January is one of the warmer months of the year in Katoomba, with average highs near 27.4°C and lows around 13.6°C (mean 20.5°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 88 mm of rainfall and 63% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Katoomba. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Katoomba was 2019 — when the month averaged 24.1°C — while the coldest was 1989 at 16.9°C. Typical January days reach 27.4°C with nights near 13.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Katoomba, averaging 88 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1984 with 193 mm, while the driest was 1985 at 12 mm.
Relative humidity in Katoomba during January averages 63%. The most humid January was 2022 at 81%, and the least humid was 1985 at 46%.
January receives about 6.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Katoomba. The sunniest January was 1985 at 7.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1996 at 5.3.
Average wind speed in Katoomba during January is 0.5 m/s. The windiest January was 1994 at 0.6 m/s, while the calmest were 2019, 2022 and 2023, among others at 0.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 19.9°C | 19.9°C | 20.9°C | 21.3°C | 20.3°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | 27.0°C | 26.7°C | 28.2°C | 28.2°C | 26.5°C | -0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 12.7°C | 13.1°C | 13.7°C | 14.4°C | 14.0°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 81 mm | 97 mm | 72 mm | 89 mm | 112 mm | +31 mm |
January temperatures in Katoomba have fallen by about 0.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 4.7°C (2012) to a record high of 38.7°C (2020).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 88 mm, with a wettest year of 193 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°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 Katoomba
January is one of the best times to visit Katoomba. Expect days averaging 27.4°C and nights around 13.6°C (mean 20.5°C) — warmer than Katoomba's yearly average — with higher rainfall (88 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 | 26.9°C | 20.4°C | 13.8°C | 35.3°C | 8.7°C | 105 mm | 70% | 0.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2024 | 26.6°C | 20.6°C | 14.6°C | 32.7°C | 9.2°C | 150 mm | 74% | 0.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2023 | 25.3°C | 19.1°C | 12.9°C | 30.3°C | 8.3°C | 116 mm | 72% | 0.4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2022 | 24.1°C | 19.3°C | 14.5°C | 27.4°C | 11.4°C | 160 mm | 81% | 0.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2021 | 25.0°C | 18.9°C | 12.9°C | 33.9°C | 8.0°C | 75 mm | 66% | 0.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2020 | 30.8°C | 23.2°C | 15.5°C | 38.7°C | 12.0°C | 65 mm | 60% | 0.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2019 🔥 | 30.8°C | 24.1°C | 17.4°C | 37.0°C | 13.2°C | 132 mm | 64% | 0.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2018 | 30.2°C | 22.5°C | 14.9°C | 37.5°C | 8.1°C | 46 mm | 55% | 0.4 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2017 | 30.3°C | 22.8°C | 15.3°C | 36.5°C | 12.1°C | 48 mm | 61% | 0.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2016 | 24.9°C | 19.1°C | 13.4°C | 34.0°C | 9.5°C | 169 mm | 72% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2015 | 25.6°C | 19.5°C | 13.5°C | 31.0°C | 7.1°C | 122 mm | 70% | 0.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2014 | 29.4°C | 21.2°C | 13.0°C | 36.9°C | 8.7°C | 24 mm | 54% | 0.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2013 | 30.4°C | 22.6°C | 14.8°C | 38.5°C | 10.1°C | 113 mm | 57% | 0.5 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2012 | 24.2°C | 18.4°C | 12.6°C | 30.4°C | 4.7°C | 97 mm | 71% | 0.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2011 | 27.3°C | 21.0°C | 14.6°C | 36.0°C | 10.0°C | 63 mm | 70% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2010 | 28.9°C | 21.7°C | 14.5°C | 35.2°C | 6.1°C | 75 mm | 61% | 0.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2009 | 29.8°C | 21.8°C | 13.8°C | 35.9°C | 8.6°C | 25 mm | 54% | 0.5 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2008 | 26.3°C | 20.0°C | 13.7°C | 32.4°C | 9.5°C | 97 mm | 69% | 0.5 m/s | 6 |
