Albany Weather in January (1981–2025)

📍 42.67°N, 73.79°W •
📊

January at a Glance in Albany

(1981–2025)
Avg High
🔥
-2.1°C
Avg Low
❄️
-10.6°C
Avg Temp
🌡️
-6.3°C
Avg Rain
🌧️
76 mm
Avg Humidity
💧
91%
Avg Wind
🌬️
0.7 m/s
Avg Solar
☀️
1.6
kWh/m²/day
vs Annual
📈
-14.2°C
temp difference
❄️Freezing afternoons🥶Freezing mornings☁️Cloudier skies🌧️Wet month🍃Light winds💦Humid air

Albany January Weather Overview

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Albany, with average highs near -2.1°C and lows around -10.6°C (mean -6.3°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 76 mm of rainfall and 91% relative humidity across the period.

Albany January Temperature History (1981–2025)

Range

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Albany. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Albany was 2023 — when the month averaged -1.4°C — while the coldest was 1994 at -13°C. Typical January days reach -2.1°C with nights near -10.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.7°C per decade.

1981–1985 vs 2021–2025

Avg Temp-9.2°C→-5.0°C+4.2°C
Max Temp-4.7°C→-1.1°C+3.6°C
Min Temp-13.8°C→-8.9°C+4.9°C

Trend (per decade)

Avg Temp+0.7°C/decade ↗
Max Temp+0.5°C/decade ↗
Min Temp+0.8°C/decade ↗

Distribution of Avg Temp

-13.0°C–-10.0°C6 yr (13%)
-10.0°C–-7.0°C12 yr (27%)
-7.0°C–-4.0°C16 yr (36%)
-4.0°C–-1.0°C11 yr (24%)

Albany January Rainfall History (1981–2025)

Range

January is one of the drier months in Albany, averaging 76 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1996 with 163 mm, while the driest was 1981 at 15 mm.

Albany January Humidity History (1981–2025)

Range

Relative humidity in Albany during January averages 91%. The most humid January was 2003 at 99%, and the least humid was 1989 at 84%.

Albany January Solar History (1981–2025)

Range

January receives about 1.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Albany. The sunniest Januarys were 2003, 2009 and 2016, among others at 1.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2023 at 1.2.

Albany January Wind History (1981–2025)

Range

Average wind speed in Albany during January is 0.7 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2000, 2004 and 2025, among others at 0.8 m/s, while the calmest were 2021, 2023 and 2024, among others at 0.6 m/s.

What January Feels Like in Albany

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

How January Ranks in Albany

🥶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 Albany Weather by Month

Albany January Averages by Decade

Metric1980s1990s2000s2010s2020sChange
Avg Temp-8.1°C-5.8°C-6.6°C-6.1°C-4.6°C+3.5°C
Avg High-3.6°C-1.5°C-2.3°C-1.9°C-0.7°C+2.9°C
Avg Low-12.6°C-10.1°C-10.9°C-10.2°C-8.6°C+4°C
Avg Rain60 mm94 mm77 mm75 mm70 mm+10 mm

Extreme January Records in Albany

🔥Warmest January18.0°C2007
🧊Coldest January-36.4°C1994
🌧️Wettest January163 mm1996
🏜️Driest January15 mm1981
🌬️Windiest January0.8 m/s1985

Key Insights for January

✅

January temperatures in Albany have risen by about 4.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.

✅

January has ranged from a record low of -36.4°C (1994) to a record high of 18°C (2007).

✅

Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 76 mm, with a wettest year of 163 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.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Albany?

A quieter season to visit Albany

If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Albany. That said, January — with days averaging -2.1°C and nights around -10.6°C (mean -6.3°C) and moderate rainfall (76 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.

See Albany'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 →

Albany Weather in January — In Depth

☀️ January climate overview

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Albany, with average highs near -2.1°C and lows around -10.6°C (mean -6.3°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 76 mm of rainfall and 91% relative humidity across the period.

