January is one of the cooler months of the year in Shimla, with average highs near 22.4°C and lows around 2.5°C (mean 12.5°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 35 mm of rainfall and 46% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Shimla. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Shimla was 2025 — when the month averaged 15.7°C — while the coldest was 2020 at 9.7°C. Typical January days reach 22.4°C with nights near 2.5°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 12.2°C | 12.2°C | 13.3°C | 12.0°C | 12.6°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | 21.7°C | 22.3°C | 24.1°C | 21.5°C | 22.2°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 2.6°C | 2.1°C | 2.6°C | 2.5°C | 3.0°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 26 mm | 24 mm | 32 mm | 42 mm | 59 mm | +33 mm |
January temperatures in Shimla have risen by about 1.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -0.5°C (2020) to a record high of 27.4°C (1991).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 35 mm, with a wettest year of 162 mm.
A quieter season to visit Shimla
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of October and April tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Shimla. That said, January — with days averaging 22.4°C and nights around 2.5°C (mean 12.5°C) and moderate rainfall (35 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | High | Low | Avg | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 🔥 | 26.4°C | 4.9°C | 15.7°C | 12 mm | 45% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2024 | 20.7°C | 4.2°C | 12.4°C | 5 mm | 49% | 1.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2023 | 22.5°C | 3.8°C | 13.1°C | 48 mm | 59% | 1.6 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2022 🌧️ | 21.6°C | 2.4°C | 12.0°C | 162 mm | 71% | 1.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2021 | 21.9°C | 3.5°C | 12.7°C | 22 mm | 46% | 1.8 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2020 ❄️ | 20.0°C | -0.5°C | 9.7°C | 102 mm | 65% | 1.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2019 | 19.4°C | 0.8°C | 10.1°C | 66 mm | 59% | 1.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2018 | 24.6°C | 3.9°C | 14.2°C | 14 mm | 38% | 1.7 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2017 | 22.2°C | 2.8°C | 12.5°C | 118 mm | 54% | 1.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2016 | 21.4°C | 3.4°C | 12.4°C | 20 mm | 43% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2015 | 22.1°C | 2.6°C | 12.3°C | 29 mm | 50% | 1.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 21.1°C | 3.3°C | 12.2°C | 77 mm | 53% | 1.5 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2013 | 22.0°C | 1.5°C | 11.8°C | 52 mm | 47% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2012 | 18.8°C | 1.7°C | 10.3°C | 27 mm | 54% | 1.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2011 | 20.3°C | 0.9°C | 10.6°C | 6 mm | 48% | 1.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2010 | 22.6°C | 3.6°C | 13.1°C | 12 mm | 34% | 1.6 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2009 | 25.6°C | 5.5°C | 15.5°C | 17 mm | 50% | 1.5 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2008 | 22.6°C | 0.6°C | 11.6°C | 19 mm | 41% | 1.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2007 | 27.1°C | 2.0°C | 14.5°C | 3 mm | 35% | 1.7 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2006 | 27.1°C | 2.8°C | 15.0°C | 15 mm | 40% | 1.8 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2005 | 21.3°C | 2.2°C | 11.8°C | 50 mm | 51% | 1.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2004 | 23.5°C | 2.3°C | 12.9°C | 73 mm | 52% | 1.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2003 | 22.5°C | 3.5°C | 13.0°C | 58 mm | 36% | 1.6 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2002 | 23.2°C | 3.3°C | 13.2°C | 16 mm | 39% | 1.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2001 | 25.3°C | 2.6°C | 14.0°C | 31 mm | 36% | 1.7 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2000 | 22.9°C | 0.9°C | 11.9°C | 35 mm | 38% | 1.9 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1999 | 21.5°C | 3.0°C | 12.3°C | 46 mm | 49% | 1.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1998 | 20.5°C | 2.6°C | 11.5°C | 1 mm | 43% | 1.5 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1997 | 21.4°C | 1.2°C | 11.3°C | 17 mm | 38% | 1.6 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1996 | 20.8°C | 2.3°C | 11.6°C | 57 mm | 43% | 1.8 m/s | 3 |
| 1995 | 21.3°C | 2.3°C | 11.8°C | 38 mm | 47% | 1.8 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1994 | 22.8°C | 2.8°C | 12.8°C | 30 mm | 43% | 1.5 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1993 | 22.0°C | 2.1°C | 12.0°C | 24 mm | 45% | 1.7 m/s | 3 |
| 1992 | 21.2°C | 1.0°C | 11.1°C | 24 mm | 49% | 1.9 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1991 | 27.4°C | 0.0°C | 13.7°C | 0 mm | 38% | 1.6 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1990 | 24.3°C | 3.9°C | 14.1°C | 2 mm | 42% | 1.8 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1989 | 22.0°C | 0.7°C | 11.4°C | 54 mm | 47% | 1.8 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1988 | 22.8°C | 3.3°C | 13.1°C | 6 mm | 36% | 1.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1987 | 23.7°C | 3.9°C | 13.8°C | 38 mm | 39% | 1.7 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1986 | 20.5°C | 3.3°C | 11.9°C | 3 mm | 39% | 1.5 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1985 | 20.7°C | 2.5°C | 11.6°C | 14 mm | 46% | 1.6 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1984 | 22.7°C | 2.7°C | 12.7°C | 2 mm | 30% | 1.7 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1983 | 21.4°C | 2.2°C | 11.8°C | 15 mm | 39% | 1.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 21.5°C | 3.4°C | 12.5°C | 26 mm | 50% | 1.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 19.6°C | 1.8°C | 10.7°C | 74 mm | 57% | 1.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 22.4°C with lows near 2.5°C (mean 12.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 35 mm of rainfall in Shimla, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 162 mm in 2022.
The hottest January reached 27.4°C in 1991. The coldest dipped to -0.5°C in 2020.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 21.2°C to 22.6°C and overnight lows from 2.5°C to 3.8°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Shimla and one of the drier months, so plan for around 22.4°C daytime highs and 2.5°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Shimla, averaging 12.5°C.
For January in Shimla, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 22.4°C and lows of 2.5°C.
Relative humidity in January averages 46% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in January is 1.7 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 1.9 m/s (1992).
The wettest January on record was 2022 with 162 mm. On average, January sees 35 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 Shimla 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.
