Springfield Weather in January (1981–2025)

📍 39.79°N, 89.65°W •
📊

January at a Glance in Springfield

(1981–2025)
Avg High
🔥
0.8°C
Avg Low
❄️
-8.3°C
Avg Temp
🌡️
-3.8°C
Avg Rain
🌧️
51 mm
Avg Humidity
💧
85%
Avg Wind
🌬️
3.7 m/s
Avg Solar
☀️
1.9
kWh/m²/day
vs Annual
📈
-15.2°C
temp difference
❄️Freezing afternoons🥶Freezing mornings☁️Cloudier skies🌦️Some rain💨Breezy💦Humid air

Springfield January Weather Overview

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Springfield, with average highs near 0.8°C and lows around -8.3°C (mean -3.8°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 51 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.

Springfield January Temperature History (1981–2025)

Range

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Springfield. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Springfield was 2006 — when the month averaged 2.8°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -11.5°C. Typical January days reach 0.8°C with nights near -8.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.6°C per decade.

1981–1985 vs 2021–2025

Avg Temp-6.9°C→-3.1°C+3.8°C
Max Temp-2.0°C→1.2°C+3.2°C
Min Temp-11.9°C→-7.5°C+4.4°C

Trend (per decade)

Avg Temp+0.6°C/decade ↗
Max Temp+0.5°C/decade ↗
Min Temp+0.7°C/decade ↗

Distribution of Avg Temp

-12.0°C–-8.2°C2 yr (4%)
-8.2°C–-4.5°C16 yr (36%)
-4.5°C–-0.7°C19 yr (42%)
-0.7°C–3.0°C8 yr (18%)

Springfield January Rainfall History (1981–2025)

Range

January is one of the drier months in Springfield, averaging 51 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2005 with 154 mm, while the driest was 1986 at 2 mm.

Springfield January Humidity History (1981–2025)

Range

Relative humidity in Springfield during January averages 85%. The most humid January was 1991 at 94%, and the least humid was 2003 at 75%.

Springfield January Solar History (1981–2025)

Range

January receives about 1.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Springfield. The sunniest Januarys were 1991, 2022 and 2025 at 2.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2024 at 1.4.

Springfield January Wind History (1981–2025)

Range

Average wind speed in Springfield during January is 3.7 m/s. The windiest January was 2014 at 4.8 m/s, while the calmest was 1998 at 3 m/s.

What January Feels Like in Springfield

🌅
Freezing
Morning
🌞
Freezing
Afternoon
🌆
Freezing
Evening
Rain chanceModerate
Outdoor comfort★★★☆☆

How January Ranks in Springfield

🥶1st coolest month of the year
🌵2nd driest month of the year
☀️11th sunniest month of the year

Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.

Explore Springfield Weather by Month

Springfield January Averages by Decade

Metric1980s1990s2000s2010s2020sChange
Avg Temp-5.4°C-4.0°C-2.7°C-3.6°C-2.7°C+2.7°C
Avg High-0.5°C0.6°C1.8°C0.8°C1.6°C+2.1°C
Avg Low-10.2°C-8.5°C-7.1°C-8.0°C-7.1°C+3.1°C
Avg Rain33 mm62 mm60 mm41 mm62 mm+29 mm

Extreme January Records in Springfield

🔥Warmest January20.4°C1997
🧊Coldest January-35.6°C1982
🌧️Wettest January154 mm2005
🏜️Driest January2 mm1986
🌬️Windiest January4.8 m/s2014

Key Insights for January

✅

January temperatures in Springfield have risen by about 3.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.

✅

January has ranged from a record low of -35.6°C (1982) to a record high of 20.4°C (1997).

✅

Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 51 mm, with a wettest year of 154 mm.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Springfield?

A quieter season to visit Springfield

If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Springfield. That said, January — with days averaging 0.8°C and nights around -8.3°C (mean -3.8°C) and moderate rainfall (51 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.

See Springfield's complete weather history All 12 months side by side, 1981–2025 records, annual trends and long-term averages in one place. View full history →

Springfield Weather in January — In Depth

☀️ January climate overview

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Springfield, with average highs near 0.8°C and lows around -8.3°C (mean -3.8°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 51 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.

🌧️ Rain, humidity & wind in January

January averages 51 mm of rainfall in Springfield, one of the drier months compared with the rest of the year. The wettest January on record saw 154 mm (2005), and the driest just 2 mm (1986). Humidity sits around 85% and average wind speed is 3.7 m/s, with solar radiation averaging 1.9 kWh/m²/day.

