January is one of the cooler months of the year in Great Falls, with average highs near 0.1°C and lows around -8.7°C (mean -4.3°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 23 mm of rainfall and 80% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Great Falls. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Great Falls was 2006 — when the month averaged 0.6°C — while the coldest was 1982 at -10.7°C. Typical January days reach 0.1°C with nights near -8.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Great Falls, averaging 23 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1982 with 39 mm, while the driest was 1987 at 7 mm.
Relative humidity in Great Falls during January averages 80%. The most humid January was 1993 at 92%, and the least humid was 2012 at 70%.
January receives about 1.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Great Falls. The sunniest Januarys were 2001, 2017 and 2018, among others at 1.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1984 at 1.2.
Average wind speed in Great Falls during January is 3.5 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 1990, 1992 and 2006, among others at 4.3 m/s, while the calmest was 1981 at 2.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -4.4°C | -5.4°C | -3.8°C | -4.3°C | -3.3°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg High | 0.1°C | -1.1°C | 0.7°C | 0.1°C | 1.0°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Low | -9.0°C | -9.8°C | -8.2°C | -8.6°C | -7.6°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 19 mm | 24 mm | 18 mm | 30 mm | 23 mm | +4 mm |
January temperatures in Great Falls have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -34.2°C (2004) to a record high of 15.3°C (2024).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 23 mm, with a wettest year of 39 mm.
A quieter season to visit Great Falls
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Great Falls. That said, January — with days averaging 0.1°C and nights around -8.7°C (mean -4.3°C) and low rainfall (23 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 | -1.5°C | -5.8°C | -10.0°C | 4.5°C | -24.7°C | 32 mm | 84% | 3.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2024 | -0.5°C | -5.2°C | -10.0°C | 15.3°C | -34.1°C | 21 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2023 | 1.3°C | -2.7°C | -6.7°C | 7.5°C | -22.4°C | 31 mm | 78% | 3.2 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2022 | 1.5°C | -3.1°C | -7.6°C | 6.7°C | -25.3°C | 22 mm | 73% | 4 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2021 | 3.4°C | -0.8°C | -5.0°C | 8.2°C | -12.1°C | 14 mm | 73% | 3.5 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2020 | 2.0°C | -2.2°C | -6.4°C | 8.8°C | -21.1°C | 20 mm | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2019 | 2.3°C | -2.3°C | -6.9°C | 7.2°C | -17.2°C | 38 mm | 79% | 3.4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2018 | 0.3°C | -3.6°C | -7.6°C | 5.5°C | -20.9°C | 20 mm | 84% | 3.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2017 | -4.2°C | -8.8°C | -13.4°C | 3.5°C | -26.9°C | 22 mm | 87% | 3 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2016 | 0.8°C | -3.1°C | -7.1°C | 8.0°C | -14.7°C | 22 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2015 | 1.0°C | -4.2°C | -9.3°C | 12.3°C | -26.2°C | 36 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2014 | 1.8°C | -2.9°C | -7.7°C | 7.3°C | -24.1°C | 37 mm | 74% | 3.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2013 | -0.5°C | -4.7°C | -8.8°C | 6.6°C | -19.7°C | 28 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2012 | 1.4°C | -2.9°C | -7.2°C | 7.9°C | -22.2°C | 25 mm | 70% | 4.2 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2011 | -0.9°C | -5.1°C | -9.2°C | 7.3°C | -24.8°C | 33 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2010 | -1.4°C | -5.4°C | -9.3°C | 4.9°C | -27.0°C | 36 mm | 88% | 3.1 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2009 | -0.4°C | -5.0°C | -9.5°C | 6.3°C | -23.6°C | 30 mm | 75% | 4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2008 | -1.1°C | -5.9°C | -10.6°C | 5.5°C | -26.7°C | 22 mm | 75% | 4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2007 | -0.2°C | -4.7°C | -9.2°C | 7.7°C | -22.8°C | 13 mm | 73% | 4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2006 🔥 | 4.3°C | 0.6°C | -3.2°C | 9.9°C | -7.0°C | 15 mm | 71% | 4.