January is one of the cooler months of the year in St. John's, with average highs near 0°C and lows around -4.1°C (mean -2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 120 mm of rainfall and 87% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in St. John's. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in St. John's was 2011 — when the month averaged 0.6°C — while the coldest were 1991 and 1993 at -4.9°C. Typical January days reach 0°C with nights near -4.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in St. John's, averaging 120 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2005 with 193 mm, while the driest was 2024 at 57 mm.
Relative humidity in St. John's during January averages 87%. The most humid January was 2008 at 90%, and the least humid was 1990 at 83%.
January receives about 1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in St. John's. The sunniest Januarys were 1994, 2024 and 2025, among others at 1.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2007, 2011 and 2012, among others at 0.9.
Average wind speed in St. John's during January is 6.4 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 1982 and 1994 at 7.2 m/s, while the calmest was 2023 at 5.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -2.5°C | -3.1°C | -2.0°C | -1.4°C | -0.8°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg High | -0.3°C | -0.7°C | 0.0°C | 0.5°C | 0.8°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Low | -4.6°C | -5.5°C | -4.0°C | -3.3°C | -2.4°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 126 mm | 103 mm | 138 mm | 123 mm | 107 mm | -20 mm |
January temperatures in St. John's have risen by about 1.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -14.8°C (2002) to a record high of 9.1°C (2000).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 120 mm, with a wettest year of 193 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0.6°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit St. John's
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting St. John's. That said, January — with days averaging 0°C and nights around -4.1°C (mean -2°C) and higher rainfall (120 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 | 1.3°C | -0.1°C | -1.4°C | 5.5°C | -8.3°C | 84 mm | 88% | 5.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2024 | -0.8°C | -2.4°C | -3.9°C | 3.6°C | -10.9°C | 57 mm | 85% | 6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2023 | 1.9°C | 0.4°C | -1.2°C | 6.6°C | -6.2°C | 157 mm | 87% | 5.3 m/s | 1 |
| 2022 | 1.8°C | -0.5°C | -2.8°C | 6.9°C | -8.0°C | 149 mm | 84% | 6.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2021 | 1.2°C | 0.2°C | -0.9°C | 5.7°C | -4.0°C | 79 mm | 88% | 5.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2020 | -0.7°C | -2.5°C | -4.4°C | 2.8°C | -10.3°C | 114 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2019 | 0.1°C | -1.7°C | -3.6°C | 5.6°C | -9.1°C | 134 mm | 89% | 5.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2018 | 1.2°C | -1.0°C | -3.1°C | 7.9°C | -6.3°C | 114 mm | 86% | 6.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2017 | 0.1°C | -1.7°C | -3.6°C | 5.3°C | -8.9°C | 100 mm | 86% | 6.1 m/s | 1 |
| 2016 | 0.0°C | -1.7°C | -3.5°C | 4.2°C | -7.6°C | 88 mm | 87% | 6 m/s | 1 |
| 2015 | 0.6°C | -1.9°C | -4.3°C | 7.3°C | -9.5°C | 127 mm | 87% | 6.2 m/s | 1 |
| 2014 | -0.1°C | -2.4°C | -4.6°C | 6.7°C | -13.1°C | 158 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2013 | -0.4°C | -2.4°C | -4.5°C | 5.3°C | -11.4°C | 109 mm | 85% | 6.7 m/s | 1 |
| 2012 | 1.5°C | -0.5°C | -2.5°C | 6.8°C | -8.2°C | 146 mm | 87% | 6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2011 🔥 | 2.0°C | 0.6°C | -0.9°C | 6.6°C | -5.8°C | 140 mm | 87% | 6.1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2010 | -0.3°C | -1.6°C | -2.9°C | 2.5°C | -8.7°C | 114 mm | 88% | 6.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2009 | -0.4°C | -2.4°C | -4.3°C | 5.6°C | -9.7°C | 99 mm | 84% | 7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2008 | -0.6°C | -2.5°C | -4.3°C | 4.0°C | -12.1°C | 146 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | 1 |
