January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort Collins, with average highs near 5°C and lows around -5.9°C (mean -0.5°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 21 mm of rainfall and 58% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort Collins. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Fort Collins was 2003 — when the month averaged 3.1°C — while the coldest was 1988 at -5.2°C. Typical January days reach 5°C with nights near -5.9°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is one of the drier months in Fort Collins, averaging 21 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1996 with 48 mm, while the driest was 1983 at 6 mm.
Relative humidity in Fort Collins during January averages 58%. The most humid January was 1988 at 68%, and the least humid was 1981 at 48%.
January receives about 2.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Fort Collins. The sunniest January was 2016 at 2.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1996 at 2.1.
Average wind speed in Fort Collins during January is 3.3 m/s. The windiest January was 2009 at 4.6 m/s, while the calmest was 1981 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -0.9°C | -0.7°C | 0.1°C | 0.0°C | -1.0°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg High | 4.7°C | 4.7°C | 5.6°C | 5.6°C | 4.4°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Low | -6.4°C | -6.1°C | -5.4°C | -5.6°C | -6.4°C | 0°C |
| Avg Rain | 17 mm | 27 mm | 21 mm | 19 mm | 19 mm | +3 mm |
January temperatures in Fort Collins have fallen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -23.9°C (2017) to a record high of 20.1°C (2015).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 21 mm, with a wettest year of 48 mm.
A quieter season to visit Fort Collins
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Fort Collins. That said, January — with days averaging 5°C and nights around -5.9°C (mean -0.5°C) and low rainfall (21 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 | 2.6°C | -3.1°C | -8.7°C | 13.1°C | -17.9°C | 25 mm | 57% | 3.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2024 | 4.2°C | -1.2°C | -6.5°C | 16.2°C | -22.4°C | 16 mm | 60% | 2.7 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 2.5°C | -2.3°C | -7.1°C | 11.7°C | -19.8°C | 29 mm | 67% | 2.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 5.6°C | -0.3°C | -6.3°C | 14.4°C | -16.1°C | 26 mm | 58% | 3.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2021 | 5.6°C | 0.3°C | -5.0°C | 12.6°C | -11.0°C | 10 mm | 56% | 3.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 5.7°C | 0.5°C | -4.6°C | 10.6°C | -11.8°C | 10 mm | 54% | 3.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2019 | 5.8°C | 0.5°C | -4.8°C | 13.0°C | -16.3°C | 21 mm | 57% | 3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2018 | 6.9°C | 1.2°C | -4.5°C | 14.0°C | -12.5°C | 16 mm | 55% | 2.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2017 | 3.5°C | -2.0°C | -7.5°C | 12.0°C | -23.9°C | 40 mm | 62% | 2.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2016 | 5.5°C | 0.2°C | -5.2°C | 13.9°C | -13.7°C | 16 mm | 58% | 2.9 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2015 | 6.5°C | 0.7°C | -5.1°C | 20.1°C | -16.3°C | 11 mm | 64% | 3.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2014 | 4.4°C | -1.0°C | -6.5°C | 11.6°C | -17.8°C | 32 mm | 59% | 4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2013 | 5.7°C | -0.1°C | -6.0°C | 14.7°C | -17.5°C | 12 mm | 49% | 3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2012 | 7.4°C | 1.8°C | -3.8°C | 16.3°C | -11.4°C | 10 mm | 49% | 3.7 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2011 | 4.2°C | -1.2°C | -6.6°C | 14.3°C | -18.0°C | 20 mm | 59% | 3.9 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2010 | 5.8°C | 0.1°C | -5.7°C | 13.4°C | -18.4°C | 9 mm | 58% | 2.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2009 | 6.0°C | 0.6°C | -4.9°C | 16.5°C | -15.3°C | 23 mm | 53% | 4.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2008 | 2.5°C | -3.0°C | -8.6°C | 11.9°C | -17.2°C | 25 mm | 57% | 3.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2007 | 2.3°C | -3.3°C | -8.8°C | 11.8°C | -18.2°C | 18 mm | 61% | 3.