January is one of the cooler months of the year in Washington, with average highs near 1.4°C and lows around -6.6°C (mean -2.6°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 74 mm of rainfall and 88% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Washington. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Washington was 2006 — when the month averaged 2.6°C — while the coldest was 1994 at -7.3°C. Typical January days reach 1.4°C with nights near -6.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Washington, averaging 74 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2005 with 159 mm, while the driest was 1981 at 25 mm.
Relative humidity in Washington during January averages 88%. The most humid January was 1994 at 96%, and the least humid was 2000 at 82%.
January receives about 1.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Washington. The sunniest January was 1985 at 1.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2023 and 2024 at 1.3.
Average wind speed in Washington during January is 0.6 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2004, 2012 and 2014, among others at 0.7 m/s, while the calmest were 1998, 2011 and 2021, among others at 0.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -4.1°C | -2.0°C | -2.1°C | -3.0°C | -1.4°C | +2.7°C |
| Avg High | -0.2°C | 2.0°C | 1.9°C | 1.1°C | 2.4°C | +2.6°C |
| Avg Low | -8.1°C | -5.9°C | -6.1°C | -7.0°C | -5.2°C | +2.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 54 mm | 84 mm | 80 mm | 71 mm | 80 mm | +25 mm |
January temperatures in Washington have risen by about 3.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -28.4°C (1994) to a record high of 20.2°C (2002).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 74 mm, with a wettest year of 159 mm.
A quieter season to visit Washington
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Washington. That said, January — with days averaging 1.4°C and nights around -6.6°C (mean -2.6°C) and moderate rainfall (74 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 | -1.4°C | -5.3°C | -9.3°C | 10.3°C | -20.2°C | 39 mm | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2024 | 2.5°C | -1.0°C | -4.6°C | 15.1°C | -14.4°C | 123 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2023 | 5.9°C | 2.3°C | -1.4°C | 17.1°C | -7.4°C | 107 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2022 | -0.2°C | -4.4°C | -8.7°C | 13.8°C | -16.9°C | 76 mm | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2021 | 2.2°C | -1.3°C | -4.7°C | 7.3°C | -11.3°C | 43 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2020 | 5.6°C | 1.5°C | -2.6°C | 17.5°C | -10.9°C | 89 mm | 86% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2019 | 1.5°C | -2.8°C | -7.0°C | 15.0°C | -22.6°C | 78 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2018 | 0.5°C | -4.0°C | -8.4°C | 17.7°C | -18.2°C | 75 mm | 86% | 0.6 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2017 | 4.9°C | 1.2°C | -2.6°C | 16.7°C | -12.9°C | 101 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2016 | 0.8°C | -3.6°C | -7.9°C | 13.9°C | -15.0°C | 50 mm | 83% | 0.6 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2015 | 0.4°C | -3.8°C | -8.0°C | 13.5°C | -16.3°C | 60 mm | 84% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2014 | -0.9°C | -5.6°C | -10.4°C | 10.1°C | -21.5°C | 44 mm | 83% | 0.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2013 | 2.4°C | -1.4°C | -5.3°C | 18.6°C | -15.9°C | 79 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2012 | 3.9°C | -0.3°C | -4.5°C | 12.0°C | -11.2°C | 92 mm | 88% | 0.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2011 | -1.1°C | -4.9°C | -8.7°C | 10.8°C | -17.5°C | 50 mm | 89% | 0.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2010 | -1.3°C | -4.5°C | -7.7°C | 6.7°C | -15.2°C | 77 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2009 | -1.5°C | -5.2°C | -9.0°C | 6.3°C | -20.6°C | 89 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2008 | 2.5°C | -1.5°C | -5.6°C | 17.1°C | -14.2°C | 64 mm | 86% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2007 | 4.3°C | 0.4°C | -3.5°C | 15.5°C | -14.0°C | 80 mm | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2006 🔥 | 7.1°C | 2.6°C | -1.9°C | 15.8°C | -7.4°C | 109 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2005 🌧️ | 3.0°C | -1.3°C | -5.5°C | 17.9°C | -17.9°C | 159 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2004 | -2.2°C | -5.9°C | -9.6°C | 15.1°C | -18.1°C | 107 mm | 89% | 0.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2003 | -2.5°C | -5.9°C | -9.3°C | 6.9°C | -16.6°C | 56 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2002 | 5.3°C | 1.0°C | -3.3°C | 20.2°C | -11.1°C | 54 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2001 | 1.1°C | -2.9°C | -6.9°C | 8.2°C | -13.0°C | 49 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2000 | 1.7°C | -2.3°C | -6.4°C | 16.0°C | -13.9°C | 34 mm | 82% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1999 | 2.9°C | -1.6°C | -6.1°C | 18.6°C | -19.7°C | 117 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1998 | 5.0°C | 1.4°C | -2.3°C | 16.6°C | -13.6°C | 91 mm | 90% | 0.5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1997 | 1.3°C | -2.8°C | -6.9°C | 18.1°C | -17.0°C | 49 mm | 84% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1996 | -0.3°C | -4.4°C | -8.4°C | 15.6°C | -17.5°C | 117 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1995 | 2.4°C | -1.4°C | -5.2°C | 15.9°C | -14.8°C | 63 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1994 ❄️ | -3.6°C | -7.3°C | -11.1°C | 11.9°C | -28.4°C | 108 mm | 96% | 0.6 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1993 | 4.1°C | 0.0°C | -4.1°C | 14.0°C | -10.1°C | 61 mm | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1992 | 2.1°C | -1.9°C | -5.8°C | 10.5°C | -13.9°C | 65 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1991 | 1.5°C | -2.5°C | -6.5°C | 9.0°C | -13.3°C | 89 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1990 | 5.0°C | 1.0°C | -3.0°C | 16.5°C | -9.6°C | 78 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1989 | 4.7°C | 0.6°C | -3.4°C | 10.5°C | -11.1°C | 76 mm | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1988 | -0.1°C | -4.5°C | -8.9°C | 13.8°C | -18.5°C | 48 mm | 84% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1987 | 0.0°C | -3.4°C | -6.9°C | 7.7°C | -19.9°C | 65 mm | 92% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1986 | 0.3°C | -3.6°C | -7.6°C | 9.9°C | -15.6°C | 60 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1985 | -2.9°C | -6.5°C | -10.1°C | 16.7°C | -26.1°C | 47 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1984 | -1.4°C | -5.6°C | -9.8°C | 6.6°C | -22.0°C | 36 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1983 | 2.1°C | -1.6°C | -5.2°C | 8.1°C | -12.7°C | 36 mm | 84% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -1.8°C | -6.3°C | -10.8°C | 11.5°C | -25.8°C | 96 mm | 86% | 0.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -2.4°C | -6.3°C | -10.1°C | 7.5°C | -18.2°C | 25 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 1.4°C with lows near -6.6°C (mean -2.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 74 mm of rainfall in Washington, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 159 mm in 2005.
The hottest January reached 20.2°C in 2002. The coldest dipped to -28.4°C in 1994.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 3.4°C. Daytime highs moved from -1.3°C to 1.8°C and overnight lows from -9.2°C to -5.7°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Washington and one of the drier months, so plan for around 1.4°C daytime highs and -6.6°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Washington, averaging -2.6°C.
For January in Washington, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 1.4°C and lows of -6.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 88% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.6 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 0.7 m/s (1982).
The wettest January on record was 2005 with 159 mm. On average, January sees 74 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 Washington 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.
