January is one of the cooler months of the year in Bradford, with average highs near 4.4°C and lows around 0.3°C (mean 2.4°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 86 mm of rainfall and 96% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Bradford. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Bradford was 2007 — when the month averaged 5°C — while the coldest was 1985 at -1.5°C. Typical January days reach 4.4°C with nights near 0.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is about average for rainfall in Bradford, averaging 86 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2008 with 172 mm, while the driest was 1997 at 21 mm.
Relative humidity in Bradford during January averages 96%. The most humid January was 1982 at 97%, and the least humid was 1993 at 94%.
January receives about 0.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Bradford. The sunniest January was 1985 at 0.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1984 and 1987 at 0.5.
Average wind speed in Bradford during January is 4.2 m/s. The windiest January was 1983 at 6.3 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 2.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 1.4°C | 2.3°C | 3.1°C | 2.2°C | 2.8°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 3.5°C | 4.4°C | 5.1°C | 4.2°C | 5.0°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Low | -0.6°C | 0.3°C | 1.1°C | 0.2°C | 0.6°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 83 mm | 88 mm | 87 mm | 83 mm | 93 mm | +10 mm |
January temperatures in Bradford have risen by about 1.1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -11.2°C (1982) to a record high of 11.7°C (2015).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 86 mm, with a wettest year of 172 mm.
A quieter season to visit Bradford
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Bradford. That said, January — with days averaging 4.4°C and nights around 0.3°C (mean 2.4°C) and higher rainfall (86 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 | 3.3°C | 1.0°C | -1.3°C | 8.6°C | -10.1°C | 95 mm | 97% | 3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2024 | 5.3°C | 3.1°C | 0.9°C | 10.7°C | -6.1°C | 123 mm | 96% | 4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2023 | 5.9°C | 3.7°C | 1.6°C | 10.7°C | -3.4°C | 75 mm | 96% | 4.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2022 | 5.6°C | 3.1°C | 0.6°C | 11.5°C | -3.5°C | 38 mm | 96% | 3.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2021 | 3.0°C | 1.2°C | -0.7°C | 8.7°C | -4.3°C | 149 mm | 96% | 3.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2020 | 6.6°C | 4.6°C | 2.7°C | 10.4°C | -1.9°C | 76 mm | 97% | 4.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2019 | 4.1°C | 1.9°C | -0.3°C | 8.9°C | -4.1°C | 40 mm | 96% | 3.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2018 | 4.9°C | 3.0°C | 1.1°C | 10.2°C | -4.2°C | 101 mm | 96% | 4.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2017 | 4.4°C | 2.4°C | 0.4°C | 8.4°C | -3.6°C | 59 mm | 96% | 3.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2016 | 5.2°C | 3.2°C | 1.3°C | 11.6°C | -4.0°C | 140 mm | 96% | 4.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2015 | 4.9°C | 2.5°C | 0.2°C | 11.7°C | -2.7°C | 78 mm | 94% | 5.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2014 | 5.2°C | 3.4°C | 1.6°C | 8.7°C | -2.2°C | 145 mm | 96% | 4.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 3.3°C | 1.5°C | -0.2°C | 9.8°C | -8.3°C | 69 mm | 97% | 3.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2012 | 5.5°C | 3.3°C | 1.1°C | 9.9°C | -2.9°C | 71 mm | 95% | 4.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2011 | 3.3°C | 1.1°C | -1.1°C | 9.3°C | -4.9°C | 69 mm | 97% | 3.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2010 | 1.1°C | -0.7°C | -2.4°C | 4.6°C | -7.2°C | 62 mm | 97% | 3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2009 | 3.1°C | 1.2°C | -0.7°C | 7.4°C | -5.8°C | 92 mm | 96% | 3.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2008 🌧️ | 6.4°C | 4.5°C | 2.5°C | 11.0°C | -1.8°C | 172 mm | 95% | 5.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2007 🔥 | 7.0°C | 5.0°C | 2.9°C | 10.6°C | -2.7°C | 105 mm | 94% | 5.