January is one of the cooler months of the year in Rochester, with average highs near 6.8°C and lows around 2.3°C (mean 4.6°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm of rainfall and 92% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Rochester. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Rochester was 2007 — when the month averaged 7°C — while the coldest was 1987 at 0.2°C. Typical January days reach 6.8°C with nights near 2.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is about average for rainfall in Rochester, averaging 62 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1988 with 134 mm, while the driest was 1997 at 15 mm.
Relative humidity in Rochester during January averages 92%. The most humid January was 2000 at 94%, and the least humid was 1991 at 88%.
January receives about 0.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Rochester. The sunniest Januarys were 1989 and 1992 at 1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1987 at 0.6.
Average wind speed in Rochester during January is 4.6 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 1995 and 2007 at 5.9 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 3.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 3.6°C | 4.8°C | 5.0°C | 4.4°C | 4.8°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg High | 5.9°C | 7.0°C | 7.2°C | 6.7°C | 7.2°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Low | 1.3°C | 2.6°C | 2.9°C | 2.1°C | 2.3°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 66 mm | 59 mm | 56 mm | 64 mm | 65 mm | 0 mm |
January temperatures in Rochester have risen by about 0.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -7.5°C (1987) to a record high of 13.3°C (2007).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm, with a wettest year of 134 mm.
A quieter season to visit Rochester
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Rochester. That said, January — with days averaging 6.8°C and nights around 2.3°C (mean 4.6°C) and moderate rainfall (62 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 | 6.4°C | 3.9°C | 1.4°C | 11.3°C | -2.8°C | 71 mm | 93% | 3.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2024 | 7.2°C | 4.7°C | 2.1°C | 12.7°C | -3.6°C | 52 mm | 90% | 4.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2023 | 7.9°C | 5.2°C | 2.6°C | 12.3°C | -3.2°C | 72 mm | 92% | 4.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2022 | 7.5°C | 4.9°C | 2.2°C | 12.1°C | -2.1°C | 27 mm | 93% | 3.6 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2021 | 5.7°C | 3.5°C | 1.3°C | 11.5°C | -2.2°C | 114 mm | 93% | 4.2 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 8.7°C | 6.4°C | 4.2°C | 12.5°C | -0.6°C | 57 mm | 94% | 4.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2019 | 6.0°C | 3.6°C | 1.1°C | 10.4°C | -2.7°C | 30 mm | 91% | 4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2018 | 8.2°C | 5.8°C | 3.4°C | 12.0°C | 0.1°C | 72 mm | 91% | 4.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 5.8°C | 3.4°C | 1.1°C | 9.3°C | -1.9°C | 67 mm | 92% | 3.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2016 | 8.0°C | 5.7°C | 3.4°C | 12.1°C | -1.9°C | 88 mm | 91% | 5.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2015 | 7.2°C | 4.4°C | 1.6°C | 12.6°C | -2.2°C | 80 mm | 91% | 5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2014 | 8.5°C | 6.4°C | 4.4°C | 11.8°C | 1.2°C | 87 mm | 92% | 5.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2013 | 5.6°C | 3.7°C | 1.9°C | 11.9°C | -2.6°C | 47 mm | 91% | 4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2012 | 8.0°C | 5.5°C | 3.0°C | 11.9°C | -1.0°C | 44 mm | 91% | 4.5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2011 | 6.1°C | 3.9°C | 1.7°C | 11.7°C | -2.0°C | 76 mm | 93% | 4.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2010 | 3.5°C | 1.7°C | -0.2°C | 6.9°C | -3.3°C | 50 mm | 92% | 3.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2009 | 5.1°C | 3.0°C | 1.0°C | 9.5°C | -5.1°C | 55 mm | 90% | 4.1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2008 | 9.1°C | 6.7°C | 4.4°C | 12.2°C | -0.1°C | 68 mm | 91% | 5.