January is one of the cooler months of the year in Bakersfield, with average highs near 15.1°C and lows around 3.2°C (mean 9.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 42 mm of rainfall and 62% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Bakersfield. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Bakersfield was 2003 — when the month averaged 13.3°C — while the coldest was 1982 at 6.5°C. Typical January days reach 15.1°C with nights near 3.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Bakersfield, averaging 42 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1995 with 130 mm, while the driest was 2022 at 1 mm.
Relative humidity in Bakersfield during January averages 62%. The most humid January was 1995 at 79%, and the least humid was 2014 at 37%.
January receives about 2.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Bakersfield. The sunniest January was 2025 at 3.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1995 at 2.1.
Average wind speed in Bakersfield during January is 1.8 m/s. The windiest January was 1995 at 2.6 m/s, while the calmest was 2015 at 1.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.7°C | 8.8°C | 9.0°C | 10.1°C | 9.2°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg High | 15.0°C | 14.5°C | 15.0°C | 16.1°C | 15.0°C | 0°C |
| Avg Low | 2.5°C | 3.0°C | 3.1°C | 4.1°C | 3.5°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 37 mm | 60 mm | 35 mm | 43 mm | 32 mm | -5 mm |
January temperatures in Bakersfield have risen by about 0.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -5.7°C (1987) to a record high of 28.6°C (2003).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 42 mm, with a wettest year of 130 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0.4°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Bakersfield
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Bakersfield. That said, January — with days averaging 15.1°C and nights around 3.2°C (mean 9.2°C) and moderate rainfall (42 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 | 16.3°C | 9.4°C | 2.5°C | 23.1°C | -0.6°C | 8 mm | 53% | 1.6 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2024 | 14.5°C | 9.3°C | 4.1°C | 24.8°C | -1.6°C | 40 mm | 74% | 1.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2023 | 12.0°C | 7.4°C | 2.8°C | 17.2°C | -2.8°C | 97 mm | 76% | 1.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2022 | 16.5°C | 10.1°C | 3.7°C | 23.2°C | -0.3°C | 1 mm | 59% | 1.6 m/s | 3 |
| 2021 | 16.0°C | 10.1°C | 4.1°C | 27.3°C | -0.5°C | 38 mm | 57% | 2 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2020 | 14.4°C | 8.9°C | 3.5°C | 22.7°C | -0.1°C | 10 mm | 73% | 1.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2019 | 15.9°C | 10.2°C | 4.5°C | 22.6°C | -3.6°C | 58 mm | 63% | 2.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2018 | 18.6°C | 12.4°C | 6.1°C | 26.2°C | 0.1°C | 33 mm | 57% | 1.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2017 | 12.2°C | 7.2°C | 2.3°C | 20.9°C | -2.9°C | 116 mm | 75% | 1.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2016 | 13.5°C | 8.6°C | 3.8°C | 19.7°C | -0.9°C | 72 mm | 70% | 2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2015 | 18.2°C | 12.0°C | 5.8°C | 25.6°C | -3.2°C | 13 mm | 57% | 1.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2014 | 20.1°C | 13.2°C | 6.3°C | 26.8°C | 0.5°C | 5 mm | 37% | 1.8 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 14.6°C | 8.0°C | 1.4°C | 22.5°C | -5.1°C | 20 mm | 57% | 2 m/s | 3 |
| 2012 | 17.8°C | 11.1°C | 4.4°C | 27.1°C | -2.2°C | 24 mm | 42% | 1.7 m/s | 3 |
