January is one of the cooler months of the year in Madison, with average highs near 8.9°C and lows around -1.1°C (mean 3.9°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 128 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Madison. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Madison was 2017 — when the month averaged 8.8°C — while the coldest was 1985 at -0.6°C. Typical January days reach 8.9°C with nights near -1.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Madison, averaging 128 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2013 with 239 mm, while the driest was 1986 at 25 mm.
Relative humidity in Madison during January averages 85%. The most humid January was 1998 at 90%, and the least humid was 2008 at 77%.
January receives about 2.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Madison. The sunniest January was 2014 at 3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1991 at 1.9.
Average wind speed in Madison during January is 1.4 m/s. The windiest January was 1982 at 1.7 m/s, while the calmest were 1998, 2001 and 2011, among others at 1.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 2.2°C | 4.6°C | 4.5°C | 3.8°C | 4.7°C | +2.5°C |
| Avg High | 7.2°C | 9.4°C | 9.6°C | 8.8°C | 9.9°C | +2.7°C |
| Avg Low | -2.8°C | -0.2°C | -0.7°C | -1.2°C | -0.5°C | +2.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 114 mm | 159 mm | 103 mm | 124 mm | 146 mm | +32 mm |
January temperatures in Madison have risen by about 2.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -20.1°C (1982) to a record high of 23.9°C (2022).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 128 mm, with a wettest year of 239 mm.
A quieter season to visit Madison
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of September and May tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Madison. That said, January — with days averaging 8.9°C and nights around -1.1°C (mean 3.9°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 | 7.8°C | 2.1°C | -3.5°C | 17.0°C | -13.3°C | 91 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2024 | 8.1°C | 2.8°C | -2.5°C | 19.0°C | -14.0°C | 182 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 13.3°C | 8.2°C | 3.1°C | 21.6°C | -4.1°C | 166 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2022 | 8.1°C | 2.6°C | -2.8°C | 23.9°C | -7.8°C | 143 mm | 84% | 1.5 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 10.3°C | 5.1°C | 0.0°C | 21.3°C | -4.9°C | 78 mm | 85% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 11.6°C | 7.2°C | 2.8°C | 21.2°C | -5.7°C | 215 mm | 89% | 1.3 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2019 | 9.4°C | 4.8°C | 0.2°C | 17.8°C | -6.1°C | 159 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2018 | 7.2°C | 1.6°C | -4.0°C | 18.9°C | -14.2°C | 38 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2017 🔥 | 13.4°C | 8.8°C | 4.2°C | 22.4°C | -12.7°C | 142 mm | 85% | 1.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2016 | 7.8°C | 3.1°C | -1.7°C | 17.2°C | -7.0°C | 97 mm | 85% | 1.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2015 | 8.4°C | 3.3°C | -1.8°C | 18.8°C | -13.8°C | 104 mm | 84% | 1.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2014 | 5.5°C | -0.1°C | -5.8°C | 14.4°C | -15.3°C | 56 mm | 78% | 1.5 m/s | 3 |
| 2013 🌧️ | 11.1°C | 6.2°C | 1.4°C | 21.9°C | -5.3°C | 239 mm | 87% | 1.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2012 | 12.5°C | 7.0°C | 1.4°C | 18.3°C | -6.5°C | 186 mm | 85% | 1.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2011 | 7.4°C | 2.5°C | -2.5°C | 17.9°C | -9.8°C | 91 mm | 83% | 1.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2010 | 5.3°C | 1.1°C | -3.2°C | 18.5°C | -11.1°C | 128 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2009 | 8.9°C | 3.6°C | -1.8°C | 19.3°C | -13.9°C | 136 mm | 85% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2008 | 8.6°C | 3.4°C | -1.8°C | 20.3°C | -9.5°C | 87 mm | 77% | 1.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2007 | 10.2°C | 5.2°C | 0.3°C | 19.7°C | -7.8°C | 75 mm | 83% | 1.