January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fayetteville, with average highs near 6.6°C and lows around -3.5°C (mean 1.5°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 64 mm of rainfall and 83% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fayetteville. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Fayetteville was 2006 — when the month averaged 6.8°C — while the coldest was 1985 at -3.9°C. Typical January days reach 6.6°C with nights near -3.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Fayetteville, averaging 64 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1998 with 158 mm, while the driest was 1986 at 3 mm.
Relative humidity in Fayetteville during January averages 83%. The most humid January was 2007 at 92%, and the least humid was 2006 at 66%.
January receives about 2.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Fayetteville. The sunniest Januarys were 1990, 2012 and 2014, among others at 2.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 2.
Average wind speed in Fayetteville during January is 1 m/s. The windiest January was 1996 at 1.2 m/s, while the calmest were 1991, 1993 and 2011, among others at 0.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 0.3°C | 1.7°C | 2.1°C | 1.8°C | 1.9°C | +1.6°C |
| Avg High | 5.3°C | 6.4°C | 7.3°C | 7.0°C | 7.1°C | +1.8°C |
| Avg Low | -4.6°C | -3.1°C | -3.1°C | -3.3°C | -3.2°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 49 mm | 81 mm | 68 mm | 50 mm | 78 mm | +29 mm |
January temperatures in Fayetteville have risen by about 2.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -23.4°C (1985) to a record high of 22.7°C (2013).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 64 mm, with a wettest year of 158 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.3°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Fayetteville
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of September and June tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Fayetteville. That said, January — with days averaging 6.6°C and nights around -3.5°C (mean 1.5°C) and moderate rainfall (64 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 | 5.2°C | 0.0°C | -5.2°C | 16.3°C | -14.7°C | 47 mm | 81% | 0.9 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2024 | 4.9°C | -0.3°C | -5.5°C | 17.3°C | -18.9°C | 91 mm | 82% | 1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 9.9°C | 4.6°C | -0.6°C | 19.9°C | -7.4°C | 64 mm | 84% | 1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2022 | 6.8°C | 1.0°C | -4.8°C | 16.0°C | -12.7°C | 44 mm | 76% | 1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 7.0°C | 2.4°C | -2.2°C | 15.8°C | -6.4°C | 78 mm | 85% | 0.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2020 | 8.5°C | 3.8°C | -0.9°C | 19.3°C | -7.5°C | 142 mm | 88% | 1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2019 | 5.9°C | 1.4°C | -3.1°C | 16.8°C | -9.2°C | 105 mm | 87% | 1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2018 | 6.1°C | 0.5°C | -5.1°C | 19.0°C | -16.8°C | 50 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2017 | 10.6°C | 5.1°C | -0.4°C | 20.9°C | -13.4°C | 60 mm | 78% | 1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2016 | 6.0°C | 1.4°C | -3.2°C | 16.6°C | -10.1°C | 19 mm | 88% | 1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2015 | 6.9°C | 1.7°C | -3.5°C | 17.7°C | -15.8°C | 36 mm | 79% | 0.9 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2014 | 4.7°C | -0.6°C | -6.0°C | 15.0°C | -17.4°C | 26 mm | 75% | 1.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2013 | 9.1°C | 3.6°C | -1.9°C | 22.7°C | -9.7°C | 72 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2012 | 10.1°C | 4.4°C | -1.2°C | 16.5°C | -7.0°C | 62 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2011 | 5.8°C | 0.7°C | -4.4°C | 19.3°C | -14.3°C | 9 mm | 77% | 0.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2010 | 4.5°C | 0.1°C | -4.4°C | 15.7°C | -14.6°C | 61 mm | 88% | 0.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2009 | 6.2°C | 0.5°C | -5.2°C | 20.4°C | -17.4°C | 52 mm | 77% | 1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2008 | 6.7°C | 1.5°C | -3.8°C | 19.3°C | -11.8°C | 45 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2007 | 2.8°C | -1.6°C | -5.9°C | 12.8°C | -18.4°C | 117 mm | 92% | 0.