Williamsburg, VA weather in January
January in Williamsburg: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 49°F, lows 31°F, about 11 wet days and about 4.3 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Williamsburg.
- Normal high
- 49°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.3 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 50°F | 50°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:20 am / 4:59 pm | 7:10 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 am36°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 am40°Fdew point 30°F
- Noon46°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm48°Fdew point 30°F
- 6 pm42°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm39°Fdew point 29°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Newport News Intl Airport (15 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 59% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F4 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 below19 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 3.8 in; a dry January brings about 2.7 in and a wet one about 4.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.3 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 56°F
- Coolest January2011: average high 42°F
- Wettest January1998: 6.8 in
- Driest January2008: 1.5 in
- Highest reading81°F (January 30, 2002)
- Lowest reading0°F (January 7, 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 | 53°F | 49°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 31°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.9 h | 10.8 h |
Highs change by -4°F from December and +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Fayetteville, NC195 mi · high 54°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC109 mi · high 51°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Baltimore, MD140 mi · high 43°F · 10 wet days
How Williamsburg ranks in January
- Normal high185th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days251st driest of 378
- Comfortable days154th most of 339
What to pack for Williamsburg in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 49°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.3 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 19 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 780 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 Williamsburg in January?
The normal high is 49°F and the normal low is 31°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 0°F (most recently on January 7, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Williamsburg in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (6.8 in); the driest was in 2008 (1.5 in).
Does it snow in Williamsburg in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 4.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is January a good time to visit Williamsburg?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Williamsburg (42 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Williamsburg 2 N (USC00449151), 2.1 mi N of the city center, 70 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: W Pt 2 Nw (USC00449025), 21 mi NNW of the city center, 20 ft (65 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Newport News Intl Airport (USW00093741), 15 mi SE of the city center, 42 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Nwpt News/Wimburg Intl Apt (723086-93741), 15 mi SE of the city center, 36 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.