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2005 | -0.8°C | -5.3°C | -9.8°C | 12.6°C | -24.9°C | 14 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2004 | -2.4°C | -7.0°C | -11.6°C | 4.0°C | -34.2°C | 27 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2003 | 2.7°C | -1.8°C | -6.4°C | 9.6°C | -17.2°C | 16 mm | 76% | 3.2 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2002 | 1.3°C | -2.5°C | -6.3°C | 9.0°C | -15.9°C | 15 mm | 71% | 3.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2001 | 2.1°C | -2.6°C | -7.3°C | 9.0°C | -11.7°C | 14 mm | 78% | 3.3 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2000 | 1.0°C | -3.6°C | -8.3°C | 4.5°C | -13.7°C | 17 mm | 77% | 3.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1999 | 0.8°C | -3.6°C | -8.1°C | 5.8°C | -19.3°C | 26 mm | 77% | 3.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1998 | -0.6°C | -5.0°C | -9.5°C | 6.6°C | -26.4°C | 25 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1997 | -3.6°C | -8.0°C | -12.5°C | 6.8°C | -27.2°C | 26 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1996 | -5.0°C | -9.4°C | -13.8°C | 6.2°C | -32.2°C | 35 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1995 | 2.3°C | -2.1°C | -6.6°C | 7.9°C | -17.4°C | 11 mm | 78% | 2.8 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1994 | 0.8°C | -3.5°C | -7.8°C | 6.5°C | -20.1°C | 29 mm | 84% | 3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1993 | -5.1°C | -9.8°C | -14.5°C | 5.2°C | -25.9°C | 28 mm | 92% | 3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1992 | 2.3°C | -2.1°C | -6.4°C | 9.6°C | -16.6°C | 16 mm | 76% | 4.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1991 | -3.2°C | -7.7°C | -12.3°C | 5.0°C | -24.6°C | 24 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1990 | 0.7°C | -3.1°C | -6.9°C | 5.5°C | -21.6°C | 21 mm | 77% | 4.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1989 | -0.2°C | -4.7°C | -9.1°C | 8.0°C | -25.6°C | 32 mm | 80% | 4.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1988 | -1.3°C | -6.0°C | -10.8°C | 9.1°C | -20.4°C | 18 mm | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1987 | 1.1°C | -3.1°C | -7.4°C | 6.1°C | -19.0°C | 7 mm | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1986 | 2.7°C | -1.2°C | -5.2°C | 8.7°C | -14.9°C | 19 mm | 80% | 3.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1985 | -4.2°C | -9.5°C | -14.8°C | 1.4°C | -31.0°C | 10 mm | 89% | 2.9 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1984 | 0.4°C | -3.5°C | -7.4°C | 9.5°C | -23.4°C | 26 mm | 80% | 4 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1983 | 3.0°C | -1.2°C | -5.4°C | 8.6°C | -13.0°C | 11 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ 🌧️ | -5.3°C | -10.7°C | -16.1°C | 3.0°C | -31.8°C | 39 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 4.4°C | 0.0°C | -4.4°C | 12.6°C | -11.7°C | 13 mm | 75% | 2.5 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 -8.7°C (mean -4.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 23 mm of rainfall in Great Falls, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 39 mm in 1982.
The hottest January reached 15.3°C in 2024. The coldest dipped to -34.2°C in 2004.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from -0.3°C to 0.8°C and overnight lows from -9.6°C to -7.9°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Great Falls and one of the drier months, so plan for around 0.1°C daytime highs and -8.7°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Great Falls, averaging -4.3°C.
For January in Great Falls, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 0.1°C and lows of -8.7°C.
Relative humidity in January averages 80% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3.5 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 4.3 m/s (1989).
The wettest January on record was 1982 with 39 mm. On average, January sees 23 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 Great Falls 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.