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2006 | 7.3°C | 1.8°C | -3.7°C | 15.9°C | -8.2°C | 13 mm | 50% | 4.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2005 | 7.2°C | 1.3°C | -4.5°C | 18.9°C | -15.7°C | 46 mm | 67% | 2.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2004 | 6.1°C | 0.8°C | -4.4°C | 14.0°C | -16.7°C | 16 mm | 53% | 2.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2003 🔥 | 9.0°C | 3.1°C | -2.7°C | 18.4°C | -6.4°C | 7 mm | 57% | 3.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2002 | 5.1°C | -0.6°C | -6.2°C | 13.5°C | -12.8°C | 17 mm | 52% | 3.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2001 | 5.0°C | -0.2°C | -5.4°C | 14.2°C | -11.8°C | 14 mm | 56% | 3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2000 | 5.6°C | 0.6°C | -4.4°C | 12.6°C | -10.5°C | 29 mm | 57% | 3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1999 | 5.3°C | 0.5°C | -4.4°C | 11.3°C | -14.4°C | 38 mm | 62% | 3.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1998 | 5.8°C | 0.6°C | -4.5°C | 13.5°C | -9.7°C | 22 mm | 61% | 2.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1997 | 3.0°C | -2.2°C | -7.3°C | 17.9°C | -23.3°C | 38 mm | 65% | 3.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 2.9°C | -3.0°C | -8.9°C | 14.3°C | -18.2°C | 48 mm | 61% | 3.7 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1995 | 5.8°C | 0.4°C | -5.0°C | 13.1°C | -14.0°C | 17 mm | 57% | 2.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1994 | 5.2°C | 0.0°C | -5.2°C | 14.1°C | -16.9°C | 21 mm | 56% | 3.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1993 | 3.6°C | -1.9°C | -7.4°C | 13.2°C | -16.3°C | 20 mm | 65% | 2.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1992 | 6.1°C | 0.4°C | -5.3°C | 17.3°C | -18.1°C | 23 mm | 53% | 3.9 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1991 | 3.1°C | -2.5°C | -8.2°C | 9.4°C | -17.1°C | 21 mm | 59% | 3.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1990 | 6.0°C | 0.6°C | -4.8°C | 15.5°C | -12.0°C | 21 mm | 55% | 4.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1989 | 4.9°C | -0.7°C | -6.3°C | 12.1°C | -14.5°C | 23 mm | 54% | 4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1988 ❄️ | 0.4°C | -5.2°C | -10.7°C | 10.2°C | -20.3°C | 30 mm | 68% | 3.8 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1987 | 4.8°C | -0.6°C | -5.9°C | 14.7°C | -15.0°C | 18 mm | 57% | 3.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1986 | 8.9°C | 2.9°C | -3.1°C | 15.3°C | -10.8°C | 9 mm | 54% | 3.9 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1985 | 2.2°C | -3.1°C | -8.3°C | 9.2°C | -20.4°C | 16 mm | 60% | 3.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1984 | 3.9°C | -1.8°C | -7.5°C | 15.2°C | -23.1°C | 10 mm | 60% | 4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1983 | 6.3°C | 1.3°C | -3.7°C | 12.5°C | -7.3°C | 6 mm | 58% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 2.8°C | -2.9°C | -8.6°C | 12.9°C | -20.7°C | 27 mm | 60% | 3.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 7.8°C | 2.2°C | -3.5°C | 16.1°C | -9.2°C | 10 mm | 48% | 2.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 5°C with lows near -5.9°C (mean -0.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 21 mm of rainfall in Fort Collins, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 48 mm in 1996.
The hottest January reached 20.1°C in 2015. The coldest dipped to -23.9°C in 2017.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have fallen by about 0.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 4.6°C to 4.1°C and overnight lows from -6.3°C to -6.7°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Fort Collins and one of the drier months, so plan for around 5°C daytime highs and -5.9°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Fort Collins, averaging -0.5°C.
For January in Fort Collins, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 5°C and lows of -5.9°C.
Relative humidity in January averages 58% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3.3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 4.6 m/s (2009).
The wettest January on record was 1996 with 48 mm. On average, January sees 21 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 Fort Collins 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.