📈 How January has changed

Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 3.8°C. Daytime highs moved from -2°C to 1.2°C and overnight lows from -11.9°C to -7.5°C over the same span.
January Weather in Springfield, Year by Year
🔥 warmest❄️ coldest🌧️ wettest
YearAvg HighAvg TempAvg LowHottest DayColdest DayRainfallHumidityWindSolar
2025-0.3°C-5.0°C-9.7°C8.8°C-21.8°C25 mm78%3.7 m/s2.3
2024-0.4°C-4.1°C-7.9°C7.5°C-26.9°C103 mm88%3.4 m/s1.4
20234.9°C0.8°C-3.3°C19.6°C-14.6°C48 mm85%3.5 m/s1.7
2022-0.2°C-5.5°C-10.9°C7.9°C-19.6°C15 mm80%3.9 m/s2.3
20212.1°C-1.9°C-5.8°C9.0°C-12.7°C69 mm86%3.3 m/s1.8
20203.4°C-0.7°C-4.8°C15.3°C-15.9°C113 mm87%3.4 m/s1.6
2019-0.2°C-4.8°C-9.4°C15.9°C-28.0°C75 mm87%3.8 m/s1.6
20181.3°C-3.9°C-9.0°C16.6°C-24.3°C23 mm77%4.1 m/s2.1
20173.4°C-0.5°C-4.3°C17.0°C-17.3°C38 mm81%3.8 m/s1.5
20161.1°C-3.3°C-7.7°C15.3°C-17.8°C21 mm87%3.8 m/s2.2
20150.8°C-3.7°C-8.2°C8.4°C-21.7°C35 mm84%3.4 m/s2
2014-1.8°C-7.0°C-12.2°C9.3°C-27.0°C47 mm79%4.8 m/s2.1
20132.9°C-2.0°C-6.9°C17.2°C-15.2°C74 mm79%4 m/s2.2
20124.3°C-0.2°C-4.6°C16.7°C-12.2°C37 mm80%4.1 m/s2.1
2011-1.5°C-5.2°C-8.9°C4.7°C-20.0°C26 mm84%3.2 m/s1.7
2010-2.3°C-5.7°C-9.1°C7.1°C-19.3°C38 mm91%3.4 m/s1.9
2009-1.3°C-5.9°C-10.6°C7.5°C-23.5°C16 mm84%3.7 m/s2.1
20082.5°C-2.6°C-7.6°C19.0°C-18.1°C91 mm80%4.6 m/s2.1
20072.5°C-1.8°C-6.0°C12.3°C-14.4°C69 mm85%4 m/s1.9
2006 🔥7.4°C2.8°C-1.7°C14.7°C-4.9°C56 mm84%4 m/s1.8
2005 🌧️1.1°C-3.3°C-7.8°C15.7°C-16.0°C154 mm89%3.4 m/s1.7
2004-0.5°C-5.2°C-9.8°C18.9°C-23.5°C44 mm82%3.8 m/s1.9
2003-0.7°C-5.0°C-9.2°C10.9°C-19.8°C19 mm75%3.7 m/s2
20024.9°C0.4°C-4.1°C14.7°C-14.1°C73 mm85%3.5 m/s2.2
20010.6°C-3.7°C-8.0°C5.4°C-18.3°C60 mm90%3.1 m/s2
20001.8°C-2.4°C-6.7°C14.7°C-15.3°C23 mm78%3.8 m/s2.1
19990.0°C-4.7°C-9.3°C14.8°C-30.3°C85 mm92%3.8 m/s2
19982.6°C-1.6°C-5.8°C15.3°C-18.3°C66 mm92%3 m/s1.7
1997-1.2°C-6.3°C-11.3°C20.4°C-25.7°C58 mm84%4 m/s1.8
19960.1°C-5.0°C-10.0°C15.6°C-22.7°C50 mm83%4.4 m/s1.6
1995-0.2°C-4.3°C-8.3°C5.7°C-15.7°C86 mm88%3.5 m/s1.9
1994-3.0°C-6.5°C-10.1°C7.8°C-25.1°C46 mm89%3.7 m/s2
19930.5°C-4.0°C-8.5°C10.1°C-17.6°C102 mm90%3.5 m/s2
19922.7°C-1.3°C-5.2°C7.4°C-18.5°C47 mm87%3.5 m/s1.7
1991-2.8°C-8.2°C-13.5°C0.9°C-25.2°C37 mm94%3.1 m/s2.3
19907.2°C1.9°C-3.5°C17.9°C-6.7°C43 mm76%4.1 m/s2.2
19895.5°C0.5°C-4.4°C18.0°C-12.5°C30 mm83%3.6 m/s2
1988-1.2°C-6.0°C-10.8°C14.8°C-23.9°C58 mm84%4.3 m/s1.8
1987-0.3°C-4.5°C-8.7°C8.2°C-25.6°C46 mm91%3.2 m/s1.7
19861.5°C-3.6°C-8.6°C13.9°C-22.1°C2 mm85%4.1 m/s2.1
1985-5.3°C-10.9°C-16.4°C1.2°C-33.0°C16 mm91%4.2 m/s2.2
1984-1.6°C-6.1°C-10.5°C7.6°C-25.6°C16 mm88%3.5 m/s2.2
19831.5°C-2.1°C-5.8°C6.9°C-12.6°C15 mm87%3.6 m/s—
1982 ❄️-5.5°C-11.5°C-17.5°C1.9°C-35.6°C107 mm93%4.2 m/s—
19810.9°C-4.1°C-9.1°C11.9°C-17.5°C11 mm77%3.4 m/s—

Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.

Other Cities in Illinois

Springfield January Weather — FAQ

What is the average temperature in Springfield in January?▼

The average high in January is around 0.8°C with lows near -8.3°C (mean -3.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.

Does it rain a lot in Springfield in January?▼

January averages 51 mm of rainfall in Springfield, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 154 mm in 2005.

What was the hottest January on record in Springfield?▼

The hottest January reached 20.4°C in 1997. The coldest dipped to -35.6°C in 1982.

Has January in Springfield gotten warmer over time?▼

Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 3.8°C. Daytime highs moved from -2°C to 1.2°C and overnight lows from -11.9°C to -7.5°C over the same span.

Is January a good time to visit Springfield?▼

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Springfield and one of the drier months, so plan for around 0.8°C daytime highs and -8.3°C at night.

Is January the coldest month in Springfield?▼

Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Springfield, averaging -3.8°C.

What should I pack for Springfield in January?▼

For January in Springfield, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 0.8°C and lows of -8.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.

Is Springfield humid in January?▼

Relative humidity in January averages 85% — quite humid.

How windy is Springfield in January?▼

Average wind speed in January is 3.7 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 4.8 m/s (2014).

Which January had the most rainfall in Springfield?▼

The wettest January on record was 2005 with 154 mm. On average, January sees 51 mm.

Where does this January weather data come from?▼

All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.

Other Illinois cities

Explore how the weather in Springfield 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.