Friday Harbor, WA weather in January
In January, Friday Harbor sees highs around 47°F and lows around 37°F: chilly, with rain on most days. Rain or snow falls on about 17 days. Snowfall averages about 1.8 in. It is one of the coldest months in Friday Harbor. Pack rain gear.
- Normal high
- 47°F
- Normal low
- 37°F
- Wet days
- 17
- 2.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.8 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 46°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 37°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 53% | 52% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:04 am / 4:27 pm | 7:42 am / 5:08 pm |
| Daylight | 8.4 h | 9.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical January day
- 6 am38°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 am38°Fdew point 33°F
- Noon42°Fdew point 34°F
- 3 pm44°Fdew point 35°F
- 6 pm40°Fdew point 34°F
- 9 pm39°Fdew point 34°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Bellingham Intl Airport (28 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 snow17 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below8 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 2.7 in; a dry January brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 3.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 1.8 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202010: average high 51°F
- Coolest January2008: average high 43°F
- Wettest January2002: 4.7 in
- Driest January2017: 0.4 in
- Highest reading60°F (January 17, 2005)
- Lowest reading11°F (January 4, 2004)
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 | 46°F | 47°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 37°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 16 | 17 | 14 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.4 h | 8.8 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by +1°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Leavenworth, WA127 mi · high 34°F · 14 wet days
How Friday Harbor ranks in January
- Normal high205th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 9 in Washington
- Wet days352nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days327th most of 339
What to pack for Friday Harbor in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 37°F, highs near 47°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 17 days
Heating and cooling
January has 710 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Friday Harbor in January?
The normal high is 47°F and the normal low is 37°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was 11°F (January 4, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Friday Harbor in January?
About 17 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.7 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2002 (4.7 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Friday Harbor in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 1.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is January a good time to visit Friday Harbor?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Friday Harbor (36 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Friday Harbor Airport (USW00094276), 0.9 mi SSW of the city center, 109 ft (51 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Olga 2 Se (USC00456096), 11 mi ENE of the city center, 80 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Bellingham Intl Airport (USW00024217), 28 mi NE of the city center, 149 ft (91 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Bellingham Intl Airport (727976-24217), 28 mi NE of the city center, 151 ft (93 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).