🌧️ Rain, humidity & wind in January

January averages 76 mm of rainfall in Albany, one of the drier months compared with the rest of the year. The wettest January on record saw 163 mm (1996), and the driest just 15 mm (1981). Humidity sits around 91% and average wind speed is 0.7 m/s, with solar radiation averaging 1.6 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 4.2°C. Daytime highs moved from -4.7°C to -1.1°C and overnight lows from -13.8°C to -8.9°C over the same span.
January Weather in Albany, Year by Year
🔥 warmest❄️ coldest🌧️ wettest
YearAvg HighAvg TempAvg LowHottest DayColdest DayRainfallHumidityWindSolar
2025-2.6°C-6.2°C-9.8°C5.5°C-18.1°C39 mm85%0.8 m/s1.7
20240.1°C-3.4°C-6.8°C8.6°C-15.1°C140 mm91%0.6 m/s1.3
2023 🔥2.2°C-1.4°C-5.0°C8.5°C-10.1°C102 mm92%0.6 m/s1.2
2022-3.4°C-8.3°C-13.2°C5.7°C-21.8°C41 mm89%0.7 m/s1.7
2021-1.7°C-5.7°C-9.6°C2.3°C-22.7°C50 mm93%0.6 m/s1.4
20201.4°C-2.9°C-7.2°C15.2°C-15.5°C45 mm89%0.7 m/s1.5
2019-2.8°C-7.1°C-11.4°C7.0°C-22.7°C121 mm91%0.7 m/s1.6
2018-2.2°C-6.7°C-11.3°C13.6°C-25.6°C89 mm90%0.7 m/s1.7
20170.4°C-3.0°C-6.4°C10.9°C-17.3°C89 mm91%0.7 m/s1.4
2016-0.2°C-4.2°C-8.3°C11.3°C-20.4°C43 mm86%0.7 m/s1.8
2015-4.1°C-8.8°C-13.4°C4.5°C-20.2°C75 mm90%0.7 m/s1.7
2014-3.2°C-7.7°C-12.2°C10.3°C-26.7°C74 mm86%0.7 m/s1.7
2013-1.0°C-5.5°C-9.9°C12.7°C-27.8°C44 mm90%0.7 m/s1.7
20120.9°C-3.3°C-7.5°C9.0°C-21.9°C77 mm90%0.7 m/s1.6
2011-4.5°C-8.2°C-12.0°C4.0°C-30.9°C65 mm95%0.6 m/s1.6
2010-1.9°C-6.0°C-10.0°C11.7°C-19.7°C69 mm91%0.7 m/s1.5
2009-5.1°C-10.1°C-15.0°C0.7°C-25.4°C63 mm96%0.6 m/s1.8
2008-0.1°C-4.8°C-9.5°C13.7°C-21.1°C63 mm94%0.6 m/s1.7
2007-0.4°C-4.5°C-8.7°C18.0°C-21.4°C93 mm93%0.7 m/s1.6
20062.4°C-1.8°C-6.0°C11.9°C-16.6°C135 mm94%0.7 m/s1.5
2005-4.1°C-8.4°C-12.8°C8.4°C-27.0°C116 mm95%0.7 m/s1.6
2004-6.6°C-10.1°C-13.5°C6.3°C-25.6°C44 mm90%0.8 m/s1.6
2003-6.3°C-10.9°C-15.4°C0.3°C-27.7°C70 mm99%0.6 m/s1.8
20022.3°C-1.6°C-5.4°C11.3°C-18.3°C58 mm88%0.6 m/s1.5
2001-1.7°C-6.4°C-11.1°C3.1°C-18.9°C33 mm96%0.6 m/s1.5
2000-3.0°C-7.2°C-11.5°C13.8°C-24.0°C93 mm89%0.8 m/s1.5
1999-1.5°C-6.1°C-10.7°C12.0°C-21.1°C146 mm91%0.7 m/s1.5
19980.9°C-3.2°C-7.3°C14.7°C-24.4°C110 mm94%0.6 m/s1.5
1997-2.2°C-6.3°C-10.4°C8.0°C-22.6°C60 mm88%0.8 m/s1.5
1996 🌧️-3.9°C-8.4°C-12.9°C11.9°C-26.4°C163 mm95%0.8 m/s1.5
19950.9°C-2.9°C-6.8°C14.6°C-17.2°C79 mm91%0.7 m/s1.7
1994 ❄️-7.5°C-13.0°C-18.4°C0.9°C-36.4°C109 mm98%0.7 m/s1.6
1993-0.5°C-4.8°C-9.1°C11.7°C-18.3°C62 mm90%0.7 m/s1.5
1992-0.6°C-5.0°C-9.4°C11.8°C-17.1°C54 mm87%0.7 m/s1.6
1991-2.3°C-6.5°C-10.7°C4.8°C-21.3°C58 mm89%0.7 m/s1.6
19901.7°C-1.9°C-5.5°C8.9°C-11.3°C103 mm91%0.7 m/s1.5
19890.7°C-3.7°C-8.1°C7.9°C-18.7°C27 mm84%0.7 m/s1.5
1988-3.4°C-7.7°C-12.0°C3.6°C-23.2°C54 mm91%0.7 m/s1.6
1987-3.8°C-8.5°C-13.2°C0.9°C-28.9°C104 mm98%0.7 m/s1.5
1986-2.1°C-6.6°C-11.1°C8.0°C-24.2°C95 mm92%0.7 m/s1.5
1985-3.8°C-7.4°C-11.1°C8.3°C-19.0°C23 mm85%0.8 m/s1.8
1984-4.6°C-9.6°C-14.6°C4.2°C-28.8°C43 mm96%0.6 m/s1.4
1983-1.8°C-6.3°C-10.7°C6.6°C-20.3°C91 mm91%0.6 m/s—
1982-7.3°C-12.4°C-17.6°C0.4°C-29.1°C88 mm97%0.7 m/s—
1981-6.2°C-10.5°C-14.9°C2.7°C-23.3°C15 mm91%0.7 m/s—

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

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Albany January Weather — FAQ

What is the average temperature in Albany in January?▼

The average high in January is around -2.1°C with lows near -10.6°C (mean -6.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.

Does it rain a lot in Albany in January?▼

January averages 76 mm of rainfall in Albany, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 163 mm in 1996.

What was the hottest January on record in Albany?▼

The hottest January reached 18°C in 2007. The coldest dipped to -36.4°C in 1994.

Has January in Albany 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 4.2°C. Daytime highs moved from -4.7°C to -1.1°C and overnight lows from -13.8°C to -8.9°C over the same span.

Is January a good time to visit Albany?▼

January is one of the cooler months of the year in Albany and one of the drier months, so plan for around -2.1°C daytime highs and -10.6°C at night.

Is January the coldest month in Albany?▼

Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Albany, averaging -6.3°C.

What should I pack for Albany in January?▼

For January in Albany, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -2.1°C and lows of -10.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.

Is Albany humid in January?▼

Relative humidity in January averages 91% — quite humid.

How windy is Albany in January?▼

Average wind speed in January is 0.7 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 0.8 m/s (1985).

Which January had the most rainfall in Albany?▼

The wettest January on record was 1996 with 163 mm. On average, January sees 76 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 New York cities

Explore how the weather in Albany 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.