January is one of the warmer months of the year in Canberra, with average highs near 27.6°C and lows around 12.8°C (mean 20.2°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 70 mm of rainfall and 62% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Canberra. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Canberra was 2019 — when the month averaged 24.7°C — while the coldest was 1984 at 16.4°C. Typical January days reach 27.6°C with nights near 12.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
January is about average for rainfall in Canberra, averaging 70 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1984 with 236 mm, while the driest was 2003 at 12 mm.
Relative humidity in Canberra during January averages 62%. The most humid January was 2022 at 78%, and the least humid was 1985 at 49%.
January receives about 6.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Canberra. The sunniest January was 2009 at 8.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2016 at 5.7.
Average wind speed in Canberra during January is 1.3 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 1986 and 1994 at 1.5 m/s, while the calmest were 1992 and 2011 at 1.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 19.6°C | 19.4°C | 20.7°C | 21.2°C | 20.0°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | 27.3°C | 26.4°C | 28.5°C | 28.7°C | 26.6°C | -0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 11.9°C | 12.4°C | 13.0°C | 13.8°C | 13.4°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 59 mm | 89 mm | 51 mm | 68 mm | 88 mm | +29 mm |
January temperatures in Canberra have fallen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 4.2°C (2012) to a record high of 40.5°C (2020).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 70 mm, with a wettest year of 236 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0.5°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Canberra
January is one of the best times to visit Canberra. Expect days averaging 27.6°C and nights around 12.8°C (mean 20.2°C) — warmer than Canberra's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (70 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26.7°C | 20.0°C | 13.3°C | 34.6°C | 8.6°C | 110 mm | 69% | 1.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2024 | 25.3°C | 19.5°C | 13.6°C | 31.1°C | 8.5°C | 95 mm | 76% | 1.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2023 | 26.4°C | 19.6°C | 12.8°C | 33.2°C | 8.2°C | 82 mm | 69% | 1.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2022 | 25.2°C | 19.7°C | 14.3°C | 31.2°C | 10.8°C | 132 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2021 | 26.1°C | 19.3°C | 12.4°C | 36.0°C | 6.7°C | 78 mm | 63% | 1.4 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2020 | 30.1°C | 22.0°C | 14.0°C | 40.5°C | 10.9°C | 30 mm | 58% | 1.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2019 🔥 | 32.9°C | 24.7°C | 16.5°C | 39.0°C | 11.4°C | 60 mm | 60% | 1.3 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2018 | 30.0°C | 22.2°C | 14.3°C | 38.0°C | 6.3°C | 62 mm | 57% | 1.2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2017 | 30.7°C | 22.5°C | 14.3°C | 36.3°C | 9.1°C | 16 mm | 58% | 1.4 m/s | 7 |
| 2016 | 26.2°C | 19.8°C | 13.4°C | 36.0°C | 8.1°C | 151 mm | 67% | 1.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2015 | 24.8°C | 18.7°C | 12.5°C | 32.5°C | 6.5°C | 139 mm | 72% | 1.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2014 | 30.1°C | 21.6°C | 13.1°C | 38.9°C | 7.6°C | 16 mm | 50% | 1.3 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2013 | 30.8°C | 22.4°C | 13.9°C | 38.2°C | 8.4°C | 74 mm | 54% | 1.4 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2012 | 25.6°C | 18.9°C | 12.3°C | 31.6°C | 4.2°C | 61 mm | 67% | 1.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2011 | 26.3°C | 20.2°C | 14.1°C | 33.3°C | 9.9°C | 70 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2010 | 29.8°C | 21.4°C | 13.1°C | 36.5°C | 6.0°C | 29 mm | 57% | 1.4 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2009 | 30.5°C | 21.8°C | 13.0°C | 38.4°C | 7.1°C | 38 mm | 52% | 1.4 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2008 | 27.9°C | 20.6°C | 13.3°C | 34.2°C | 8.2°C | 71 mm | 65% | 1.3 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2007 | 30.0°C | 21.7°C | 13.5°C | 38.0°C | 9.5°C | 28 mm | 53% | 1.4 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2006 | 30.1°C | 22.3°C | 14.6°C | 38.8°C | 10.9°C | 83 mm | 63% | 1.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2005 | 28.0°C | 20.5°C | 13.0°C | 37.2°C | 6.3°C | 52 mm | 59% | 1.4 m/s | 7 |
