January is one of the cooler months of the year in Boston, with average highs near 6.2°C and lows around 1.5°C (mean 3.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 61 mm of rainfall and 93% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Boston. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Boston was 2007 — when the month averaged 6.3°C — while the coldest was 1987 at 0.2°C. Typical January days reach 6.2°C with nights near 1.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is about average for rainfall in Boston, averaging 61 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2021 with 110 mm, while the driest was 1997 at 19 mm.
Relative humidity in Boston during January averages 93%. The most humid January was 2002 at 95%, and the least humid was 1991 at 90%.
January receives about 0.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Boston. The sunniest January was 1985 at 1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1987 at 0.6.
Average wind speed in Boston during January is 4.4 m/s. The windiest January was 1983 at 5.8 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 2.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 2.9°C | 4.0°C | 4.5°C | 3.7°C | 4.2°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg High | 5.2°C | 6.3°C | 6.8°C | 6.1°C | 6.7°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Low | 0.6°C | 1.6°C | 2.2°C | 1.4°C | 1.7°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 66 mm | 65 mm | 60 mm | 54 mm | 62 mm | -3 mm |
January temperatures in Boston have risen by about 0.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -7°C (1987) to a record high of 13.4°C (2016).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 61 mm, with a wettest year of 110 mm.
A quieter season to visit Boston
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Boston. That said, January — with days averaging 6.2°C and nights around 1.5°C (mean 3.9°C) and moderate rainfall (61 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 | 5.6°C | 3.1°C | 0.7°C | 11.0°C | -3.8°C | 61 mm | 95% | 3.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2024 | 7.0°C | 4.3°C | 1.5°C | 12.0°C | -3.6°C | 56 mm | 91% | 4.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2023 | 7.2°C | 4.6°C | 2.0°C | 12.0°C | -3.6°C | 65 mm | 93% | 4.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2022 | 6.9°C | 4.3°C | 1.8°C | 12.9°C | -3.0°C | 27 mm | 94% | 3.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2021 🌧️ | 5.0°C | 2.8°C | 0.6°C | 10.6°C | -3.1°C | 110 mm | 93% | 3.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 8.3°C | 6.0°C | 3.7°C | 12.5°C | -0.1°C | 55 mm | 94% | 4.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2019 | 5.6°C | 3.2°C | 0.8°C | 10.2°C | -3.6°C | 25 mm | 93% | 3.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2018 | 7.3°C | 5.0°C | 2.7°C | 12.6°C | -1.9°C | 65 mm | 92% | 4.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 5.4°C | 3.0°C | 0.7°C | 8.9°C | -3.6°C | 51 mm | 94% | 3.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2016 | 7.4°C | 5.0°C | 2.6°C | 13.4°C | -3.0°C | 74 mm | 93% | 4.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2015 | 6.7°C | 3.8°C | 0.9°C | 13.2°C | -3.1°C | 44 mm | 91% | 5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2014 | 7.5°C | 5.2°C | 2.9°C | 11.2°C | -1.5°C | 88 mm | 94% | 4.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2013 | 5.0°C | 3.0°C | 1.1°C | 11.6°C | -3.4°C | 50 mm | 92% | 3.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2012 | 7.4°C | 4.8°C | 2.3°C | 11.2°C | -1.7°C | 41 mm | 91% | 4.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2011 | 5.3°C | 2.9°C | 0.5°C | 11.4°C | -3.9°C | 54 mm | 94% | 3.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2010 | 3.3°C | 1.4°C | -0.5°C | 5.9°C | -3.1°C | 49 mm | 92% | 3.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2009 | 4.7°C | 2.6°C | 0.6°C | 8.5°C | -6.3°C | 67 mm | 93% | 4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2008 | 8.3°C | 6.1°C | 3.8°C | 12.5°C | 0.7°C | 99 mm | 92% | 5.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2007 🔥 | 8.9°C | 6.3°C | 3.7°C | 12.7°C | -1.8°C | 61 mm | 90% | 5.