January is one of the warmer months of the year in Cambridge, with average highs near 24.2°C and lows around 13.1°C (mean 18.7°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 77 mm of rainfall and 74% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Cambridge. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Cambridge was 1999 — when the month averaged 21.1°C — while the coldest were 1983 and 1993 at 16.6°C. Typical January days reach 24.2°C with nights near 13.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Cambridge, averaging 77 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2023 with 291 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 12 mm.
Relative humidity in Cambridge during January averages 74%. The most humid January was 2023 at 81%, and the least humid was 2022 at 69%.
January receives about 6.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Cambridge. The sunniest January was 2022 at 7.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2023 at 5.
Average wind speed in Cambridge during January is 2.4 m/s. The windiest January was 1983 at 3.3 m/s, while the calmest was 2015 at 1.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 18.5°C | 18.3°C | 18.5°C | 18.8°C | 19.2°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 24.1°C | 23.7°C | 24.1°C | 24.4°C | 24.8°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 13.0°C | 12.9°C | 12.9°C | 13.2°C | 13.6°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 93 mm | 69 mm | 61 mm | 81 mm | 82 mm | -12 mm |
January temperatures in Cambridge have risen by about 0.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 4.8°C (1997) to a record high of 31.3°C (2020).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 77 mm, with a wettest year of 291 mm.
One of the best times to visit Cambridge
January is one of the best times to visit Cambridge. Expect days averaging 24.2°C and nights around 13.1°C (mean 18.7°C) — warmer than Cambridge's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (77 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23.7°C | 18.1°C | 12.5°C | 27.0°C | 8.4°C | 51 mm | 71% | 2.5 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2024 | 25.7°C | 20.2°C | 14.7°C | 29.4°C | 9.3°C | 74 mm | 75% | 2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 22.5°C | 18.7°C | 14.8°C | 26.5°C | 11.4°C | 291 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2022 | 26.7°C | 20.2°C | 13.8°C | 31.0°C | 10.1°C | 19 mm | 69% | 2 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2021 | 24.8°C | 19.1°C | 13.4°C | 30.5°C | 9.4°C | 39 mm | 71% | 2.3 m/s | 7 |
| 2020 | 25.1°C | 18.9°C | 12.6°C | 31.3°C | 9.7°C | 17 mm | 69% | 2.4 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2019 | 25.7°C | 19.9°C | 14.1°C | 29.9°C | 11.1°C | 34 mm | 75% | 2.5 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2018 | 25.8°C | 21.0°C | 16.2°C | 31.2°C | 12.7°C | 127 mm | 79% | 2.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2017 | 22.7°C | 17.2°C | 11.7°C | 27.9°C | 6.6°C | 39 mm | 74% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2016 | 25.3°C | 19.8°C | 14.3°C | 29.5°C | 10.0°C | 100 mm | 75% | 2.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2015 | 26.1°C | 20.1°C | 14.0°C | 29.0°C | 11.5°C | 25 mm | 70% | 1.8 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2014 | 22.9°C | 17.0°C | 11.2°C | 26.9°C | 7.6°C | 47 mm | 72% | 2.8 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2013 | 24.7°C | 18.4°C | 12.1°C | 28.2°C | 7.6°C | 14 mm | 69% | 2.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2012 | 22.1°C | 17.3°C | 12.4°C | 25.6°C | 6.9°C | 83 mm | 77% | 2.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2011 | 25.4°C | 19.6°C | 13.9°C | 29.8°C | 10.8°C | 237 mm | 73% | 2.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2010 | 23.7°C | 18.1°C | 12.4°C | 27.4°C | 6.7°C | 104 mm | 73% | 2.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2009 | 25.1°C | 18.8°C | 12.6°C | 29.0°C | 8.5°C | 35 mm | 71% | 2.1 m/s | 7 |
