January is one of the cooler months of the year in Yellowknife, with average highs near -26.5°C and lows around -34.2°C (mean -30.3°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 20 mm of rainfall and 95% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Yellowknife. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Yellowknife was 1981 — when the month averaged -20.6°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -43.1°C. Typical January days reach -26.5°C with nights near -34.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.7°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Yellowknife, averaging 20 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1992 with 36 mm, while the driest was 1982 at 3 mm.
Relative humidity in Yellowknife during January averages 95%. The most humid January was 1981 at 96%, and the least humid was 1985 at 93%.
January receives about 0.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Yellowknife. The sunniest Januarys were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2016, 2020 and 2021, among others at 0.2.
Average wind speed in Yellowknife during January is 3 m/s. The windiest January was 2012 at 3.7 m/s, while the calmest were 1982, 1994 and 2006 at 2.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -31.0°C | -32.2°C | -29.6°C | -29.6°C | -28.8°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg High | -27.1°C | -28.4°C | -25.8°C | -25.7°C | -25.0°C | +2.1°C |
| Avg Low | -34.9°C | -36.1°C | -33.4°C | -33.5°C | -32.5°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 21 mm | 17 mm | 20 mm | 22 mm | 18 mm | -4 mm |
January temperatures in Yellowknife have risen by about 2.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -56.6°C (1990) to a record high of 0.4°C (2000).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 20 mm, with a wettest year of 36 mm.
A quieter season to visit Yellowknife
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Yellowknife. That said, January — with days averaging -26.5°C and nights around -34.2°C (mean -30.3°C) and low rainfall (20 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 | -22.2°C | -27.0°C | -31.9°C | -4.0°C | -44.8°C | 22 mm | 95% | 3.3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2024 | -28.7°C | -32.6°C | -36.5°C | -3.7°C | -50.2°C | 12 mm | 94% | 2.5 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2023 | -22.2°C | -25.0°C | -27.8°C | -14.0°C | -44.1°C | 15 mm | 95% | 2.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2022 | -27.9°C | -32.1°C | -36.4°C | -17.6°C | -47.1°C | 17 mm | 94% | 3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2021 | -22.5°C | -26.2°C | -29.9°C | -10.7°C | -43.9°C | 24 mm | 95% | 2.9 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2020 | -26.8°C | -29.7°C | -32.6°C | -12.6°C | -44.0°C | 14 mm | 96% | 2.4 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2019 | -26.9°C | -31.2°C | -35.5°C | -8.3°C | -46.9°C | 31 mm | 93% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2018 | -26.0°C | -29.3°C | -32.6°C | -11.5°C | -48.5°C | 21 mm | 95% | 3.1 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2017 | -19.8°C | -24.2°C | -28.6°C | -7.3°C | -45.1°C | 29 mm | 96% | 2.9 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2016 | -22.4°C | -25.6°C | -28.9°C | -10.5°C | -38.2°C | 14 mm | 96% | 3 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2015 | -27.6°C | -31.6°C | -35.7°C | -17.1°C | -45.5°C | 18 mm | 95% | 3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2014 | -26.0°C | -30.9°C | -35.8°C | -13.1°C | -50.6°C | 30 mm | 95% | 3.6 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2013 | -30.1°C | -33.6°C | -37.0°C | -13.8°C | -47.9°C | 13 mm | 94% | 2.