January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort McMurray, with average highs near -14°C and lows around -22.5°C (mean -18.2°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 28 mm of rainfall and 99% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort McMurray. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Fort McMurray was 2001 — when the month averaged -9.1°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -31.5°C. Typical January days reach -14°C with nights near -22.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Fort McMurray, averaging 28 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2025 with 47 mm, while the driest was 1995 at 8 mm.
Relative humidity in Fort McMurray during January averages 99%. The most humid Januarys were 2016, 2019 and 2023, among others at 100%, and the least humid was 2003 at 89%.
January receives about 0.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Fort McMurray. The sunniest Januarys were 2001, 2002 and 2009, among others at 0.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2006 at 0.5.
Average wind speed in Fort McMurray during January is 0.3 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2014, 2019 and 2025, among others at 0.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2022, 2023 and 2024, among others at 0.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -18.2°C | -20.4°C | -17.3°C | -17.8°C | -17.0°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg High | -13.7°C | -16.1°C | -13.2°C | -13.5°C | -12.9°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Low | -22.7°C | -24.7°C | -21.3°C | -22.0°C | -21.1°C | +1.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 29 mm | 23 mm | 25 mm | 31 mm | 36 mm | +7 mm |
January temperatures in Fort McMurray have risen by about 2.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -48.4°C (1990) to a record high of 3.9°C (1993).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 28 mm, with a wettest year of 47 mm.
A quieter season to visit Fort McMurray
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Fort McMurray. That said, January — with days averaging -14°C and nights around -22.5°C (mean -18.2°C) and low rainfall (28 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 🌧️ | -10.6°C | -15.4°C | -20.3°C | 0.1°C | -36.7°C | 47 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2024 | -17.8°C | -21.4°C | -25.1°C | 0.1°C | -46.5°C | 34 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2023 | -9.6°C | -13.0°C | -16.3°C | 0.0°C | -29.7°C | 31 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2022 | -15.2°C | -20.7°C | -26.3°C | 0.1°C | -39.7°C | 45 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2021 | -10.3°C | -14.1°C | -17.9°C | 0.1°C | -38.5°C | 29 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2020 | -13.7°C | -17.4°C | -21.0°C | -1.2°C | -39.4°C | 28 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2019 | -14.7°C | -19.5°C | -24.3°C | 0.1°C | -37.3°C | 41 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2018 | -15.1°C | -19.0°C | -22.8°C | -0.4°C | -37.7°C | 32 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2017 | -11.4°C | -15.2°C | -19.1°C | 0.1°C | -39.3°C | 27 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2016 | -13.2°C | -16.8°C | -20.4°C | 0.1°C | -36.6°C | 29 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2015 | -13.0°C | -16.9°C | -20.8°C | 0.1°C | -34.9°C | 24 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2014 | -12.5°C | -18.0°C | -23.5°C | 0.1°C | -40.9°C | 36 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2013 | -15.8°C | -20.0°C | -24.3°C | -3.3°C | -39.3°C | 36 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2012 | -10.2°C | -14.5°C | -18.7°C | 0.1°C | -38.4°C | 29 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2011 | -15.8°C | -20.3°C | -24.8°C | 0.1°C | -35.6°C | 31 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2010 | -13.5°C | -17.4°C | -21.2°C | -0.1°C | -33.1°C | 23 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2009 | -15.6°C | -19.9°C | -24.1°C | 0.1°C | -39.2°C | 29 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2008 | -14.9°C | -19.3°C | -23.8°C | -2.5°C | -45.5°C | 28 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2007 | -9.5°C | -14.3°C | -19.0°C | 0.1°C | -38.3°C | 30 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2006 | -8.4°C | -12.3°C | -16.1°C | -0.2°C | -27.4°C | 22 mm | 98% | 0.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2005 | -16.4°C | -20.8°C | -25.2°C | 0.1°C | -39.1°C | 29 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | -19.6°C | -23.7°C | -27.7°C | -6.5°C | -47.2°C | 40 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | -13.4°C | -16.6°C | -19.9°C | 2.5°C | -29.9°C | 18 mm | 89% | 0.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2002 | -13.2°C | -17.0°C | -20.9°C | 0.5°C | -39.0°C | 18 mm | 94% | 0.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2001 🔥 | -5.6°C | -9.1°C | -12.5°C | 0.1°C | -25.3°C | 21 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2000 | -15.5°C | -19.5°C | -23.5°C | -1.5°C | -35.7°C | 12 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1999 | -16.6°C | -20.3°C | -24.1°C | -0.6°C | -35.4°C | 19 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1998 | -17.4°C | -21.1°C | -24.8°C | -0.6°C | -34.2°C | 15 mm | 98% | 0.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1997 | -17.9°C | -23.1°C | -28.2°C | -1.8°C | -42.1°C | 25 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1996 | -22.3°C | -27.4°C | -32.6°C | -0.7°C | -47.1°C | 34 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1995 | -13.0°C | -16.7°C | -20.4°C | 0.0°C | -34.1°C | 8 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1994 | -20.6°C | -24.6°C | -28.7°C | -5.2°C | -44.3°C | 28 mm | 99% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1993 | -14.6°C | -18.8°C | -23.1°C | 3.9°C | -35.8°C | 16 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1992 | -9.1°C | -13.1°C | -17.2°C | 0.1°C | -35.3°C | 36 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1991 | -14.1°C | -19.1°C | -24.0°C | 0.1°C | -42.8°C | 25 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1990 | -15.0°C | -19.6°C | -24.1°C | -2.2°C | -48.4°C | 25 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1989 | -13.7°C | -18.8°C | -24.0°C | 0.1°C | -41.7°C | 31 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1988 | -16.3°C | -20.9°C | -25.5°C | -1.7°C | -42.3°C | 35 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1987 | -9.1°C | -12.8°C | -16.5°C | 0.1°C | -26.9°C | 32 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1986 | -10.9°C | -15.0°C | -19.0°C | 0.1°C | -32.5°C | 41 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1985 | -12.2°C | -17.0°C | -21.8°C | 0.1°C | -43.6°C | 23 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1984 | -12.0°C | -17.1°C | -22.2°C | 0.0°C | -36.7°C | 31 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1983 | -13.9°C | -18.5°C | -23.1°C | 0.0°C | -40.0°C | 26 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | -26.8°C | -31.5°C | -36.1°C | -16.8°C | -43.9°C | 25 mm | 100% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -8.6°C | -12.5°C | -16.3°C | 0.1°C | -32.6°C | 14 mm | 100% | 0.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around -14°C with lows near -22.5°C (mean -18.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 28 mm of rainfall in Fort McMurray, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 47 mm in 2025.
The hottest January reached 3.9°C in 1993. The coldest dipped to -48.4°C in 1990.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 2.4°C. Daytime highs moved from -14.7°C to -12.7°C and overnight lows from -23.9°C to -21.2°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort McMurray and one of the drier months, so plan for around -14°C daytime highs and -22.5°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Fort McMurray, averaging -18.2°C.
For January in Fort McMurray, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -14°C and lows of -22.5°C.
Relative humidity in January averages 99% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 0.4 m/s (1982).
The wettest January on record was 2025 with 47 mm. On average, January sees 28 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 Fort McMurray 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.