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2007 🔥 | 9.4°C | 7.0°C | 4.7°C | 13.3°C | -1.4°C | 55 mm | 90% | 5.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2006 | 6.3°C | 4.2°C | 2.2°C | 10.0°C | -2.0°C | 26 mm | 90% | 3.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2005 | 8.2°C | 5.9°C | 3.7°C | 11.8°C | 0.4°C | 27 mm | 90% | 5.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2004 | 7.2°C | 5.0°C | 2.8°C | 11.7°C | -2.4°C | 89 mm | 92% | 5 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2003 | 6.6°C | 4.5°C | 2.4°C | 12.4°C | -2.1°C | 70 mm | 92% | 5.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2002 | 7.6°C | 5.4°C | 3.2°C | 11.9°C | -3.3°C | 56 mm | 94% | 4.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2001 | 5.9°C | 3.9°C | 1.9°C | 10.5°C | -2.4°C | 87 mm | 92% | 4.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2000 | 7.0°C | 4.7°C | 2.4°C | 11.4°C | -1.3°C | 25 mm | 94% | 4.4 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1999 | 8.2°C | 6.0°C | 3.7°C | 12.1°C | -1.8°C | 70 mm | 92% | 5.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1998 | 8.0°C | 5.6°C | 3.1°C | 12.8°C | -1.7°C | 75 mm | 90% | 5.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1997 | 3.7°C | 1.7°C | -0.3°C | 8.0°C | -5.4°C | 15 mm | 93% | 3.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1996 | 5.9°C | 4.5°C | 3.1°C | 10.6°C | -3.4°C | 45 mm | 92% | 4.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1995 | 7.5°C | 5.0°C | 2.5°C | 10.8°C | -2.1°C | 113 mm | 91% | 5.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1994 | 7.6°C | 5.0°C | 2.4°C | 11.2°C | -1.5°C | 78 mm | 92% | 5.3 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1993 | 8.4°C | 5.8°C | 3.1°C | 12.2°C | -4.3°C | 57 mm | 91% | 5.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1992 | 6.0°C | 3.9°C | 1.8°C | 10.7°C | -2.1°C | 20 mm | 91% | 3.7 m/s | 1 |
| 1991 | 6.5°C | 4.3°C | 2.1°C | 11.0°C | -1.0°C | 52 mm | 88% | 4.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1990 | 8.6°C | 6.5°C | 4.3°C | 11.6°C | 0.7°C | 63 mm | 92% | 5.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1989 | 8.0°C | 5.5°C | 3.0°C | 10.4°C | -0.2°C | 28 mm | 92% | 3.6 m/s | 1 |
| 1988 🌧️ | 7.8°C | 5.7°C | 3.6°C | 12.0°C | -1.0°C | 134 mm | 93% | 5.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1987 ❄️ | 2.1°C | 0.2°C | -1.7°C | 9.8°C | -7.5°C | 33 mm | 88% | 3.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1986 | 5.7°C | 3.3°C | 1.0°C | 10.1°C | -3.4°C | 83 mm | 90% | 5.6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1985 | 2.9°C | 0.8°C | -1.4°C | 9.8°C | -5.9°C | 61 mm | 91% | 4.2 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1984 | 6.4°C | 3.8°C | 1.2°C | 12.0°C | -2.2°C | 103 mm | 90% | 5.7 m/s | 0.8 |
| 1983 | 8.5°C | 5.9°C | 3.3°C | 12.1°C | -3.1°C | 53 mm | 91% | 5.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 5.4°C | 3.2°C | 1.1°C | 10.6°C | -5.2°C | 54 mm | 92% | 4.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 6.4°C | 4.0°C | 1.6°C | 9.7°C | -2.1°C | 43 mm | 92% | 4.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 6.8°C with lows near 2.3°C (mean 4.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 62 mm of rainfall in Rochester, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 134 mm in 1988.
The hottest January reached 13.3°C in 2007. The coldest dipped to -7.5°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 5.9°C to 6.9°C and overnight lows from 1.2°C to 1.9°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Rochester and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 6.8°C daytime highs and 2.3°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Rochester, averaging 4.6°C.
For January in Rochester, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.8°C and lows of 2.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 92% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 4.6 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 5.9 m/s (1995).
The wettest January on record was 1988 with 134 mm. On average, January sees 62 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 Rochester 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.
