January is one of the cooler months of the year in Birmingham, with average highs near 11.1°C and lows around 0.1°C (mean 5.6°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 128 mm of rainfall and 83% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Birmingham. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Birmingham was 2017 — when the month averaged 10.3°C — while the coldest was 2014 at 1.3°C. Typical January days reach 11.1°C with nights near 0.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Birmingham, averaging 128 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1999 with 228 mm, while the driest was 1986 at 27 mm.
Relative humidity in Birmingham during January averages 83%. The most humid January was 1998 at 89%, and the least humid was 2014 at 76%.
January receives about 2.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Birmingham. The sunniest January was 2014 at 3.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1991 at 2.1.
Average wind speed in Birmingham during January is 0.2 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2022, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.3 m/s, while the calmest were 2020, 2021 and 2023, among others at 0.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 4.0°C | 6.3°C | 6.1°C | 5.5°C | 6.4°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg High | 9.5°C | 11.6°C | 11.7°C | 11.0°C | 12.2°C | +2.7°C |
| Avg Low | -1.5°C | 1.0°C | 0.5°C | -0.1°C | 0.7°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 110 mm | 172 mm | 104 mm | 120 mm | 137 mm | +27 mm |
January temperatures in Birmingham have risen by about 2.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -17.7°C (1982) to a record high of 25.1°C (2022).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 128 mm, with a wettest year of 228 mm.
A quieter season to visit Birmingham
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of May and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Birmingham. That said, January — with days averaging 11.1°C and nights around 0.1°C (mean 5.6°C) and higher rainfall (128 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 | 9.8°C | 3.6°C | -2.6°C | 19.6°C | -12.2°C | 70 mm | 78% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2024 | 10.8°C | 5.0°C | -0.7°C | 21.2°C | -12.2°C | 187 mm | 80% | 0.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2023 | 15.1°C | 9.5°C | 3.9°C | 23.3°C | -4.8°C | 190 mm | 84% | 0.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 11.3°C | 4.9°C | -1.5°C | 25.1°C | -5.9°C | 111 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2021 | 12.1°C | 6.6°C | 1.2°C | 22.5°C | -4.7°C | 87 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 14.1°C | 9.0°C | 4.0°C | 22.1°C | -5.5°C | 176 mm | 85% | 0.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2019 | 11.8°C | 6.4°C | 0.9°C | 19.4°C | -5.5°C | 143 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2018 | 9.3°C | 3.3°C | -2.7°C | 21.1°C | -12.3°C | 39 mm | 76% | 0.3 m/s | 3 |
| 2017 🔥 | 15.4°C | 10.3°C | 5.2°C | 23.8°C | -8.6°C | 174 mm | 84% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2016 | 10.4°C | 4.9°C | -0.6°C | 19.7°C | -6.9°C | 90 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2015 | 10.5°C | 4.9°C | -0.8°C | 19.9°C | -9.9°C | 125 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2014 ❄️ | 7.1°C | 1.3°C | -4.6°C | 16.6°C | -13.8°C | 60 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 13.7°C | 8.4°C | 3.1°C | 22.9°C | -4.7°C | 223 mm | 87% | 0.2 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2012 | 14.4°C | 8.6°C | 2.7°C | 20.1°C | -6.3°C | 138 mm | 83% | 0.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2011 | 9.2°C | 3.7°C | -1.9°C | 19.2°C | -9.6°C | 84 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2010 | 8.2°C | 3.1°C | -2.0°C | 20.7°C | -10.8°C | 127 mm | 83% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2009 | 11.5°C | 5.8°C | 0.1°C | 22.0°C | -8.7°C | 154 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2008 | 10.4°C | 4.8°C | -0.9°C | 21.6°C | -8.8°C | 109 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2007 | 11.9°C | 6.6°C | 1.3°C | 22.0°C | -7.0°C | 81 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2006 | 14.8°C | 9.0°C | 3.2°C | 23.0°C | -4.6°C | 138 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2005 | 13.3°C | 8.0°C | 2.7°C | 20.7°C | -6.1°C | 67 mm | 85% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2004 | 11.6°C | 5.7°C | -0.1°C | 22.6°C | -7.7°C | 71 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2003 | 8.3°C | 2.9°C | -2.6°C | 17.8°C | -13.2°C | 55 mm | 82% | 0.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2002 | 13.2°C | 7.5°C | 1.7°C | 23.5°C | -6.1°C | 141 mm | 86% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2001 | 9.4°C | 3.8°C | -1.8°C | 17.6°C | -9.9°C | 121 mm | 85% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2000 | 12.1°C | 6.6°C | 1.1°C | 22.3°C | -6.5°C | 105 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1999 🌧️ | 13.7°C | 8.1°C | 2.5°C | 22.1°C | -10.7°C | 228 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1998 | 12.8°C | 7.8°C | 2.8°C | 20.4°C | -5.3°C | 204 mm | 89% | 0.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1997 | 11.5°C | 6.0°C | 0.5°C | 21.7°C | -11.0°C | 181 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1996 | 10.4°C | 4.5°C | -1.3°C | 20.1°C | -7.6°C | 221 mm | 86% | 0.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1995 | 11.1°C | 5.9°C | 0.6°C | 19.8°C | -7.2°C | 110 mm | 85% | 0.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1994 | 8.4°C | 3.2°C | -2.1°C | 18.1°C | -15.1°C | 125 mm | 82% | 0.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1993 | 12.9°C | 7.9°C | 2.9°C | 18.8°C | -3.8°C | 178 mm | 87% | 0.2 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1992 | 10.4°C | 5.4°C | 0.5°C | 18.9°C | -7.7°C | 148 mm | 87% | 0.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1991 | 11.1°C | 6.5°C | 1.8°C | 18.3°C | -5.7°C | 110 mm | 88% | 0.2 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1990 | 13.2°C | 7.6°C | 1.9°C | 21.3°C | -5.4°C | 216 mm | 88% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1989 | 14.0°C | 8.3°C | 2.5°C | 20.9°C | -4.7°C | 128 mm | 84% | 0.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1988 | 7.8°C | 2.8°C | -2.3°C | 20.3°C | -12.8°C | 136 mm | 84% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1987 | 9.7°C | 4.6°C | -0.5°C | 19.1°C | -6.9°C | 167 mm | 87% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1986 | 10.8°C | 4.6°C | -1.7°C | 19.0°C | -9.0°C | 27 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1985 | 6.9°C | 1.5°C | -3.9°C | 19.9°C | -17.0°C | 117 mm | 82% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1984 | 8.5°C | 3.1°C | -2.4°C | 15.8°C | -11.4°C | 102 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1983 | 9.3°C | 4.5°C | -0.2°C | 15.2°C | -5.3°C | 99 mm | 88% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 9.6°C | 3.6°C | -2.4°C | 21.6°C | -17.7°C | 181 mm | 84% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 8.8°C | 2.9°C | -2.9°C | 16.5°C | -10.5°C | 34 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 11.1°C with lows near 0.1°C (mean 5.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 128 mm of rainfall in Birmingham, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 228 mm in 1999.
The hottest January reached 25.1°C in 2022. The coldest dipped to -17.7°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 2.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 8.6°C to 11.8°C and overnight lows from -2.4°C to 0.1°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Birmingham and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 11.1°C daytime highs and 0.1°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Birmingham, averaging 5.6°C.
For January in Birmingham, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.1°C and lows of 0.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 83% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.2 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 0.3 m/s (1984).
The wettest January on record was 1999 with 228 mm. On average, January sees 128 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 Birmingham 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.
