January is one of the cooler months of the year in Esquimalt, with average highs near 6.8°C and lows around 3.6°C (mean 5.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 143 mm of rainfall and 87% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Esquimalt. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Esquimalt was 2003 — when the month averaged 7.4°C — while the coldest was 1993 at 1.7°C. Typical January days reach 6.8°C with nights near 3.6°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Esquimalt, averaging 143 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2020 with 246 mm, while the driest was 1985 at 20 mm.
Relative humidity in Esquimalt during January averages 87%. The most humid January was 2022 at 91%, and the least humid was 2017 at 80%.
January receives about 1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Esquimalt. The sunniest January was 2025 at 1.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2012, 2018 and 2020, among others at 0.8.
Average wind speed in Esquimalt during January is 3 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 1986, 2020 and 2024 at 3.6 m/s, while the calmest were 1985 and 1994 at 2.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 5.0°C | 4.9°C | 5.2°C | 5.5°C | 5.4°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | 6.7°C | 6.6°C | 6.8°C | 7.0°C | 6.8°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 3.4°C | 3.2°C | 3.7°C | 4.0°C | 4.0°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 136 mm | 151 mm | 146 mm | 135 mm | 147 mm | +11 mm |
January temperatures in Esquimalt have stayed relatively stable across the record.
January has ranged from a record low of -8.5°C (1996) to a record high of 13.5°C (2024).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 143 mm, with a wettest year of 246 mm.
A quieter season to visit Esquimalt
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Esquimalt. That said, January — with days averaging 6.8°C and nights around 3.6°C (mean 5.2°C) and higher rainfall (143 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 | 5.5°C | 4.2°C | 2.9°C | 7.8°C | 0.3°C | 49 mm | 88% | 2.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2024 | 6.5°C | 5.0°C | 3.5°C | 13.5°C | -8.2°C | 187 mm | 89% | 3.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2023 | 7.3°C | 5.9°C | 4.5°C | 10.3°C | -1.3°C | 89 mm | 88% | 3.1 m/s | 1 |
| 2022 | 6.5°C | 5.1°C | 3.6°C | 9.9°C | -3.3°C | 153 mm | 91% | 2.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2021 | 7.6°C | 6.2°C | 4.8°C | 10.4°C | 0.9°C | 158 mm | 88% | 3.1 m/s | 1 |
| 2020 🌧️ | 7.5°C | 6.0°C | 4.5°C | 11.8°C | -3.7°C | 246 mm | 88% | 3.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2019 | 8.3°C | 6.6°C | 4.9°C | 10.9°C | 1.8°C | 115 mm | 86% | 2.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2018 | 7.6°C | 6.3°C | 5.1°C | 10.7°C | 0.8°C | 210 mm | 91% | 3.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 5.0°C | 3.3°C | 1.6°C | 9.6°C | -4.5°C | 72 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2016 | 7.4°C | 5.9°C | 4.3°C | 11.6°C | 0.1°C | 143 mm | 89% | 3.1 m/s | 1 |
| 2015 | 8.5°C | 6.8°C | 5.2°C | 12.7°C | 1.7°C | 137 mm | 88% | 2.3 m/s | 1 |
| 2014 | 7.0°C | 5.5°C | 4.0°C | 9.9°C | 0.7°C | 115 mm | 88% | 2.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2013 | 5.3°C | 4.0°C | 2.7°C | 8.6°C | 0.1°C | 102 mm | 87% | 2.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2012 | 5.7°C | 4.3°C | 2.8°C | 10.2°C | -3.8°C | 141 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2011 | 6.5°C | 4.9°C | 3.3°C | 10.8°C | -0.8°C | 178 mm | 85% | 2.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2010 | 8.5°C | 7.1°C | 5.6°C | 10.6°C | 2.1°C | 132 mm | 89% | 3.1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2009 | 5.6°C | 4.0°C | 2.4°C | 8.7°C | -1.7°C | 130 mm | 86% | 2.5 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2008 | 5.5°C | 4.0°C | 2.6°C | 9.1°C | -1.8°C | 115 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 1 |