| 2011 | 14.4°C | 8.6°C | 2.9°C | 22.0°C | -2.4°C | 14 mm | 65% | 1.7 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2010 | 15.3°C | 9.6°C | 3.9°C | 21.6°C | -0.8°C | 75 mm | 63% | 1.8 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2009 | 18.1°C | 11.1°C | 4.1°C | 25.3°C | -2.9°C | 13 mm | 53% | 1.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2008 | 11.9°C | 6.9°C | 1.9°C | 19.9°C | -1.7°C | 72 mm | 67% | 2.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2007 | 14.1°C | 7.4°C | 0.6°C | 23.9°C | -5.3°C | 12 mm | 50% | 1.6 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2006 | 13.7°C | 8.3°C | 2.9°C | 21.2°C | -1.9°C | 52 mm | 69% | 2.1 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2005 | 14.6°C | 9.4°C | 4.3°C | 23.2°C | 0.1°C | 73 mm | 73% | 1.7 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2004 | 14.4°C | 8.6°C | 2.7°C | 22.1°C | -2.2°C | 18 mm | 63% | 1.7 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2003 🔥 | 20.4°C | 13.3°C | 6.2°C | 28.6°C | -0.1°C | 1 mm | 59% | 1.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2002 | 13.7°C | 7.5°C | 1.3°C | 22.6°C | -5.1°C | 18 mm | 60% | 1.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2001 | 13.9°C | 8.2°C | 2.4°C | 24.3°C | -3.6°C | 55 mm | 56% | 1.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2000 | 14.8°C | 9.6°C | 4.5°C | 22.7°C | -1.8°C | 32 mm | 67% | 1.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1999 | 15.8°C | 9.6°C | 3.3°C | 23.9°C | -2.3°C | 87 mm | 59% | 1.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1998 | 13.7°C | 8.8°C | 3.9°C | 21.6°C | -1.8°C | 50 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1997 | 13.5°C | 8.5°C | 3.6°C | 20.1°C | -3.4°C | 75 mm | 77% | 1.8 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1996 | 15.2°C | 9.3°C | 3.4°C | 24.7°C | -3.3°C | 41 mm | 66% | 1.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1995 🌧️ | 12.2°C | 8.1°C | 4.0°C | 21.1°C | -0.9°C | 130 mm | 79% | 2.6 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1994 | 17.5°C | 10.5°C | 3.4°C | 25.6°C | -2.3°C | 26 mm | 49% | 1.7 m/s | 3 |
| 1993 | 11.8°C | 7.2°C | 2.6°C | 19.9°C | -4.3°C | 92 mm | 74% | 2.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1992 | 15.9°C | 9.1°C | 2.3°C | 22.8°C | -2.4°C | 43 mm | 55% | 2.1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1991 | 15.0°C | 8.4°C | 1.8°C | 19.3°C | -2.2°C | 16 mm | 57% | 1.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1990 | 14.7°C | 8.3°C | 1.9°C | 25.1°C | -3.2°C | 37 mm | 61% | 1.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1989 | 14.2°C | 7.3°C | 0.4°C | 23.4°C | -4.8°C | 11 mm | 59% | 1.7 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1988 | 13.4°C | 7.9°C | 2.4°C | 20.9°C | -2.8°C | 39 mm | 63% | 2.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1987 | 13.1°C | 6.9°C | 0.7°C | 23.1°C | -5.7°C | 50 mm | 60% | 1.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1986 | 17.9°C | 11.7°C | 5.4°C | 24.7°C | 2.5°C | 34 mm | 62% | 2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1985 | 14.2°C | 7.9°C | 1.5°C | 20.7°C | -3.9°C | 19 mm | 61% | 1.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1984 | 17.0°C | 9.9°C | 2.9°C | 24.5°C | -2.1°C | 4 mm | 58% | 1.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1983 | 15.7°C | 9.6°C | 3.4°C | 23.9°C | -2.4°C | 85 mm | 65% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | 12.4°C | 6.5°C | 0.6°C | 22.9°C | -4.3°C | 49 mm | 65% | 2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 17.3°C | 11.0°C | 4.8°C | 22.4°C | -1.7°C | 46 mm | 52% | 1.9 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 15.1°C with lows near 3.2°C (mean 9.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 42 mm of rainfall in Bakersfield, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 130 mm in 1995.
The hottest January reached 28.6°C in 2003. The coldest dipped to -5.7°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.3°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 2.6°C to 3.4°C while daytime highs eased from 15.3°C to 15.1°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Bakersfield and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 15.1°C daytime highs and 3.2°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in Bakersfield, averaging 9.2°C.
For January in Bakersfield, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 15.1°C and lows of 3.2°C.
Relative humidity in January averages 62% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1.8 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 2.6 m/s (1995).
The wettest January on record was 1995 with 130 mm. On average, January sees 42 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 Bakersfield 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.
