Milwaukee, WI weather in January
January in Milwaukee: cold and snowy. Highs 31°F, lows 17°F, rain or snow on about 11 days and about 14.9 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Milwaukee. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 31°F
- Normal low
- 17°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 1.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.9 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 32°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:23 am / 4:27 pm | 7:07 am / 5:02 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 am21°Fdew point 15°F
- 9 am22°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon26°Fdew point 17°F
- 3 pm28°Fdew point 17°F
- 6 pm25°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 16°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (6 mi away); average wind 11 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more20 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 1.8 in; a dry January brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 2.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.9 in, with about 5 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 39°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 23°F
- Wettest January1999: 4.4 in
- Driest January2003: 0.3 in
- Highest reading63°F (January 7, 2008)
- Lowest reading-23°F (January 31, 2019)
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 | 36°F | 31°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 17°F | 20°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 +3°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Springfield, IL241 mi · high 36°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Wisconsin Dells, WI102 mi · high 26°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Green Bay, WI102 mi · high 26°F · 11 wet days
How Milwaukee ranks in January
- Normal high340th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days297th driest of 378
- Comfortable days336th most of 339
What to pack for Milwaukee in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 17°F, highs near 31°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 20 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1269 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 Milwaukee in January?
The normal high is 31°F and the normal low is 17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -23°F (January 31, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Milwaukee in January?
About 11 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.8 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (4.4 in); the driest was in 2003 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Milwaukee in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 14.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is January a good time to visit Milwaukee?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Milwaukee (25 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: Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (USW00014839), 5.8 mi S of the city center, 670 ft (55 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: General Mitchell International Airport (726400-14839), 5.8 mi S of the city center, 667 ft (52 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).