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2006 | 13.2°C | 7.5°C | 1.8°C | 21.4°C | -4.4°C | 149 mm | 84% | 1.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2005 | 11.4°C | 6.6°C | 1.8°C | 19.6°C | -6.9°C | 66 mm | 88% | 1.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2004 | 9.9°C | 4.5°C | -1.0°C | 21.2°C | -7.9°C | 83 mm | 81% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2003 | 6.1°C | 1.2°C | -3.8°C | 16.7°C | -15.0°C | 50 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 11.2°C | 5.9°C | 0.6°C | 22.1°C | -8.4°C | 145 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2001 | 7.2°C | 2.4°C | -2.4°C | 17.5°C | -10.4°C | 127 mm | 86% | 1.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2000 | 9.5°C | 4.6°C | -0.4°C | 21.4°C | -8.0°C | 112 mm | 80% | 1.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1999 | 11.6°C | 6.4°C | 1.1°C | 21.0°C | -12.4°C | 227 mm | 87% | 1.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1998 | 10.7°C | 6.4°C | 2.1°C | 19.4°C | -5.3°C | 188 mm | 90% | 1.2 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1997 | 8.7°C | 3.7°C | -1.3°C | 20.5°C | -13.3°C | 159 mm | 86% | 1.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1996 | 7.5°C | 2.5°C | -2.4°C | 18.1°C | -9.2°C | 200 mm | 89% | 1.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1995 | 9.2°C | 4.5°C | -0.1°C | 18.3°C | -7.8°C | 121 mm | 85% | 1.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1994 | 6.0°C | 1.1°C | -3.8°C | 16.1°C | -18.7°C | 171 mm | 84% | 1.4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1993 | 10.6°C | 5.9°C | 1.2°C | 17.7°C | -4.3°C | 136 mm | 87% | 1.3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1992 | 8.6°C | 4.1°C | -0.5°C | 15.5°C | -8.6°C | 116 mm | 89% | 1.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1991 | 9.2°C | 5.0°C | 0.9°C | 16.5°C | -5.2°C | 81 mm | 90% | 1.2 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1990 | 11.5°C | 6.3°C | 1.0°C | 18.7°C | -5.2°C | 194 mm | 89% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1989 | 11.7°C | 6.6°C | 1.4°C | 19.5°C | -4.5°C | 190 mm | 85% | 1.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1988 | 5.7°C | 1.0°C | -3.8°C | 19.3°C | -13.2°C | 124 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1987 | 7.4°C | 3.0°C | -1.5°C | 13.9°C | -9.1°C | 144 mm | 89% | 1.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1986 | 8.8°C | 3.0°C | -2.9°C | 18.3°C | -12.8°C | 25 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1985 ❄️ | 4.1°C | -0.6°C | -5.3°C | 18.4°C | -18.6°C | 101 mm | 85% | 1.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1984 | 5.6°C | 0.9°C | -3.8°C | 14.9°C | -15.0°C | 87 mm | 88% | 1.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1983 | 7.5°C | 3.1°C | -1.4°C | 13.9°C | -5.5°C | 69 mm | 88% | 1.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 7.6°C | 1.8°C | -4.1°C | 19.2°C | -20.1°C | 239 mm | 85% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 6.8°C | 1.4°C | -4.0°C | 16.2°C | -13.6°C | 43 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 8.9°C with lows near -1.1°C (mean 3.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 128 mm of rainfall in Madison, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 239 mm in 2013.
The hottest January reached 23.9°C in 2022. The coldest dipped to -20.1°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 2.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 6.3°C to 9.5°C and overnight lows from -3.7°C to -1.1°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Madison and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 8.9°C daytime highs and -1.1°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Madison, averaging 3.9°C.
For January in Madison, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 8.9°C and lows of -1.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 85% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1.4 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 1.7 m/s (1982).
The wettest January on record was 2013 with 239 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 Madison 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.