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2012 | -23.4°C | -27.5°C | -31.5°C | -15.0°C | -46.3°C | 23 mm | 96% | 3.7 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2011 | -29.2°C | -32.5°C | -35.9°C | -20.4°C | -45.4°C | 12 mm | 95% | 2.8 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2010 | -26.0°C | -29.6°C | -33.2°C | -14.5°C | -44.3°C | 24 mm | 94% | 3.1 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2009 | -25.4°C | -29.6°C | -33.8°C | -2.5°C | -48.3°C | 22 mm | 95% | 3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2008 | -26.9°C | -30.3°C | -33.8°C | -12.7°C | -55.7°C | 29 mm | 95% | 3.1 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2007 | -22.4°C | -26.7°C | -30.9°C | -10.2°C | -49.3°C | 34 mm | 96% | 3.2 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2006 | -23.8°C | -27.3°C | -30.8°C | -13.3°C | -43.1°C | 18 mm | 96% | 2.3 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2005 | -26.1°C | -30.7°C | -35.4°C | -11.8°C | -50.4°C | 32 mm | 96% | 3.3 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2004 | -30.5°C | -34.5°C | -38.4°C | -11.7°C | -47.4°C | 17 mm | 93% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2003 | -29.3°C | -32.9°C | -36.5°C | -0.1°C | -46.2°C | 11 mm | 94% | 2.6 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2002 | -27.6°C | -30.9°C | -34.2°C | -8.5°C | -47.2°C | 5 mm | 96% | 2.5 m/s | 0.3 |
| 2001 | -19.9°C | -23.2°C | -26.5°C | -8.2°C | -35.0°C | 19 mm | 96% | 3.1 m/s | 0.2 |
| 2000 | -25.9°C | -29.6°C | -33.4°C | 0.4°C | -48.3°C | 15 mm | 96% | 2.9 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1999 | -28.2°C | -31.5°C | -34.9°C | -13.5°C | -47.0°C | 17 mm | 95% | 3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1998 | -31.7°C | -35.0°C | -38.3°C | -20.2°C | -50.8°C | 20 mm | 95% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1997 | -27.8°C | -32.4°C | -37.0°C | -14.5°C | -48.4°C | 23 mm | 95% | 3.5 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1996 | -32.4°C | -36.8°C | -41.3°C | -15.1°C | -55.9°C | 12 mm | 94% | 2.7 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1995 | -23.3°C | -26.0°C | -28.6°C | -14.4°C | -45.9°C | 7 mm | 95% | 3.1 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1994 | -35.7°C | -38.6°C | -41.4°C | -15.9°C | -52.9°C | 10 mm | 93% | 2.3 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1993 | -22.7°C | -27.6°C | -32.5°C | -4.8°C | -46.1°C | 8 mm | 96% | 3.1 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1992 🌧️ | -24.9°C | -29.1°C | -33.3°C | -7.8°C | -50.2°C | 36 mm | 95% | 3.1 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1991 | -26.2°C | -30.8°C | -35.4°C | -12.3°C | -51.5°C | 17 mm | 95% | 3.4 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1990 | -30.7°C | -34.6°C | -38.4°C | -15.6°C | -56.6°C | 21 mm | 93% | 2.8 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1989 | -29.6°C | -33.9°C | -38.2°C | -13.6°C | -50.3°C | 31 mm | 96% | 3.6 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1988 | -29.5°C | -33.2°C | -37.0°C | -15.2°C | -50.2°C | 21 mm | 94% | 3.4 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1987 | -20.4°C | -24.3°C | -28.3°C | -2.3°C | -44.4°C | 17 mm | 96% | 3.2 m/s | 0.3 |
| 1986 | -27.0°C | -31.3°C | -35.6°C | -13.8°C | -51.7°C | 30 mm | 93% | 3.2 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1985 | -24.4°C | -28.7°C | -33.0°C | -0.5°C | -49.0°C | 15 mm | 93% | 3.4 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1984 | -29.2°C | -33.4°C | -37.6°C | -9.9°C | -51.1°C | 20 mm | 95% | 3.5 m/s | 0.2 |
| 1983 | -26.9°C | -30.4°C | -34.0°C | -14.5°C | -45.0°C | 31 mm | 95% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | -39.9°C | -43.1°C | -46.4°C | -29.7°C | -55.6°C | 3 mm | 93% | 2.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 🔥 | -17.2°C | -20.6°C | -24.1°C | -1.9°C | -43.4°C | 25 mm | 96% | 3.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around -26.5°C with lows near -34.2°C (mean -30.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 20 mm of rainfall in Yellowknife, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 36 mm in 1992.
The hottest January reached 0.4°C in 2000. The coldest dipped to -56.6°C in 1990.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 2.6°C. Daytime highs moved from -27.5°C to -24.7°C and overnight lows from -35°C to -32.5°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Yellowknife and one of the drier months, so plan for around -26.5°C daytime highs and -34.2°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Yellowknife, averaging -30.3°C.
For January in Yellowknife, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -26.5°C and lows of -34.2°C.
Relative humidity in January averages 95% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 3.7 m/s (2012).
The wettest January on record was 1992 with 36 mm. On average, January sees 20 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 Yellowknife 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.