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2006 🔥 | 13.3°C | 6.8°C | 0.3°C | 20.3°C | -4.4°C | 45 mm | 66% | 1.1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2005 | 8.8°C | 4.1°C | -0.5°C | 19.1°C | -10.9°C | 154 mm | 89% | 0.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2004 | 7.7°C | 2.8°C | -2.2°C | 20.8°C | -10.9°C | 71 mm | 82% | 1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2003 | 5.9°C | 0.5°C | -4.9°C | 15.6°C | -13.1°C | 7 mm | 79% | 1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 8.1°C | 2.8°C | -2.5°C | 20.0°C | -12.2°C | 83 mm | 83% | 0.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2001 | 5.7°C | 0.6°C | -4.5°C | 11.7°C | -15.3°C | 64 mm | 86% | 0.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2000 | 8.2°C | 3.2°C | -1.9°C | 19.6°C | -8.6°C | 44 mm | 80% | 0.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1999 | 8.0°C | 3.1°C | -1.9°C | 19.0°C | -16.1°C | 64 mm | 87% | 1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1998 🌧️ | 8.6°C | 4.2°C | -0.2°C | 17.9°C | -5.4°C | 158 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1997 | 4.9°C | 0.1°C | -4.7°C | 19.7°C | -16.0°C | 18 mm | 84% | 1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1996 | 6.1°C | 0.5°C | -5.1°C | 16.6°C | -17.4°C | 69 mm | 80% | 1.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1995 | 6.0°C | 1.4°C | -3.3°C | 15.8°C | -11.6°C | 103 mm | 89% | 1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1994 | 4.0°C | -0.3°C | -4.6°C | 17.5°C | -15.5°C | 46 mm | 85% | 1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1993 | 5.5°C | 1.3°C | -2.9°C | 12.3°C | -7.6°C | 83 mm | 89% | 0.8 m/s | 2 |
| 1992 | 6.3°C | 1.8°C | -2.8°C | 12.6°C | -12.9°C | 58 mm | 90% | 0.9 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1991 | 3.8°C | -0.4°C | -4.5°C | 8.1°C | -9.9°C | 69 mm | 89% | 0.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1990 | 10.8°C | 5.0°C | -0.8°C | 18.4°C | -6.2°C | 145 mm | 73% | 1.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1989 | 9.9°C | 4.5°C | -0.9°C | 16.7°C | -6.5°C | 78 mm | 82% | 0.9 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 3.5°C | -1.0°C | -5.5°C | 17.0°C | -14.7°C | 34 mm | 89% | 1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1987 | 4.8°C | 0.7°C | -3.4°C | 11.9°C | -9.5°C | 72 mm | 90% | 0.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1986 | 7.5°C | 2.1°C | -3.4°C | 16.3°C | -12.2°C | 3 mm | 84% | 0.9 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1985 ❄️ | 0.8°C | -3.9°C | -8.6°C | 6.4°C | -23.4°C | 37 mm | 88% | 1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1984 | 3.9°C | -1.1°C | -6.0°C | 14.1°C | -18.1°C | 17 mm | 86% | 0.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1983 | 5.5°C | 1.2°C | -3.0°C | 13.4°C | -6.9°C | 48 mm | 87% | 0.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 3.8°C | -1.6°C | -7.1°C | 17.9°C | -20.7°C | 124 mm | 79% | 1.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 7.6°C | 1.9°C | -3.8°C | 15.6°C | -10.6°C | 27 mm | 73% | 0.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 6.6°C with lows near -3.5°C (mean 1.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 64 mm of rainfall in Fayetteville, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 158 mm in 1998.
The hottest January reached 22.7°C in 2013. The coldest dipped to -23.4°C in 1985.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 2.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 4.3°C to 6.8°C and overnight lows from -5.7°C to -3.7°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fayetteville and one of the drier months, so plan for around 6.6°C daytime highs and -3.5°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Fayetteville, averaging 1.5°C.
For January in Fayetteville, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.6°C and lows of -3.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 83% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 1.2 m/s (1996).
The wettest January on record was 1998 with 158 mm. On average, January sees 64 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 Fayetteville 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.
