January is one of the cooler months of the year in Normal, with average highs near -0.1°C and lows around -9.1°C (mean -4.6°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 50 mm of rainfall and 86% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Normal. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Normal was 2006 — when the month averaged 2.2°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -12.7°C. Typical January days reach -0.1°C with nights near -9.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.6°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Normal, averaging 50 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2005 with 134 mm, while the driest was 1986 at 3 mm.
Relative humidity in Normal during January averages 86%. The most humid January was 1982 at 94%, and the least humid was 2003 at 75%.
January receives about 1.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Normal. The sunniest January was 1985 at 2.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2023 at 1.3.
Average wind speed in Normal during January is 3.9 m/s. The windiest January was 2014 at 5.1 m/s, while the calmest was 1998 at 3.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -6.4°C | -4.7°C | -3.5°C | -4.5°C | -3.5°C | +2.9°C |
| Avg High | -1.5°C | -0.3°C | 0.9°C | -0.1°C | 0.7°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Low | -11.3°C | -9.2°C | -7.9°C | -8.9°C | -7.6°C | +3.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 31 mm | 61 mm | 58 mm | 44 mm | 59 mm | +28 mm |
January temperatures in Normal have risen by about 4.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -36.8°C (1982) to a record high of 19.9°C (1997).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 50 mm, with a wettest year of 134 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.8°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Normal
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and June tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Normal. That said, January — with days averaging -0.1°C and nights around -9.1°C (mean -4.6°C) and moderate rainfall (50 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 | -1.2°C | -5.8°C | -10.4°C | 7.8°C | -22.8°C | 27 mm | 78% | 4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2024 | -1.6°C | -5.0°C | -8.4°C | 6.6°C | -29.3°C | 113 mm | 92% | 3.5 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2023 | 3.8°C | -0.1°C | -4.0°C | 18.2°C | -15.1°C | 47 mm | 86% | 3.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2022 | -1.1°C | -6.3°C | -11.5°C | 6.5°C | -20.1°C | 12 mm | 83% | 4.1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2021 | 1.5°C | -2.5°C | -6.4°C | 7.6°C | -13.7°C | 56 mm | 87% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2020 | 2.8°C | -1.2°C | -5.1°C | 13.6°C | -16.4°C | 101 mm | 87% | 3.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2019 | -1.1°C | -5.6°C | -10.2°C | 14.2°C | -30.9°C | 61 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 2 |
| 2018 | 0.2°C | -4.7°C | -9.6°C | 15.6°C | -25.2°C | 25 mm | 81% | 4.3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2017 | 2.3°C | -1.5°C | -5.2°C | 15.7°C | -19.1°C | 66 mm | 84% | 3.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2016 | 0.2°C | -4.2°C | -8.5°C | 12.5°C | -18.7°C | 21 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 2 |
| 2015 | -0.3°C | -4.8°C | -9.2°C | 6.9°C | -24.3°C | 42 mm | 86% | 3.6 m/s | 2 |
| 2014 | -3.1°C | -8.2°C | -13.3°C | 8.6°C | -27.1°C | 49 mm | 82% | 5.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2013 | 1.9°C | -2.8°C | -7.6°C | 16.4°C | -19.0°C | 80 mm | 80% | 4.3 m/s | 2 |
| 2012 | 3.5°C | -0.8°C | -5.2°C | 14.9°C | -13.7°C | 33 mm | 82% | 4.3 m/s | 2 |
| 2011 | -2.0°C | -5.9°C | -9.7°C | 3.6°C | -21.2°C | 24 mm | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2010 | -2.9°C | -6.6°C | -10.3°C | 6.3°C | -22.7°C | 36 mm | 92% | 3.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2009 | -2.4°C | -7.0°C | -11.7°C | 5.6°C | -25.1°C | 16 mm | 86% | 3.9 m/s | 2 |
