January is one of the cooler months of the year in Kendal, with average highs near 4°C and lows around 0.3°C (mean 2.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 116 mm of rainfall and 96% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Kendal. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Kendal was 2007 — when the month averaged 4.6°C — while the coldest was 1985 at -1.7°C. Typical January days reach 4°C with nights near 0.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Kendal, averaging 116 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2008 with 223 mm, while the driest was 1997 at 24 mm.
Relative humidity in Kendal during January averages 96%. The most humid January was 1982 at 97%, and the least humid was 1993 at 94%.
January receives about 0.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Kendal. The sunniest January was 1985 at 0.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1984 at 0.4.
Average wind speed in Kendal during January is 4.4 m/s. The windiest January was 1983 at 6.6 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 2.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 1.2°C | 2.1°C | 2.9°C | 1.9°C | 2.6°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 3.1°C | 4.0°C | 4.8°C | 3.8°C | 4.5°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Low | -0.7°C | 0.3°C | 1.1°C | 0.1°C | 0.7°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 112 mm | 119 mm | 126 mm | 107 mm | 117 mm | +5 mm |
January temperatures in Kendal have risen by about 1.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -12.2°C (1985) to a record high of 11°C (2016).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 116 mm, with a wettest year of 223 mm.
A quieter season to visit Kendal
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Kendal. That said, January — with days averaging 4°C and nights around 0.3°C (mean 2.2°C) and higher rainfall (116 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 | 3.4°C | 1.4°C | -0.5°C | 8.2°C | -7.0°C | 87 mm | 97% | 3.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2024 | 4.6°C | 2.6°C | 0.7°C | 10.0°C | -5.7°C | 170 mm | 96% | 4.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2023 | 5.3°C | 3.4°C | 1.5°C | 9.9°C | -2.9°C | 117 mm | 96% | 4.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2022 | 5.4°C | 3.3°C | 1.1°C | 10.5°C | -2.3°C | 56 mm | 96% | 4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2021 | 2.4°C | 0.7°C | -1.1°C | 7.9°C | -4.9°C | 162 mm | 97% | 3.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2020 | 6.1°C | 4.4°C | 2.6°C | 10.2°C | -1.8°C | 109 mm | 97% | 4.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2019 | 3.7°C | 1.7°C | -0.2°C | 8.3°C | -4.1°C | 59 mm | 96% | 3.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2018 | 4.2°C | 2.5°C | 0.9°C | 9.2°C | -3.9°C | 131 mm | 96% | 4.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2017 | 4.1°C | 2.2°C | 0.3°C | 8.0°C | -3.5°C | 69 mm | 97% | 3.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2016 | 4.6°C | 2.8°C | 1.1°C | 11.0°C | -5.5°C | 175 mm | 96% | 4.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2015 | 4.4°C | 2.4°C | 0.3°C | 10.8°C | -2.5°C | 134 mm | 95% | 5.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2014 | 4.7°C | 3.1°C | 1.6°C | 7.9°C | -1.4°C | 158 mm | 97% | 4.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2013 | 3.1°C | 1.5°C | -0.1°C | 8.8°C | -5.6°C | 91 mm | 97% | 4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2012 | 5.0°C | 3.1°C | 1.1°C | 9.3°C | -2.4°C | 95 mm | 96% | 4.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2011 | 2.9°C | 0.9°C | -1.0°C | 8.4°C | -6.1°C | 97 mm | 97% | 3.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2010 | 0.9°C | -0.9°C | -2.6°C | 4.9°C | -8.2°C | 64 mm | 97% | 3.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2009 | 3.0°C | 1.3°C | -0.5°C | 8.1°C | -6.8°C | 131 mm | 96% | 3.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2008 🌧️ | 5.6°C | 3.8°C | 2.0°C | 10.0°C | -3.1°C | 223 mm | 96% | 5.