January is one of the cooler months of the year in Nanaimo, with average highs near 5.6°C and lows around 1.8°C (mean 3.7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 134 mm of rainfall and 90% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Nanaimo. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Januarys in Nanaimo were 1994 and 2003 — when the month averaged 5.8°C — while the coldest was 1993 at 0.1°C. Typical January days reach 5.6°C with nights near 1.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Nanaimo, averaging 134 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1982 with 263 mm, while the driest was 1985 at 31 mm.
Relative humidity in Nanaimo during January averages 90%. The most humid January was 2018 at 95%, and the least humid was 2017 at 84%.
January receives about 0.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Nanaimo. The sunniest January was 2025 at 1.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2006 and 2020 at 0.6.
Average wind speed in Nanaimo during January is 1.7 m/s. The windiest January was 2020 at 2.2 m/s, while the calmest was 1985 at 1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 3.4°C | 3.3°C | 3.7°C | 4.0°C | 4.1°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 5.4°C | 5.3°C | 5.6°C | 5.9°C | 5.8°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Low | 1.5°C | 1.3°C | 1.8°C | 2.1°C | 2.3°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Rain | 152 mm | 157 mm | 132 mm | 109 mm | 114 mm | -38 mm |
January temperatures in Nanaimo have risen by about 0.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -12.1°C (1996) to a record high of 12.1°C (2024).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 134 mm, with a wettest year of 263 mm.
A quieter season to visit Nanaimo
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Nanaimo. That said, January — with days averaging 5.6°C and nights around 1.8°C (mean 3.7°C) and higher rainfall (134 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 | 5.0°C | 3.3°C | 1.6°C | 8.1°C | -0.6°C | 39 mm | 89% | 1.4 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2024 | 5.2°C | 3.5°C | 1.8°C | 12.1°C | -10.5°C | 156 mm | 91% | 1.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2023 | 6.4°C | 4.6°C | 2.9°C | 9.5°C | -3.3°C | 82 mm | 92% | 1.7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2022 | 5.6°C | 3.7°C | 1.8°C | 8.2°C | -5.6°C | 106 mm | 94% | 1.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2021 | 6.5°C | 4.8°C | 3.1°C | 9.3°C | 0.8°C | 123 mm | 90% | 1.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2020 | 6.3°C | 4.4°C | 2.5°C | 11.4°C | -5.7°C | 179 mm | 92% | 2.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2019 | 7.1°C | 5.0°C | 3.0°C | 10.8°C | 0.1°C | 96 mm | 90% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2018 | 6.0°C | 4.6°C | 3.1°C | 9.4°C | -2.1°C | 179 mm | 95% | 1.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2017 | 4.0°C | 2.0°C | 0.0°C | 9.0°C | -5.8°C | 63 mm | 84% | 1.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2016 | 6.1°C | 4.0°C | 2.0°C | 10.8°C | -2.1°C | 127 mm | 93% | 1.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2015 | 7.4°C | 5.4°C | 3.5°C | 11.1°C | -0.2°C | 91 mm | 92% | 1.2 m/s | 1 |
| 2014 | 6.4°C | 4.3°C | 2.2°C | 10.4°C | -0.3°C | 84 mm | 90% | 1.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2013 | 4.4°C | 2.7°C | 0.9°C | 9.3°C | -1.2°C | 82 mm | 90% | 1.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2012 | 4.8°C | 2.9°C | 0.9°C | 10.2°C | -6.7°C | 112 mm | 87% | 2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2011 | 5.4°C | 3.4°C | 1.4°C | 10.6°C | -3.2°C | 128 mm | 88% | 1.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2010 | 7.4°C | 5.7°C | 4.1°C | 9.7°C | 0.3°C | 125 mm | 92% | 1.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2009 | 4.6°C | 2.4°C | 0.2°C | 7.8°C | -5.7°C | 65 mm | 89% | 1.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2008 | 4.4°C | 2.5°C | 0.7°C | 7.7°C | -2.4°C | 111 mm | 87% | 1.