| 2007 | 6.2°C | 4.4°C | 2.7°C | 11.5°C | -2.7°C | 161 mm | 85% | 2.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2006 | 8.4°C | 7.0°C | 5.7°C | 11.4°C | 3.1°C | 233 mm | 90% | 3.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2005 | 7.0°C | 5.4°C | 3.9°C | 12.8°C | -3.2°C | 137 mm | 86% | 2.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2004 | 6.2°C | 4.8°C | 3.3°C | 9.9°C | -7.5°C | 156 mm | 90% | 3.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2003 🔥 | 9.2°C | 7.4°C | 5.6°C | 12.0°C | 1.7°C | 157 mm | 89% | 2.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2002 | 6.3°C | 5.0°C | 3.7°C | 11.5°C | -1.8°C | 162 mm | 87% | 2.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2001 | 7.4°C | 5.6°C | 3.9°C | 10.0°C | 1.3°C | 93 mm | 87% | 2.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2000 | 6.4°C | 4.6°C | 2.8°C | 8.3°C | -0.3°C | 111 mm | 87% | 3.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1999 | 7.3°C | 5.8°C | 4.3°C | 10.6°C | -1.0°C | 170 mm | 88% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1998 | 6.9°C | 5.1°C | 3.4°C | 10.7°C | -7.7°C | 177 mm | 88% | 3.5 m/s | 1 |
| 1997 | 6.2°C | 4.5°C | 2.9°C | 10.1°C | -6.1°C | 191 mm | 86% | 3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1996 | 5.5°C | 3.8°C | 2.2°C | 11.2°C | -8.5°C | 149 mm | 86% | 3.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1995 | 7.3°C | 5.2°C | 3.2°C | 12.6°C | -2.1°C | 126 mm | 89% | 3.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1994 | 8.4°C | 6.9°C | 5.4°C | 10.8°C | 1.6°C | 81 mm | 91% | 2.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 3.7°C | 1.7°C | -0.3°C | 9.0°C | -6.5°C | 112 mm | 85% | 3.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1992 | 8.0°C | 6.5°C | 5.1°C | 12.3°C | 0.8°C | 195 mm | 88% | 3.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1991 | 4.9°C | 3.5°C | 2.0°C | 9.5°C | -4.3°C | 131 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1990 | 7.3°C | 5.6°C | 3.8°C | 10.9°C | 0.2°C | 175 mm | 87% | 3.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1989 | 6.2°C | 4.5°C | 2.8°C | 11.1°C | -4.2°C | 139 mm | 87% | 2.8 m/s | 1 |
| 1988 | 6.0°C | 4.3°C | 2.5°C | 10.9°C | -3.7°C | 93 mm | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 1 |
| 1987 | 6.5°C | 5.0°C | 3.5°C | 11.2°C | -0.7°C | 145 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1986 | 8.0°C | 6.2°C | 4.3°C | 11.0°C | 0.9°C | 170 mm | 90% | 3.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1985 | 5.3°C | 3.7°C | 2.2°C | 8.4°C | -0.9°C | 20 mm | 83% | 2.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1984 | 6.7°C | 5.1°C | 3.6°C | 10.6°C | -2.9°C | 187 mm | 86% | 2.5 m/s | 1 |
| 1983 | 8.1°C | 6.4°C | 4.6°C | 11.2°C | 1.9°C | 190 mm | 89% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.9°C | 3.5°C | 2.1°C | 8.2°C | -7.6°C | 227 mm | 88% | 3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 8.5°C | 6.7°C | 4.8°C | 11.1°C | 1.7°C | 57 mm | 88% | 2.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 6.8°C with lows near 3.6°C (mean 5.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 143 mm of rainfall in Esquimalt, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 246 mm in 2020.
The hottest January reached 13.5°C in 2024. The coldest dipped to -8.5°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 6.7°C to 6.7°C and overnight lows from 3.5°C to 3.9°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Esquimalt and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 6.8°C daytime highs and 3.6°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in Esquimalt, averaging 5.2°C.
For January in Esquimalt, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.8°C and lows of 3.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 87% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 3.6 m/s (1986).
The wettest January on record was 2020 with 246 mm. On average, January sees 143 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 Esquimalt 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.