| 2008 | 26.5°C | 20.3°C | 14.0°C | 29.5°C | 10.7°C | 28 mm | 69% | 2.1 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2007 | 23.1°C | 18.0°C | 12.9°C | 26.6°C | 6.6°C | 98 mm | 77% | 2.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2006 | 23.6°C | 18.4°C | 13.3°C | 28.4°C | 8.2°C | 107 mm | 75% | 2.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2005 | 23.7°C | 18.1°C | 12.5°C | 29.0°C | 8.9°C | 30 mm | 74% | 2.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2004 | 25.4°C | 19.5°C | 13.7°C | 29.3°C | 8.9°C | 64 mm | 75% | 1.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2003 | 23.3°C | 17.8°C | 12.2°C | 28.0°C | 5.5°C | 73 mm | 72% | 2.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2002 | 23.7°C | 18.4°C | 13.1°C | 27.4°C | 8.0°C | 81 mm | 74% | 2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2001 | 23.2°C | 17.7°C | 12.1°C | 27.7°C | 7.3°C | 30 mm | 71% | 2.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2000 | 23.7°C | 18.3°C | 12.9°C | 29.0°C | 8.1°C | 68 mm | 73% | 2.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1999 🔥 | 26.5°C | 21.1°C | 15.6°C | 30.3°C | 10.4°C | 100 mm | 73% | 2.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 23.7°C | 18.2°C | 12.7°C | 27.1°C | 6.1°C | 45 mm | 74% | 2.7 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1997 | 22.4°C | 16.9°C | 11.5°C | 26.3°C | 4.8°C | 42 mm | 73% | 2.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1996 | 24.0°C | 19.1°C | 14.2°C | 26.8°C | 8.8°C | 69 mm | 74% | 2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1995 | 23.8°C | 18.4°C | 13.0°C | 27.4°C | 5.8°C | 63 mm | 73% | 2.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1994 | 24.6°C | 19.0°C | 13.4°C | 28.5°C | 6.7°C | 48 mm | 73% | 2.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1993 | 22.2°C | 16.6°C | 11.0°C | 24.6°C | 8.4°C | 57 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1992 | 23.3°C | 17.9°C | 12.6°C | 27.2°C | 6.3°C | 105 mm | 75% | 2.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1991 | 23.0°C | 17.7°C | 12.3°C | 26.4°C | 6.5°C | 80 mm | 75% | 3 m/s | 6 |
| 1990 | 23.9°C | 18.5°C | 13.1°C | 29.9°C | 9.2°C | 79 mm | 75% | 2.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1989 | 23.4°C | 18.9°C | 14.4°C | 26.9°C | 8.0°C | 191 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1988 | 24.3°C | 18.2°C | 12.2°C | 28.0°C | 8.2°C | 12 mm | 71% | 2.7 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1987 | 24.4°C | 18.6°C | 12.8°C | 27.7°C | 9.5°C | 91 mm | 74% | 2.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1986 | 24.3°C | 19.3°C | 14.3°C | 29.2°C | 7.1°C | 160 mm | 77% | 2.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1985 | 25.1°C | 19.5°C | 13.9°C | 30.2°C | 10.5°C | 85 mm | 73% | 2.2 m/s | 7 |
| 1984 | 23.3°C | 17.3°C | 11.3°C | 27.7°C | 6.9°C | 101 mm | 71% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1983 ❄️ | 22.4°C | 16.6°C | 10.8°C | 29.5°C | 6.9°C | 60 mm | 72% | 3.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 24.0°C | 18.4°C | 12.8°C | 27.9°C | 7.7°C | 55 mm | 72% | 2.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 25.8°C | 20.0°C | 14.2°C | 29.1°C | 9.8°C | 85 mm | 75% | 2.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 24.2°C with lows near 13.1°C (mean 18.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 77 mm of rainfall in Cambridge, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 291 mm in 2023.
The hottest January reached 31.3°C in 2020. The coldest dipped to 4.8°C in 1997.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 24.1°C to 24.7°C and overnight lows from 12.6°C to 13.8°C over the same span.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Cambridge and one of the drier months, so plan for around 24.2°C daytime highs and 13.1°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 11th coolest month in Cambridge, averaging 18.7°C.
For January in Cambridge, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 24.2°C and lows of 13.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 74% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 2.4 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 3.3 m/s (1983).
The wettest January on record was 2023 with 291 mm. On average, January sees 77 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 Cambridge 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.
