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.2 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 52°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:17 am / 4:59 pm | 7:07 am / 5:29 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 10.3 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 am39°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am41°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon46°Fdew point 31°F
- 3 pm47°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm44°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 pm41°Fdew point 31°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Norfolk Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 52% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 40%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F4 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below14 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry January brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 3.2 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202012: average high 56°F
- Coolest January2011: average high 43°F
- Wettest January1998: 6.0 in
- Driest January2008: 1.4 in
- Highest reading80°F (January 30, 2002)
- Lowest reading5°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 | 55°F | 51°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 34°F | 35°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 10.0 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by -4°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Wilmington, NC202 mi · high 57°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC70 mi · high 51°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD123 mi · high 45°F · 11 wet days
How Chesapeake ranks in January
- Normal high177th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days260th driest of 378
- Comfortable days139th most of 339
What to pack for Chesapeake in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 51°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 3.2 in of snow in a typical year
Heating and cooling
January has 709 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Chesapeake in January?
The normal high is 51°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 5°F (January 19, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Chesapeake in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (6.0 in); the driest was in 2008 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in Chesapeake in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 3.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is January a good time to visit Chesapeake?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chesapeake (43 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Norfolk Intl Airport (USW00013737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Suffolk Lake Kilby (USC00448192), 19 mi WSW of the city center, 22 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Norfolk International Airport (723080-13737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.