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2007 🔥 | 6.6°C | 4.6°C | 2.7°C | 10.1°C | -2.6°C | 166 mm | 95% | 6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2006 | 4.3°C | 2.4°C | 0.5°C | 9.0°C | -3.0°C | 60 mm | 97% | 3.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 6.1°C | 4.0°C | 1.9°C | 10.1°C | -3.1°C | 119 mm | 95% | 6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2004 | 4.9°C | 3.2°C | 1.4°C | 9.2°C | -3.3°C | 164 mm | 97% | 4.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2003 | 3.9°C | 2.1°C | 0.4°C | 9.9°C | -8.3°C | 107 mm | 96% | 4.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | 5.5°C | 3.5°C | 1.6°C | 9.6°C | -6.9°C | 115 mm | 97% | 4.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 2.6°C | 1.0°C | -0.6°C | 5.1°C | -5.2°C | 59 mm | 97% | 3.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 5.0°C | 3.1°C | 1.2°C | 8.3°C | -1.8°C | 111 mm | 96% | 4.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1999 | 5.2°C | 3.2°C | 1.3°C | 9.6°C | -3.7°C | 157 mm | 96% | 4.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1998 | 4.6°C | 2.8°C | 1.1°C | 10.0°C | -2.5°C | 145 mm | 96% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 2.5°C | 0.4°C | -1.7°C | 6.7°C | -5.7°C | 24 mm | 97% | 2.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1996 | 3.1°C | 2.0°C | 0.9°C | 7.7°C | -5.3°C | 72 mm | 95% | 5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1995 | 3.7°C | 1.5°C | -0.6°C | 8.7°C | -4.3°C | 157 mm | 96% | 5.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1994 | 4.0°C | 2.3°C | 0.6°C | 8.1°C | -3.4°C | 145 mm | 96% | 5.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1993 | 4.8°C | 2.6°C | 0.4°C | 9.3°C | -6.8°C | 163 mm | 94% | 6.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1992 | 3.9°C | 1.8°C | -0.2°C | 8.4°C | -6.3°C | 49 mm | 96% | 3.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1991 | 2.7°C | 0.6°C | -1.4°C | 9.0°C | -5.3°C | 108 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1990 | 5.8°C | 4.1°C | 2.4°C | 9.8°C | -0.4°C | 172 mm | 96% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1989 | 6.0°C | 4.3°C | 2.5°C | 9.4°C | -0.6°C | 69 mm | 96% | 5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1988 | 4.2°C | 2.6°C | 1.1°C | 9.3°C | -2.3°C | 147 mm | 97% | 4.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1987 | 0.5°C | -1.4°C | -3.2°C | 6.5°C | -8.7°C | 47 mm | 96% | 3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 2.4°C | 0.5°C | -1.4°C | 8.0°C | -6.2°C | 139 mm | 96% | 5.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1985 ❄️ | 0.4°C | -1.7°C | -3.9°C | 6.3°C | -12.2°C | 78 mm | 97% | 3.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1984 | 2.2°C | 0.2°C | -1.8°C | 8.5°C | -7.4°C | 170 mm | 95% | 5.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1983 | 5.6°C | 3.6°C | 1.6°C | 9.4°C | -2.9°C | 136 mm | 95% | 6.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 2.1°C | 0.4°C | -1.4°C | 8.1°C | -11.0°C | 118 mm | 97% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 4.4°C | 2.4°C | 0.4°C | 8.2°C | -3.6°C | 103 mm | 96% | 4.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 4°C with lows near 0.3°C (mean 2.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 116 mm of rainfall in Kendal, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 223 mm in 2008.
The hottest January reached 11°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to -12.2°C in 1985.
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 2.9°C to 4.2°C and overnight lows from -1°C to 0.3°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Kendal and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 4°C daytime highs and 0.3°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Kendal, averaging 2.2°C.
For January in Kendal, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 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 4.4 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 6.6 m/s (1983).
The wettest January on record was 2008 with 223 mm. On average, January sees 116 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 Kendal 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.