| 2007 | 0.9°C | -1.0°C | -3.0°C | 8.1°C | -10.2°C | 130 mm | 87% | 7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2006 | 1.3°C | -0.5°C | -2.2°C | 7.1°C | -11.1°C | 126 mm | 87% | 6.4 m/s | 1 |
| 2005 🌧️ | 0.0°C | -2.7°C | -5.3°C | 7.1°C | -10.0°C | 193 mm | 86% | 6.7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2004 | -0.4°C | -2.0°C | -3.7°C | 5.1°C | -8.1°C | 109 mm | 85% | 6.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2003 | -0.9°C | -2.6°C | -4.3°C | 3.5°C | -9.8°C | 160 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2002 | -1.5°C | -3.4°C | -5.4°C | 5.6°C | -14.8°C | 123 mm | 88% | 6.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2001 | -0.5°C | -2.6°C | -4.8°C | 1.5°C | -10.9°C | 115 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2000 | 1.9°C | -0.2°C | -2.3°C | 9.1°C | -7.1°C | 177 mm | 87% | 6.2 m/s | 1 |
| 1999 | 0.9°C | -1.4°C | -3.7°C | 6.8°C | -9.3°C | 136 mm | 85% | 6.7 m/s | 1 |
| 1998 | -0.9°C | -2.9°C | -5.0°C | 3.3°C | -11.8°C | 80 mm | 86% | 6.8 m/s | 1 |
| 1997 | 0.2°C | -2.2°C | -4.6°C | 5.2°C | -9.9°C | 104 mm | 85% | 6.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1996 | -0.7°C | -2.9°C | -5.1°C | 4.6°C | -11.3°C | 79 mm | 86% | 6.9 m/s | 1 |
| 1995 | 0.2°C | -1.8°C | -3.9°C | 5.5°C | -10.0°C | 147 mm | 88% | 6.1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1994 | -0.4°C | -3.3°C | -6.3°C | 6.5°C | -10.9°C | 116 mm | 85% | 7.2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1993 | -2.3°C | -4.9°C | -7.6°C | 6.0°C | -14.0°C | 89 mm | 88% | 5.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1992 | -1.9°C | -3.8°C | -5.6°C | 4.5°C | -12.9°C | 78 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1991 ❄️ | -2.1°C | -4.9°C | -7.7°C | 3.7°C | -13.1°C | 107 mm | 87% | 7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1990 | -0.1°C | -2.6°C | -5.2°C | 6.0°C | -11.3°C | 98 mm | 83% | 6.7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1989 | -0.6°C | -3.2°C | -5.8°C | 5.2°C | -12.1°C | 97 mm | 85% | 6.7 m/s | 1 |
| 1988 | -1.0°C | -3.1°C | -5.2°C | 5.6°C | -14.1°C | 69 mm | 85% | 6.4 m/s | 1 |
| 1987 | -1.2°C | -3.0°C | -4.9°C | 2.8°C | -9.6°C | 136 mm | 88% | 7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1986 | 0.7°C | -1.7°C | -4.1°C | 6.9°C | -12.2°C | 109 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | 1 |
| 1985 | -1.3°C | -3.2°C | -5.2°C | 3.4°C | -9.5°C | 100 mm | 86% | 7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1984 | -0.8°C | -3.2°C | -5.6°C | 7.7°C | -10.8°C | 136 mm | 86% | 5.7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1983 | 0.8°C | -1.3°C | -3.4°C | 6.3°C | -11.5°C | 128 mm | 89% | 6.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 0.1°C | -2.2°C | -4.5°C | 5.8°C | -12.2°C | 191 mm | 88% | 7.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 0.6°C | -1.2°C | -3.0°C | 5.6°C | -7.1°C | 170 mm | 88% | 5.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 0°C with lows near -4.1°C (mean -2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 120 mm of rainfall in St. John's, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 193 mm in 2005.
The hottest January reached 9.1°C in 2000. The coldest dipped to -14.8°C in 2002.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1.7°C. Daytime highs moved from -0.1°C to 1.1°C and overnight lows from -4.3°C to -2°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in St. John's and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 0°C daytime highs and -4.1°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in St. John's, averaging -2°C.
For January in St. John's, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 0°C and lows of -4.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 87% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 6.4 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 7.2 m/s (1982).
The wettest January on record was 2005 with 193 mm. On average, January sees 120 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 St. John's 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.