| 2004 | 27.9°C | 20.3°C | 12.7°C | 36.2°C | 6.8°C | 53 mm | 57% | 1.4 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2003 | 29.9°C | 21.5°C | 13.1°C | 38.6°C | 6.3°C | 12 mm | 52% | 1.4 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2002 | 27.0°C | 19.5°C | 11.9°C | 34.2°C | 7.3°C | 54 mm | 58% | 1.4 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2001 | 29.8°C | 22.2°C | 14.6°C | 38.6°C | 8.7°C | 69 mm | 59% | 1.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2000 | 23.6°C | 16.8°C | 10.0°C | 32.9°C | 4.8°C | 51 mm | 66% | 1.3 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1999 | 28.3°C | 21.4°C | 14.6°C | 36.4°C | 11.9°C | 114 mm | 68% | 1.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1998 | 28.8°C | 21.2°C | 13.5°C | 38.2°C | 9.2°C | 55 mm | 60% | 1.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1997 | 25.8°C | 18.5°C | 11.2°C | 34.0°C | 6.2°C | 55 mm | 64% | 1.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1996 | 24.5°C | 18.2°C | 12.0°C | 32.0°C | 6.3°C | 102 mm | 71% | 1.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1995 | 23.8°C | 17.9°C | 12.1°C | 31.5°C | 5.1°C | 188 mm | 74% | 1.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1994 | 27.2°C | 19.2°C | 11.2°C | 34.1°C | 5.9°C | 30 mm | 56% | 1.5 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1993 | 25.7°C | 19.3°C | 12.9°C | 32.1°C | 9.0°C | 85 mm | 74% | 1.2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1992 | 23.9°C | 17.3°C | 10.6°C | 34.6°C | 7.0°C | 121 mm | 69% | 1.1 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1991 | 28.9°C | 21.3°C | 13.8°C | 35.1°C | 7.9°C | 82 mm | 59% | 1.4 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1990 | 27.2°C | 19.5°C | 11.7°C | 36.2°C | 5.6°C | 59 mm | 62% | 1.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1989 | 22.9°C | 16.7°C | 10.6°C | 28.5°C | 5.2°C | 49 mm | 72% | 1.3 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1988 | 30.8°C | 22.3°C | 13.8°C | 38.0°C | 6.2°C | 31 mm | 55% | 1.2 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1987 | 27.4°C | 19.5°C | 11.6°C | 32.6°C | 4.9°C | 25 mm | 51% | 1.4 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1986 | 24.8°C | 17.4°C | 10.1°C | 31.4°C | 5.9°C | 60 mm | 63% | 1.5 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1985 | 28.6°C | 19.8°C | 10.9°C | 36.0°C | 6.9°C | 15 mm | 49% | 1.4 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1984 ❄️ 🌧️ | 22.3°C | 16.4°C | 10.5°C | 28.5°C | 5.1°C | 236 mm | 73% | 1.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1983 | 28.5°C | 20.1°C | 11.7°C | 36.1°C | 5.3°C | 38 mm | 51% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 29.1°C | 21.0°C | 13.0°C | 37.4°C | 7.5°C | 39 mm | 59% | 1.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 31.3°C | 22.9°C | 14.5°C | 38.2°C | 10.6°C | 36 mm | 57% | 1.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 27.6°C with lows near 12.8°C (mean 20.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 70 mm of rainfall in Canberra, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 236 mm in 1984.
The hottest January reached 40.5°C in 2020. The coldest dipped to 4.2°C in 2012.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have fallen by about 0.4°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 12.1°C to 13.3°C while daytime highs eased from 28°C to 25.9°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Canberra and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 27.6°C daytime highs and 12.8°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 12th coolest month in Canberra, averaging 20.2°C.
For January in Canberra, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 27.6°C and lows of 12.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 62% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1.3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 1.5 m/s (1986).
The wettest January on record was 1984 with 236 mm. On average, January sees 70 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Canberra behaves each January, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for January specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
