January is one of the cooler months of the year in South Shields, with average highs near 6.3°C and lows around 3.5°C (mean 4.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 65 mm of rainfall and 89% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in South Shields. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in South Shields was 2007 — when the month averaged 6.9°C — while the coldest was 1987 at 1.8°C. Typical January days reach 6.3°C with nights near 3.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is about average for rainfall in South Shields, averaging 65 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2021 with 142 mm, while the driest was 1997 at 19 mm.
Relative humidity in South Shields during January averages 89%. The most humid Januarys were 2014 and 2020 at 91%, and the least humid was 1985 at 85%.
January receives about 0.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in South Shields. The sunniest January was 2022 at 0.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2010, 2013 and 2016, among others at 0.5.
Average wind speed in South Shields during January is 6.3 m/s. The windiest January was 1993 at 8.3 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 4.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 4.0°C | 4.8°C | 5.5°C | 4.7°C | 5.3°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg High | 5.4°C | 6.2°C | 6.9°C | 6.1°C | 6.8°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Low | 2.6°C | 3.3°C | 4.1°C | 3.4°C | 3.9°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 67 mm | 57 mm | 67 mm | 66 mm | 74 mm | +7 mm |
January temperatures in South Shields have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -3.8°C (1982) to a record high of 12.3°C (2015).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 65 mm, with a wettest year of 142 mm.
A quieter season to visit South Shields
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting South Shields. That said, January — with days averaging 6.3°C and nights around 3.5°C (mean 4.9°C) and moderate rainfall (65 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 | 5.7°C | 4.4°C | 3.0°C | 9.5°C | 0.5°C | 74 mm | 90% | 5.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2024 | 6.8°C | 5.4°C | 3.9°C | 11.5°C | 0.2°C | 114 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2023 | 7.3°C | 5.7°C | 4.2°C | 11.3°C | 0.4°C | 46 mm | 90% | 6.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2022 | 7.3°C | 5.7°C | 4.1°C | 11.4°C | 1.4°C | 24 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2021 🌧️ | 5.4°C | 4.1°C | 2.9°C | 8.8°C | 0.8°C | 142 mm | 88% | 5.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2020 | 8.0°C | 6.5°C | 5.0°C | 11.5°C | 2.6°C | 43 mm | 91% | 6.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2019 | 6.1°C | 4.7°C | 3.3°C | 10.2°C | 0.4°C | 33 mm | 88% | 5.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2018 | 6.4°C | 5.1°C | 3.8°C | 10.8°C | 1.0°C | 74 mm | 90% | 6.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2017 | 6.3°C | 5.0°C | 3.6°C | 10.0°C | -0.2°C | 43 mm | 90% | 5.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2016 | 6.9°C | 5.5°C | 4.1°C | 11.8°C | 1.5°C | 132 mm | 89% | 6.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2015 | 6.8°C | 5.0°C | 3.2°C | 12.3°C | 1.0°C | 49 mm | 87% | 7.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2014 | 6.6°C | 5.3°C | 4.1°C | 9.1°C | 2.4°C | 97 mm | 91% | 6.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2013 | 5.3°C | 4.3°C | 3.3°C | 10.1°C | -0.3°C | 76 mm | 88% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2012 | 7.1°C | 5.5°C | 4.0°C | 11.2°C | 1.1°C | 35 mm | 88% | 6.5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2011 | 5.3°C | 3.9°C | 2.4°C | 9.9°C | -0.5°C | 49 mm | 90% | 5.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2010 | 4.1°C | 3.1°C | 2.1°C | 7.7°C | 0.2°C | 73 mm | 87% | 5.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2009 | 5.4°C | 4.2°C | 2.9°C | 9.3°C | -1.1°C | 68 mm | 90% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2008 | 7.5°C | 6.0°C | 4.6°C | 11.3°C | 1.4°C | 129 mm | 90% | 7.