January is one of the cooler months of the year in Dundee, with average highs near 4.4°C and lows around 0.7°C (mean 2.6°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 83 mm of rainfall and 94% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Dundee. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Dundee was 1989 — when the month averaged 5.3°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -0.4°C. Typical January days reach 4.4°C with nights near 0.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is about average for rainfall in Dundee, averaging 83 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2016 with 206 mm, while the driest was 2019 at 28 mm.
Relative humidity in Dundee during January averages 94%. The most humid January was 1997 at 97%, and the least humid was 1983 at 91%.
January receives about 0.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Dundee. The sunniest Januarys were 2022, 2023 and 2025, among others at 0.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2013, 2014 and 2016, among others at 0.4.
Average wind speed in Dundee during January is 4.5 m/s. The windiest January was 1983 at 7.1 m/s, while the calmest was 1997 at 2.7 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 1.7°C | 2.7°C | 3.3°C | 2.4°C | 3.0°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg High | 3.6°C | 4.4°C | 5.2°C | 4.1°C | 5.0°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Low | -0.2°C | 0.9°C | 1.4°C | 0.5°C | 1.1°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 79 mm | 93 mm | 81 mm | 91 mm | 62 mm | -17 mm |
January temperatures in Dundee have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -13.1°C (1982) to a record high of 11.3°C (2020).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 83 mm, with a wettest year of 206 mm.
A quieter season to visit Dundee
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Dundee. That said, January — with days averaging 4.4°C and nights around 0.7°C (mean 2.6°C) and higher rainfall (83 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 | 4.5°C | 2.7°C | 1.0°C | 9.5°C | -3.2°C | 51 mm | 95% | 3.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2024 | 4.8°C | 2.8°C | 0.9°C | 10.4°C | -4.7°C | 72 mm | 94% | 4.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2023 | 5.3°C | 3.2°C | 1.2°C | 9.0°C | -3.2°C | 73 mm | 95% | 4.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2022 | 6.2°C | 4.0°C | 1.9°C | 11.0°C | -1.8°C | 38 mm | 94% | 4.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2021 | 2.5°C | 0.7°C | -1.0°C | 6.3°C | -4.1°C | 79 mm | 95% | 3.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2020 | 6.5°C | 4.5°C | 2.5°C | 11.3°C | -1.0°C | 61 mm | 95% | 5.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2019 | 4.1°C | 2.2°C | 0.2°C | 8.8°C | -3.3°C | 28 mm | 94% | 3.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2018 | 4.0°C | 2.2°C | 0.4°C | 9.5°C | -5.0°C | 87 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2017 | 4.8°C | 3.0°C | 1.2°C | 9.2°C | -2.4°C | 52 mm | 95% | 3.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2016 🌧️ | 4.4°C | 2.6°C | 0.9°C | 10.6°C | -3.8°C | 206 mm | 94% | 4.6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2015 | 4.7°C | 2.8°C | 0.8°C | 10.8°C | -3.1°C | 72 mm | 92% | 5.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2014 | 5.0°C | 3.3°C | 1.5°C | 7.3°C | -1.0°C | 167 mm | 96% | 4.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2013 | 4.0°C | 2.5°C | 1.1°C | 9.6°C | -2.3°C | 112 mm | 94% | 4.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2012 | 5.2°C | 3.2°C | 1.2°C | 9.4°C | -1.6°C | 51 mm | 93% | 4.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2011 | 3.1°C | 1.2°C | -0.8°C | 9.0°C | -5.8°C | 63 mm | 96% | 3.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2010 | 2.0°C | 0.5°C | -1.1°C | 6.1°C | -5.2°C | 77 mm | 94% | 3.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2009 | 4.0°C | 2.3°C | 0.7°C | 9.1°C | -4.5°C | 93 mm | 95% | 4.