January is one of the cooler months of the year in Quebec City, with average highs near -9.8°C and lows around -19.9°C (mean -14.8°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 75 mm of rainfall and 97% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Quebec City. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Quebec City was 2006 — when the month averaged -10.1°C — while the coldest was 1994 at -21.7°C. Typical January days reach -9.8°C with nights near -19.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 1°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Quebec City, averaging 75 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1999 with 155 mm, while the driest was 2003 at 22 mm.
Relative humidity in Quebec City during January averages 97%. The most humid Januarys were 1981 and 1985 at 98%, and the least humid was 1983 at 95%.
January receives about 1.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Quebec City. The sunniest Januarys were 2003, 2004 and 2005 at 1.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1986 and 2023 at 1.1.
Average wind speed in Quebec City during January is 1.6 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2013, 2014 and 2015, among others at 1.9 m/s, while the calmest were 2001 and 2021 at 1.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -16.6°C | -15.5°C | -14.8°C | -13.9°C | -12.5°C | +4.1°C |
| Avg High | -11.2°C | -10.1°C | -10.0°C | -9.0°C | -7.8°C | +3.4°C |
| Avg Low | -21.9°C | -21.0°C | -19.6°C | -18.8°C | -17.2°C | +4.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 69 mm | 109 mm | 55 mm | 77 mm | 58 mm | -11 mm |
January temperatures in Quebec City have risen by about 5.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -45.3°C (1981) to a record high of 2.2°C (2008).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 75 mm, with a wettest year of 155 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.8°C per decade while lows rose 1.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Quebec City
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Quebec City. That said, January — with days averaging -9.8°C and nights around -19.9°C (mean -14.8°C) and moderate rainfall (75 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 | -8.9°C | -13.1°C | -17.2°C | 0.4°C | -27.4°C | 54 mm | 96% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2024 | -6.9°C | -11.5°C | -16.2°C | 0.3°C | -28.2°C | 69 mm | 96% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2023 | -6.0°C | -10.6°C | -15.3°C | 1.3°C | -25.4°C | 66 mm | 97% | 1.5 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2022 | -11.5°C | -17.7°C | -23.9°C | 0.5°C | -31.9°C | 42 mm | 97% | 1.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2021 | -6.2°C | -10.2°C | -14.2°C | -0.8°C | -26.5°C | 34 mm | 96% | 1.2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2020 | -7.6°C | -12.0°C | -16.3°C | 0.3°C | -28.2°C | 83 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2019 | -10.8°C | -15.8°C | -20.8°C | 0.2°C | -30.9°C | 90 mm | 97% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2018 | -10.6°C | -15.7°C | -20.9°C | 1.5°C | -33.3°C | 114 mm | 98% | 1.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2017 | -7.0°C | -11.3°C | -15.6°C | 0.8°C | -33.1°C | 98 mm | 98% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2016 | -7.3°C | -12.0°C | -16.6°C | 0.5°C | -26.3°C | 63 mm | 97% | 1.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2015 | -11.0°C | -16.8°C | -22.6°C | 0.2°C | -34.4°C | 78 mm | 97% | 1.9 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2014 | -10.1°C | -14.9°C | -19.7°C | 0.7°C | -36.0°C | 83 mm | 98% | 1.9 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2013 | -9.0°C | -14.5°C | -20.0°C | 1.7°C | -35.9°C | 79 mm | 97% | 1.9 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2012 | -7.6°C | -13.4°C | -19.1°C | 0.6°C | -28.8°C | 77 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2011 | -9.4°C | -13.6°C | -17.8°C | 1.3°C | -32.0°C | 27 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2010 | -6.8°C | -11.1°C | -15.4°C | 0.9°C | -26.0°C | 63 mm | 97% | 1.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2009 | -12.5°C | -17.5°C | -22.5°C | -2.3°C | -35.8°C | 58 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2008 | -7.5°C | -12.1°C | -16.6°C | 2.2°C | -31.9°C | 84 mm | 98% | 1.