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2007 🔥 | 8.5°C | 6.9°C | 5.3°C | 11.6°C | 2.3°C | 67 mm | 87% | 7.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 6.4°C | 5.1°C | 3.8°C | 10.3°C | 0.8°C | 30 mm | 90% | 4.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 8.1°C | 6.4°C | 4.8°C | 11.9°C | 2.1°C | 39 mm | 88% | 8.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | 6.8°C | 5.5°C | 4.2°C | 10.4°C | 0.9°C | 121 mm | 91% | 6.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 6.7°C | 5.5°C | 4.4°C | 11.5°C | 1.3°C | 82 mm | 87% | 6.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 | 7.2°C | 5.7°C | 4.1°C | 10.7°C | -0.2°C | 50 mm | 91% | 6.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2001 | 5.3°C | 4.2°C | 3.1°C | 6.9°C | 1.3°C | 37 mm | 90% | 5 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 7.4°C | 5.8°C | 4.2°C | 10.1°C | 2.6°C | 46 mm | 89% | 6.7 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1999 | 7.0°C | 5.5°C | 4.0°C | 10.4°C | 1.3°C | 66 mm | 90% | 6.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1998 | 6.7°C | 5.4°C | 4.1°C | 11.5°C | 1.0°C | 87 mm | 89% | 6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1997 | 5.1°C | 3.6°C | 2.2°C | 8.5°C | 0.0°C | 19 mm | 89% | 4.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1996 | 5.6°C | 4.7°C | 3.9°C | 8.9°C | 1.1°C | 40 mm | 89% | 7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1995 | 6.0°C | 4.3°C | 2.6°C | 10.1°C | 0.7°C | 78 mm | 88% | 7.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1994 | 6.0°C | 4.6°C | 3.1°C | 9.4°C | 0.8°C | 77 mm | 89% | 7.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1993 | 6.8°C | 4.9°C | 3.1°C | 11.7°C | -1.6°C | 60 mm | 87% | 8.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1992 | 6.3°C | 4.8°C | 3.3°C | 10.3°C | -0.8°C | 21 mm | 90% | 5.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1991 | 5.3°C | 3.8°C | 2.3°C | 10.7°C | 0.0°C | 50 mm | 87% | 6.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1990 | 7.6°C | 6.1°C | 4.6°C | 11.4°C | 2.1°C | 71 mm | 90% | 7.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1989 | 7.7°C | 6.3°C | 4.8°C | 10.8°C | 1.9°C | 23 mm | 91% | 6.6 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1988 | 6.3°C | 5.1°C | 3.9°C | 10.5°C | 1.4°C | 79 mm | 91% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1987 ❄️ | 3.0°C | 1.8°C | 0.6°C | 8.3°C | -2.7°C | 47 mm | 87% | 5.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 4.6°C | 3.5°C | 2.4°C | 9.2°C | -0.5°C | 78 mm | 87% | 7.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1985 | 3.8°C | 2.7°C | 1.6°C | 7.4°C | -2.0°C | 79 mm | 85% | 5.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1984 | 4.8°C | 3.3°C | 1.9°C | 10.5°C | -2.0°C | 106 mm | 87% | 7.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1983 | 7.5°C | 5.7°C | 3.8°C | 11.2°C | 0.0°C | 44 mm | 87% | 8.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.4°C | 3.1°C | 1.7°C | 9.2°C | -3.8°C | 85 mm | 90% | 5.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 6.2°C | 4.6°C | 3.0°C | 9.8°C | -0.4°C | 60 mm | 88% | 6.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 6.3°C with lows near 3.5°C (mean 4.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 65 mm of rainfall in South Shields, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 142 mm in 2021.
The hottest January reached 12.3°C in 2015. The coldest dipped to -3.8°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 5.3°C to 6.5°C and overnight lows from 2.4°C to 3.6°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in South Shields and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 6.3°C daytime highs and 3.5°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in South Shields, averaging 4.9°C.
For January in South Shields, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.3°C and lows of 3.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 89% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 6.3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 8.3 m/s (1993).
The wettest January on record was 2021 with 142 mm. On average, January sees 65 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 South Shields 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.