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2006 | 5.9°C | 3.6°C | 1.4°C | 10.1°C | -2.4°C | 26 mm | 93% | 3.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2005 | 8.2°C | 5.7°C | 3.2°C | 12.1°C | -0.8°C | 27 mm | 91% | 5.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2004 | 6.6°C | 4.3°C | 2.0°C | 11.6°C | -2.9°C | 101 mm | 94% | 4.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2003 | 6.4°C | 4.2°C | 2.1°C | 12.8°C | -1.6°C | 80 mm | 92% | 4.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2002 | 7.1°C | 4.8°C | 2.4°C | 11.4°C | -2.8°C | 49 mm | 95% | 4.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2001 | 5.3°C | 3.1°C | 0.9°C | 9.6°C | -2.6°C | 58 mm | 94% | 3.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2000 | 6.9°C | 4.5°C | 2.0°C | 11.6°C | -1.4°C | 29 mm | 94% | 4.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1999 | 7.5°C | 5.1°C | 2.7°C | 12.2°C | -2.2°C | 95 mm | 94% | 4.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1998 | 7.0°C | 4.6°C | 2.1°C | 12.1°C | -3.3°C | 86 mm | 91% | 4.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1997 | 3.8°C | 1.7°C | -0.4°C | 7.2°C | -3.1°C | 19 mm | 93% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1996 | 4.9°C | 3.6°C | 2.2°C | 9.9°C | -2.6°C | 43 mm | 91% | 4.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1995 | 6.4°C | 3.8°C | 1.3°C | 11.4°C | -2.5°C | 98 mm | 93% | 5.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1994 | 6.6°C | 4.2°C | 1.8°C | 10.8°C | -1.8°C | 76 mm | 92% | 5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1993 | 7.3°C | 4.5°C | 1.7°C | 12.8°C | -6.1°C | 63 mm | 91% | 5.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1992 | 5.7°C | 3.5°C | 1.3°C | 11.2°C | -4.7°C | 52 mm | 93% | 3.3 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1991 | 5.7°C | 3.1°C | 0.5°C | 11.0°C | -2.4°C | 52 mm | 90% | 4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1990 | 8.0°C | 5.6°C | 3.2°C | 11.7°C | -0.5°C | 61 mm | 93% | 5.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1989 | 7.5°C | 4.8°C | 2.0°C | 10.9°C | -1.5°C | 37 mm | 94% | 4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1988 | 6.7°C | 4.7°C | 2.8°C | 11.8°C | -1.0°C | 93 mm | 94% | 4.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1987 ❄️ | 2.2°C | 0.2°C | -1.8°C | 8.3°C | -7.0°C | 41 mm | 91% | 3.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1986 | 4.4°C | 2.3°C | 0.2°C | 9.6°C | -3.9°C | 76 mm | 91% | 5.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1985 | 2.9°C | 0.8°C | -1.3°C | 8.7°C | -5.8°C | 71 mm | 90% | 3.8 m/s | 1 |
| 1984 | 4.9°C | 2.6°C | 0.2°C | 11.3°C | -6.1°C | 95 mm | 91% | 5.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1983 | 8.0°C | 5.2°C | 2.4°C | 12.2°C | -2.9°C | 55 mm | 91% | 5.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.8°C | 2.4°C | 0.1°C | 10.6°C | -6.8°C | 71 mm | 93% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 5.8°C | 3.5°C | 1.1°C | 9.7°C | -3.2°C | 53 mm | 92% | 4.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 6.2°C with lows near 1.5°C (mean 3.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 61 mm of rainfall in Boston, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 110 mm in 2021.
The hottest January reached 13.4°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to -7°C in 1987.
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 5.3°C to 6.3°C and overnight lows from 0.5°C to 1.3°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Boston and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 6.2°C daytime highs and 1.5°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Boston, averaging 3.9°C.
For January in Boston, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.2°C and lows of 1.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 93% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 4.4 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 5.8 m/s (1983).
The wettest January on record was 2021 with 110 mm. On average, January sees 61 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 Boston 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.