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2007 | -8.3°C | -13.1°C | -17.9°C | 2.1°C | -32.4°C | 61 mm | 97% | 1.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2006 🔥 | -6.2°C | -10.1°C | -14.0°C | 0.9°C | -22.1°C | 112 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2005 | -11.1°C | -16.8°C | -22.5°C | 2.0°C | -30.5°C | 33 mm | 96% | 1.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2004 | -15.3°C | -19.9°C | -24.4°C | -0.9°C | -38.1°C | 25 mm | 97% | 1.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2003 | -13.1°C | -17.7°C | -22.3°C | -0.9°C | -32.8°C | 22 mm | 97% | 1.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2002 | -6.7°C | -11.1°C | -15.6°C | -0.2°C | -24.4°C | 34 mm | 96% | 1.4 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2001 | -9.4°C | -14.8°C | -20.1°C | -3.4°C | -25.5°C | 33 mm | 98% | 1.2 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2000 | -10.4°C | -15.1°C | -19.8°C | 0.8°C | -32.4°C | 83 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1999 🌧️ | -9.7°C | -15.7°C | -21.7°C | 0.6°C | -37.2°C | 155 mm | 97% | 1.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1998 | -8.1°C | -12.8°C | -17.6°C | 0.4°C | -30.9°C | 97 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1997 | -10.1°C | -15.7°C | -21.2°C | 0.5°C | -36.6°C | 150 mm | 98% | 1.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1996 | -10.7°C | -16.1°C | -21.6°C | 2.0°C | -32.1°C | 142 mm | 97% | 1.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1995 | -7.9°C | -11.8°C | -15.8°C | 1.8°C | -35.4°C | 123 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1994 ❄️ | -15.5°C | -21.7°C | -27.9°C | 0.6°C | -40.9°C | 84 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1993 | -10.3°C | -15.8°C | -21.4°C | 0.4°C | -38.1°C | 69 mm | 96% | 1.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1992 | -11.5°C | -16.9°C | -22.4°C | 0.4°C | -40.2°C | 88 mm | 98% | 1.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1991 | -11.3°C | -17.1°C | -23.0°C | -0.8°C | -34.3°C | 69 mm | 98% | 1.5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1990 | -6.2°C | -11.6°C | -17.0°C | 0.5°C | -28.9°C | 108 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1989 | -7.8°C | -14.4°C | -21.0°C | 0.5°C | -34.3°C | 95 mm | 97% | 1.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1988 | -9.2°C | -14.4°C | -19.7°C | 0.7°C | -37.3°C | 79 mm | 98% | 1.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1987 | -10.4°C | -15.1°C | -19.8°C | -3.0°C | -31.5°C | 48 mm | 97% | 1.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1986 | -10.3°C | -16.0°C | -21.7°C | 1.1°C | -34.5°C | 121 mm | 98% | 1.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1985 | -14.5°C | -19.3°C | -24.1°C | -8.2°C | -30.5°C | 34 mm | 98% | 1.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1984 | -11.8°C | -16.8°C | -21.8°C | -0.7°C | -34.4°C | 48 mm | 98% | 1.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1983 | -8.6°C | -13.1°C | -17.7°C | 0.6°C | -30.1°C | 75 mm | 95% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -13.9°C | -20.4°C | -26.8°C | -0.7°C | -42.5°C | 86 mm | 98% | 1.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -14.4°C | -19.5°C | -24.7°C | -0.1°C | -45.3°C | 37 mm | 98% | 1.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around -9.8°C with lows near -19.9°C (mean -14.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 75 mm of rainfall in Quebec City, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 155 mm in 1999.
The hottest January reached 2.2°C in 2008. The coldest dipped to -45.3°C in 1981.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 5.2°C. Daytime highs moved from -12.6°C to -7.9°C and overnight lows from -23°C to -17.4°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Quebec City and one of the drier months, so plan for around -9.8°C daytime highs and -19.9°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Quebec City, averaging -14.8°C.
For January in Quebec City, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -9.8°C and lows of -19.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 97% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1.6 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 1.9 m/s (1997).
The wettest January on record was 1999 with 155 mm. On average, January sees 75 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 Quebec City 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.