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2008 | 5.4°C | 3.6°C | 1.9°C | 10.2°C | -2.9°C | 151 mm | 95% | 5 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2007 | 6.5°C | 4.3°C | 2.2°C | 11.0°C | -1.8°C | 83 mm | 93% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2006 | 5.4°C | 3.5°C | 1.5°C | 10.0°C | -2.2°C | 44 mm | 94% | 3.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2005 | 6.6°C | 4.4°C | 2.2°C | 10.8°C | -2.0°C | 64 mm | 93% | 6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2004 | 5.2°C | 3.3°C | 1.5°C | 10.3°C | -2.0°C | 94 mm | 96% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2003 | 4.9°C | 3.1°C | 1.3°C | 11.0°C | -2.3°C | 69 mm | 93% | 5.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2002 | 5.4°C | 3.4°C | 1.3°C | 10.1°C | -4.0°C | 109 mm | 96% | 4.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2001 | 2.9°C | 1.5°C | 0.1°C | 5.3°C | -2.0°C | 60 mm | 96% | 2.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2000 | 5.6°C | 3.4°C | 1.2°C | 8.8°C | -1.3°C | 48 mm | 95% | 4.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1999 | 4.3°C | 2.8°C | 1.3°C | 7.9°C | -2.4°C | 113 mm | 95% | 4.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1998 | 4.8°C | 3.2°C | 1.5°C | 10.3°C | -2.0°C | 110 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 3.5°C | 1.7°C | -0.1°C | 9.6°C | -4.7°C | 38 mm | 97% | 2.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1996 | 4.4°C | 3.3°C | 2.3°C | 8.0°C | -1.0°C | 105 mm | 93% | 4.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1995 | 3.6°C | 1.6°C | -0.4°C | 8.7°C | -6.0°C | 101 mm | 94% | 5.2 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1994 | 3.9°C | 2.3°C | 0.7°C | 7.9°C | -2.4°C | 95 mm | 94% | 5.3 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1993 | 5.5°C | 3.3°C | 1.1°C | 11.1°C | -2.0°C | 124 mm | 92% | 6.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1992 | 5.0°C | 2.9°C | 0.9°C | 10.7°C | -4.6°C | 62 mm | 96% | 3.8 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1991 | 3.4°C | 1.5°C | -0.5°C | 9.2°C | -3.9°C | 72 mm | 96% | 4 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1990 | 5.9°C | 4.2°C | 2.4°C | 11.0°C | -1.2°C | 113 mm | 94% | 5.7 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1989 🔥 | 7.1°C | 5.3°C | 3.4°C | 10.0°C | -0.4°C | 55 mm | 94% | 5.8 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1988 | 4.3°C | 2.8°C | 1.2°C | 9.7°C | -2.3°C | 116 mm | 95% | 4.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1987 | 1.6°C | -0.2°C | -2.0°C | 5.9°C | -6.0°C | 52 mm | 94% | 3.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 2.9°C | 1.3°C | -0.4°C | 8.1°C | -4.5°C | 82 mm | 93% | 5.1 m/s | 0.4 |
| 1985 | 1.7°C | -0.1°C | -1.9°C | 5.6°C | -7.4°C | 77 mm | 95% | 3.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1984 | 2.3°C | 0.3°C | -1.8°C | 8.8°C | -8.8°C | 115 mm | 92% | 5.1 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1983 | 6.0°C | 4.1°C | 2.1°C | 10.2°C | -2.2°C | 60 mm | 91% | 7.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | 1.7°C | -0.4°C | -2.5°C | 9.1°C | -13.1°C | 102 mm | 96% | 3.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 4.4°C | 2.3°C | 0.1°C | 8.7°C | -4.9°C | 56 mm | 93% | 4.8 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 0.7°C (mean 2.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 83 mm of rainfall in Dundee, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 206 mm in 2016.
The hottest January reached 11.3°C in 2020. The coldest dipped to -13.1°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 3.2°C to 4.7°C and overnight lows from -0.8°C to 0.8°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Dundee and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 4.4°C daytime highs and 0.7°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Dundee, averaging 2.6°C.
For January in Dundee, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 4.4°C and lows of 0.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 94% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 4.5 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 7.1 m/s (1983).
The wettest January on record was 2016 with 206 mm. On average, January sees 83 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 Dundee 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.