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 4.5°C | 2.4°C | 0.3°C | 8.7°C | -2.9°C | 33 mm | 97% | 3.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2005 | 6.5°C | 4.3°C | 2.1°C | 10.4°C | -2.7°C | 63 mm | 95% | 5.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | 5.3°C | 3.3°C | 1.4°C | 9.5°C | -3.2°C | 123 mm | 96% | 4.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 4.3°C | 2.5°C | 0.7°C | 10.5°C | -7.1°C | 80 mm | 96% | 4.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2002 | 5.8°C | 3.7°C | 1.6°C | 10.3°C | -5.7°C | 78 mm | 97% | 4.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2001 | 3.0°C | 1.2°C | -0.6°C | 5.7°C | -4.0°C | 54 mm | 97% | 3.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2000 | 5.4°C | 3.3°C | 1.1°C | 8.8°C | -2.0°C | 68 mm | 96% | 4.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1999 | 5.6°C | 3.5°C | 1.4°C | 10.6°C | -2.9°C | 108 mm | 96% | 4.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1998 | 4.9°C | 3.0°C | 1.1°C | 10.7°C | -2.4°C | 123 mm | 95% | 3.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1997 | 2.6°C | 0.4°C | -1.8°C | 6.1°C | -5.8°C | 21 mm | 96% | 2.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1996 | 3.3°C | 2.1°C | 0.9°C | 8.3°C | -4.2°C | 61 mm | 95% | 4.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1995 | 4.1°C | 1.8°C | -0.6°C | 9.4°C | -4.7°C | 123 mm | 96% | 4.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1994 | 4.6°C | 2.7°C | 0.9°C | 8.9°C | -3.0°C | 109 mm | 95% | 4.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1993 | 5.3°C | 2.9°C | 0.5°C | 10.7°C | -7.0°C | 98 mm | 94% | 5.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1992 | 4.3°C | 2.0°C | -0.2°C | 9.1°C | -6.5°C | 40 mm | 96% | 3.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1991 | 3.0°C | 0.7°C | -1.7°C | 10.1°C | -5.9°C | 77 mm | 95% | 3.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1990 | 6.1°C | 4.2°C | 2.3°C | 10.7°C | -1.3°C | 124 mm | 95% | 5.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1989 | 6.2°C | 4.0°C | 1.9°C | 10.1°C | -1.8°C | 36 mm | 96% | 4.4 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1988 | 4.7°C | 3.0°C | 1.2°C | 10.5°C | -2.4°C | 118 mm | 97% | 4.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1987 | 0.8°C | -1.2°C | -3.3°C | 6.8°C | -8.7°C | 38 mm | 95% | 2.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 2.7°C | 0.8°C | -1.2°C | 8.6°C | -6.3°C | 107 mm | 95% | 5.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1985 ❄️ | 0.8°C | -1.5°C | -3.8°C | 6.9°C | -11.0°C | 76 mm | 96% | 3.1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1984 | 2.7°C | 0.7°C | -1.3°C | 9.3°C | -7.9°C | 131 mm | 94% | 4.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1983 | 6.3°C | 4.1°C | 1.9°C | 10.6°C | -1.9°C | 87 mm | 94% | 6.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 2.6°C | 0.6°C | -1.4°C | 8.6°C | -11.2°C | 81 mm | 97% | 3.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 4.7°C | 2.5°C | 0.3°C | 8.7°C | -3.8°C | 73 mm | 95% | 4.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 4.4°C with lows near 0.3°C (mean 2.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 86 mm of rainfall in Bradford, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 172 mm in 2008.
The hottest January reached 11.7°C in 2015. The coldest dipped to -11.2°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 3.4°C to 4.6°C and overnight lows from -0.9°C to 0.2°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Bradford and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 4.4°C daytime highs and 0.3°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Bradford, averaging 2.4°C.
For January in Bradford, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 4.4°C and lows of 0.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 96% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 4.2 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 6.3 m/s (1983).
The wettest January on record was 2008 with 172 mm. On average, January sees 86 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 Bradford 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.