| 2008 | 1.3°C | -3.6°C | -8.5°C | 18.2°C | -19.7°C | 92 mm | 83% | 4.8 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2007 | 1.7°C | -2.7°C | -7.0°C | 12.5°C | -15.4°C | 65 mm | 87% | 4.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2006 🔥 | 6.5°C | 2.2°C | -2.1°C | 15.3°C | -5.2°C | 68 mm | 85% | 4.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2005 🌧️ | 0.3°C | -4.2°C | -8.7°C | 14.3°C | -17.3°C | 134 mm | 89% | 3.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2004 | -1.4°C | -6.0°C | -10.6°C | 17.0°C | -20.9°C | 30 mm | 82% | 4.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2003 | -1.7°C | -5.7°C | -9.8°C | 9.8°C | -20.3°C | 18 mm | 75% | 4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2002 | 4.3°C | -0.1°C | -4.4°C | 14.0°C | -15.6°C | 69 mm | 85% | 3.8 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2001 | 0.0°C | -4.3°C | -8.6°C | 4.5°C | -17.7°C | 62 mm | 91% | 3.3 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2000 | 0.6°C | -3.7°C | -8.0°C | 14.5°C | -18.5°C | 28 mm | 81% | 4 m/s | 2 |
| 1999 | -1.0°C | -5.6°C | -10.3°C | 13.0°C | -29.5°C | 92 mm | 93% | 4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1998 | 2.1°C | -2.1°C | -6.3°C | 13.7°C | -19.6°C | 71 mm | 92% | 3.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1997 | -1.9°C | -6.8°C | -11.7°C | 19.9°C | -25.8°C | 52 mm | 85% | 4.3 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1996 | -0.6°C | -5.5°C | -10.4°C | 14.6°C | -23.5°C | 41 mm | 84% | 4.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1995 | -1.0°C | -4.8°C | -8.6°C | 5.2°C | -16.8°C | 82 mm | 88% | 3.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1994 | -4.3°C | -7.8°C | -11.4°C | 4.7°C | -26.9°C | 45 mm | 90% | 4 m/s | 2 |
| 1993 | -0.1°C | -4.8°C | -9.4°C | 9.1°C | -20.7°C | 97 mm | 91% | 3.8 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1992 | 1.6°C | -2.2°C | -6.0°C | 6.3°C | -20.4°C | 47 mm | 88% | 3.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1991 | -3.5°C | -8.6°C | -13.8°C | 0.9°C | -24.4°C | 33 mm | 94% | 3.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1990 | 6.0°C | 0.9°C | -4.1°C | 14.9°C | -11.2°C | 48 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1989 | 4.6°C | -0.4°C | -5.4°C | 17.0°C | -16.0°C | 26 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1988 | -2.5°C | -7.5°C | -12.5°C | 13.7°C | -28.7°C | 53 mm | 87% | 4.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1987 | -0.8°C | -4.8°C | -8.8°C | 7.0°C | -25.0°C | 41 mm | 91% | 3.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1986 | 0.3°C | -4.6°C | -9.5°C | 12.5°C | -25.0°C | 3 mm | 86% | 4.3 m/s | 2 |
| 1985 | -6.3°C | -12.0°C | -17.8°C | 0.6°C | -34.5°C | 20 mm | 94% | 4.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1984 | -3.3°C | -7.9°C | -12.4°C | 6.1°C | -29.5°C | 19 mm | 91% | 3.7 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 0.9°C | -2.9°C | -6.6°C | 5.6°C | -13.9°C | 16 mm | 87% | 3.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ | -6.4°C | -12.7°C | -19.0°C | 1.5°C | -36.8°C | 91 mm | 94% | 4.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -0.4°C | -5.2°C | -10.1°C | 10.4°C | -19.6°C | 11 mm | 80% | 3.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around -0.1°C with lows near -9.1°C (mean -4.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 50 mm of rainfall in Normal, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 134 mm in 2005.
The hottest January reached 19.9°C in 1997. The coldest dipped to -36.8°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 4.2°C. Daytime highs moved from -3.1°C to 0.3°C and overnight lows from -13.2°C to -8.1°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Normal and one of the drier months, so plan for around -0.1°C daytime highs and -9.1°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Normal, averaging -4.6°C.
For January in Normal, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -0.1°C and lows of -9.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 86% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3.9 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 5.1 m/s (2014).
The wettest January on record was 2005 with 134 mm. On average, January sees 50 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 Normal 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.