| 2007 | 29.2°C | 21.4°C | 13.6°C | 37.8°C | 6.8°C | 63 mm | 56% | 0.5 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2006 | 28.3°C | 21.7°C | 15.2°C | 36.3°C | 12.6°C | 150 mm | 69% | 0.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2005 | 27.6°C | 20.6°C | 13.7°C | 36.9°C | 7.9°C | 96 mm | 61% | 0.5 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2004 | 29.2°C | 21.8°C | 14.3°C | 36.3°C | 7.5°C | 44 mm | 54% | 0.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2003 | 29.6°C | 21.5°C | 13.3°C | 37.0°C | 8.7°C | 28 mm | 53% | 0.5 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2002 | 27.5°C | 20.2°C | 12.9°C | 32.4°C | 8.1°C | 67 mm | 55% | 0.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2001 | 30.5°C | 22.7°C | 14.9°C | 38.3°C | 10.0°C | 94 mm | 57% | 0.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2000 | 23.7°C | 17.4°C | 11.1°C | 34.1°C | 7.4°C | 53 mm | 66% | 0.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1999 | 28.7°C | 21.7°C | 14.6°C | 35.4°C | 11.8°C | 74 mm | 65% | 0.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1998 | 28.1°C | 21.4°C | 14.7°C | 35.4°C | 10.9°C | 126 mm | 64% | 0.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1997 | 24.8°C | 18.0°C | 11.2°C | 32.3°C | 5.9°C | 94 mm | 66% | 0.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1996 | 25.2°C | 19.1°C | 13.1°C | 34.5°C | 9.3°C | 131 mm | 72% | 0.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1995 | 23.7°C | 18.0°C | 12.3°C | 29.6°C | 7.1°C | 170 mm | 74% | 0.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1994 | 28.4°C | 20.5°C | 12.7°C | 33.7°C | 8.8°C | 23 mm | 53% | 0.6 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1993 | 27.2°C | 20.6°C | 13.9°C | 31.9°C | 10.2°C | 60 mm | 70% | 0.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1992 | 25.7°C | 18.8°C | 12.0°C | 35.5°C | 7.6°C | 118 mm | 63% | 0.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1991 | 27.9°C | 21.1°C | 14.4°C | 34.2°C | 7.9°C | 70 mm | 62% | 0.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1990 | 27.4°C | 20.0°C | 12.5°C | 36.9°C | 7.2°C | 103 mm | 64% | 0.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1989 ❄️ | 22.3°C | 16.9°C | 11.5°C | 28.0°C | 6.6°C | 98 mm | 74% | 0.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1988 | 28.1°C | 20.9°C | 13.7°C | 34.9°C | 7.5°C | 101 mm | 65% | 0.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1987 | 28.4°C | 20.8°C | 13.2°C | 36.1°C | 6.0°C | 37 mm | 52% | 0.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1986 | 25.1°C | 18.0°C | 10.9°C | 31.5°C | 5.9°C | 107 mm | 61% | 0.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1985 | 29.2°C | 20.6°C | 12.0°C | 35.1°C | 7.9°C | 12 mm | 46% | 0.5 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1984 🌧️ | 22.9°C | 17.1°C | 11.2°C | 28.5°C | 5.5°C | 193 mm | 73% | 0.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1983 | 29.0°C | 21.1°C | 13.2°C | 35.1°C | 6.2°C | 38 mm | 48% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 28.0°C | 20.8°C | 13.6°C | 35.3°C | 9.8°C | 72 mm | 62% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 30.1°C | 22.6°C | 15.0°C | 35.5°C | 9.9°C | 70 mm | 63% | 0.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 27.4°C with lows near 13.6°C (mean 20.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 88 mm of rainfall in Katoomba, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 193 mm in 1984.
The hottest January reached 38.7°C in 2020. The coldest dipped to 4.7°C in 2012.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have fallen by about 0.7°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 13°C to 13.7°C while daytime highs eased from 27.8°C to 25.6°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Katoomba and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 27.4°C daytime highs and 13.6°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 12th coolest month in Katoomba, averaging 20.5°C.
For January in Katoomba, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 27.4°C and lows of 13.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 63% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.5 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 0.6 m/s (1994).
The wettest January on record was 1984 with 193 mm. On average, January sees 88 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 Katoomba 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.
