Madison, WI weather in January
In January, Madison sees highs around 27°F and lows around 12°F: very cold and snowy. There are about 11 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 13.7 in. It is one of the coldest months in Madison. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 27°F
- Normal low
- 12°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 1.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 13.7 in
- snow on the ground 24 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 28°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 14°F | 11°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:29 am / 4:33 pm | 7:13 am / 5:08 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.9 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 am17°Fdew point 12°F
- 9 am19°Fdew point 13°F
- Noon23°Fdew point 15°F
- 3 pm25°Fdew point 15°F
- 6 pm22°Fdew point 15°F
- 9 pm20°Fdew point 14°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (6 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
- 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 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more24 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.5 in; a dry January brings about 0.8 in and a wet one about 2.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 13.7 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 38°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 19°F
- Wettest January2013: 2.9 in
- Driest January2003: 0.4 in
- Highest reading55°F (January 27, 2002)
- Lowest reading-27°F (January 20, 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 | 32°F | 27°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 12°F | 15°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 9.4 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +4°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Chicago, IL123 mi · high 33°F · 12 wet days
- Drier: Wisconsin Dells, WI43 mi · high 26°F · 7 wet days
How Madison ranks in January
- Normal high361st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days252nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days335th most of 339
What to pack for Madison in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 12°F, highs near 27°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 24 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1413 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 Madison in January?
The normal high is 27°F and the normal low is 12°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -27°F (most recently on January 20, 1994).
Does it rain a lot in Madison in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.5 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2013 (2.9 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Madison in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 13.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 24 days.
Is January a good time to visit Madison?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Madison (25 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (USW00014837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 866 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dane Co Regional-Truax Field Airport (726410-14837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 859 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).