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2007 | 5.4°C | 3.3°C | 1.1°C | 10.4°C | -5.1°C | 131 mm | 88% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2006 | 7.3°C | 5.4°C | 3.6°C | 11.2°C | 0.7°C | 221 mm | 94% | 2.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 5.3°C | 3.4°C | 1.6°C | 11.6°C | -6.6°C | 144 mm | 88% | 1.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2004 | 5.0°C | 3.2°C | 1.5°C | 9.7°C | -10.0°C | 129 mm | 92% | 1.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2003 | 7.9°C | 5.8°C | 3.8°C | 11.1°C | -0.9°C | 141 mm | 92% | 1.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2002 | 5.6°C | 3.8°C | 1.9°C | 11.1°C | -2.8°C | 140 mm | 91% | 1.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2001 | 6.0°C | 4.2°C | 2.3°C | 9.1°C | -0.8°C | 118 mm | 91% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2000 | 4.8°C | 2.9°C | 1.1°C | 7.5°C | -1.4°C | 119 mm | 91% | 1.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1999 | 6.0°C | 4.2°C | 2.3°C | 10.1°C | -2.6°C | 212 mm | 92% | 1.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1998 | 5.2°C | 3.2°C | 1.3°C | 9.1°C | -8.3°C | 163 mm | 90% | 2 m/s | 1 |
| 1997 | 4.8°C | 2.9°C | 1.0°C | 9.0°C | -8.9°C | 193 mm | 89% | 1.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1996 | 3.9°C | 1.9°C | -0.2°C | 10.5°C | -12.1°C | 136 mm | 86% | 1.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1995 | 5.8°C | 3.6°C | 1.4°C | 12.0°C | -5.0°C | 141 mm | 92% | 1.7 m/s | 1 |
| 1994 🔥 | 7.8°C | 5.8°C | 3.8°C | 10.8°C | 0.4°C | 114 mm | 93% | 1.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 2.4°C | 0.1°C | -2.2°C | 7.8°C | -8.5°C | 99 mm | 88% | 1.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1992 | 6.7°C | 5.0°C | 3.4°C | 11.4°C | -0.9°C | 227 mm | 93% | 1.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1991 | 3.8°C | 1.9°C | -0.1°C | 8.5°C | -7.9°C | 120 mm | 85% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 1990 | 6.2°C | 4.1°C | 2.1°C | 9.2°C | -1.5°C | 159 mm | 91% | 2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1989 | 4.8°C | 2.7°C | 0.7°C | 10.5°C | -10.4°C | 124 mm | 91% | 1.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1988 | 4.7°C | 2.7°C | 0.7°C | 9.9°C | -4.1°C | 101 mm | 88% | 1.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1987 | 5.5°C | 3.8°C | 2.1°C | 10.2°C | -1.4°C | 163 mm | 89% | 1.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1986 | 6.6°C | 4.5°C | 2.4°C | 11.0°C | -0.7°C | 238 mm | 94% | 1.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1985 | 4.3°C | 2.5°C | 0.6°C | 7.5°C | -2.3°C | 31 mm | 88% | 1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1984 | 5.3°C | 3.3°C | 1.3°C | 9.3°C | -5.1°C | 184 mm | 89% | 1.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1983 | 6.8°C | 4.8°C | 2.9°C | 10.0°C | 0.1°C | 173 mm | 94% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 🌧️ | 3.2°C | 1.4°C | -0.3°C | 7.6°C | -8.8°C | 263 mm | 92% | 1.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 7.3°C | 5.2°C | 3.1°C | 10.0°C | 0.7°C | 92 mm | 92% | 1.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 5.6°C with lows near 1.8°C (mean 3.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 134 mm of rainfall in Nanaimo, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 263 mm in 1982.
The hottest January reached 12.1°C in 2024. The coldest dipped to -12.1°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 5.4°C to 5.7°C and overnight lows from 1.5°C to 2.2°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Nanaimo and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 5.6°C daytime highs and 1.8°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in Nanaimo, averaging 3.7°C.
For January in Nanaimo, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 5.6°C and lows of 1.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 90% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1.7 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 2.2 m/s (2020).
The wettest January on record was 1982 with 263 mm. On average, January sees 134 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 Nanaimo 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.
