January is one of the cooler months of the year in Wilkes Barre, with average highs near -0.4°C and lows around -8.4°C (mean -4.4°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 78 mm of rainfall and 89% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Wilkes Barre. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Wilkes Barre was 2023 — when the month averaged 0.9°C — while the coldest was 1994 at -10.3°C. Typical January days reach -0.4°C with nights near -8.4°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.6°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Wilkes Barre, averaging 78 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1996 with 202 mm, while the driest was 1981 at 18 mm.
Relative humidity in Wilkes Barre during January averages 89%. The most humid January was 1994 at 98%, and the least humid was 2025 at 82%.
January receives about 1.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Wilkes Barre. The sunniest January was 1985 at 1.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2023 at 1.3.
Average wind speed in Wilkes Barre during January is 0.6 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2000 and 2004 at 0.8 m/s, while the calmest was 1984 at 0.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -6.2°C | -3.8°C | -4.2°C | -4.5°C | -2.7°C | +3.5°C |
| Avg High | -2.1°C | 0.2°C | -0.3°C | -0.4°C | 1.1°C | +3.2°C |
| Avg Low | -10.4°C | -7.9°C | -8.2°C | -8.5°C | -6.6°C | +3.8°C |
| Avg Rain | 57 mm | 104 mm | 74 mm | 76 mm | 76 mm | +19 mm |
January temperatures in Wilkes Barre have risen by about 4.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -27.4°C (1984) to a record high of 17.6°C (1998).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 78 mm, with a wettest year of 202 mm.
A quieter season to visit Wilkes Barre
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Wilkes Barre. That said, January — with days averaging -0.4°C and nights around -8.4°C (mean -4.4°C) and moderate rainfall (78 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 | -5.2°C | -9.0°C | 5.3°C | -18.7°C | 26 mm | 82% | 0.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2024 | 1.7°C | -2.1°C | -5.8°C | 14.0°C | -13.9°C | 171 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2023 🔥 | 4.5°C | 0.9°C | -2.8°C | 11.4°C | -8.7°C | 97 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2022 | -1.6°C | -6.1°C | -10.6°C | 10.6°C | -19.3°C | 54 mm | 86% | 0.7 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2021 | 0.4°C | -2.9°C | -6.2°C | 6.2°C | -11.7°C | 45 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2020 | 3.1°C | -1.0°C | -5.2°C | 15.8°C | -13.1°C | 63 mm | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2019 | -0.7°C | -4.8°C | -9.0°C | 10.2°C | -21.7°C | 119 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2018 | -0.2°C | -4.7°C | -9.2°C | 16.6°C | -19.6°C | 87 mm | 85% | 0.7 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2017 | 1.8°C | -1.4°C | -4.5°C | 11.6°C | -15.8°C | 81 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2016 | 0.3°C | -3.8°C | -8.0°C | 12.9°C | -15.9°C | 68 mm | 85% | 0.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2015 | -2.7°C | -7.0°C | -11.3°C | 4.5°C | -17.5°C | 68 mm | 87% | 0.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2014 | -2.5°C | -7.1°C | -11.6°C | 10.1°C | -21.1°C | 72 mm | 86% | 0.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2013 | 0.4°C | -3.5°C | -7.4°C | 14.0°C | -17.6°C | 72 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2012 | 1.8°C | -1.9°C | -5.7°C | 9.6°C | -14.6°C | 71 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2011 | -2.4°C | -6.3°C | -10.2°C | 6.0°C | -23.4°C | 49 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2010 | -0.3°C | -4.3°C | -8.2°C | 12.5°C | -16.0°C | 73 mm | 87% | 0.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2009 | -3.7°C | -7.9°C | -12.1°C | 3.2°C | -24.8°C | 60 mm | 92% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2008 | 1.6°C | -2.4°C | -6.5°C | 14.2°C | -12.7°C | 49 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2007 | 2.8°C | -1.1°C | -4.9°C | 16.6°C | -14.9°C | 83 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2006 | 4.0°C | -0.2°C | -4.4°C | 12.1°C | -12.8°C | 136 mm | 92% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2005 | -1.8°C | -5.8°C | -9.7°C | 14.4°C | -20.6°C | 138 mm | 94% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2004 | -4.7°C | -8.2°C | -11.7°C | 9.2°C | -19.9°C | 60 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2003 | -3.8°C | -7.4°C | -11.0°C | 3.3°C | -18.3°C | 49 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2002 | 3.4°C | -0.7°C | -4.7°C | 15.0°C | -12.2°C | 47 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2001 | 0.3°C | -3.9°C | -8.0°C | 4.4°C | -14.3°C | 45 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2000 | -0.8°C | -4.8°C | -8.7°C | 13.9°C | -17.6°C | 72 mm | 85% | 0.8 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1999 | 0.5°C | -4.0°C | -8.6°C | 13.7°C | -18.1°C | 153 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1998 | 3.5°C | -0.5°C | -4.5°C | 17.6°C | -21.0°C | 117 mm | 92% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1997 | -1.1°C | -5.0°C | -8.9°C | 11.2°C | -22.2°C | 64 mm | 88% | 0.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1996 🌧️ | -2.1°C | -6.5°C | -10.9°C | 11.8°C | -22.6°C | 202 mm | 95% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1995 | 1.8°C | -1.9°C | -5.7°C | 14.1°C | -15.4°C | 92 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1994 ❄️ | -5.9°C | -10.3°C | -14.8°C | 2.4°C | -27.1°C | 125 mm | 98% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1993 | 1.2°C | -2.6°C | -6.3°C | 12.6°C | -13.0°C | 60 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1992 | 1.0°C | -3.0°C | -7.0°C | 13.1°C | -16.2°C | 57 mm | 86% | 0.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1991 | 0.1°C | -4.1°C | -8.4°C | 7.0°C | -16.2°C | 63 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1990 | 3.1°C | -0.6°C | -4.4°C | 12.5°C | -10.1°C | 107 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1989 | 1.8°C | -2.5°C | -6.8°C | 9.9°C | -16.4°C | 40 mm | 85% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1988 | -2.5°C | -6.3°C | -10.2°C | 6.3°C | -17.3°C | 53 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1987 | -2.4°C | -6.4°C | -10.3°C | 6.7°C | -23.8°C | 88 mm | 96% | 0.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1986 | -0.3°C | -4.6°C | -9.0°C | 10.6°C | -23.6°C | 90 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1985 | -2.7°C | -6.5°C | -10.2°C | 12.9°C | -23.3°C | 25 mm | 85% | 0.7 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1984 | -4.2°C | -9.0°C | -13.8°C | 4.1°C | -27.4°C | 39 mm | 97% | 0.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1983 | 0.1°C | -3.9°C | -8.0°C | 6.2°C | -16.5°C | 66 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -4.5°C | -8.8°C | -13.1°C | 9.1°C | -22.8°C | 93 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -3.9°C | -8.1°C | -12.3°C | 4.8°C | -21.6°C | 18 mm | 88% | 0.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around -0.4°C with lows near -8.4°C (mean -4.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 78 mm of rainfall in Wilkes Barre, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 202 mm in 1996.
The hottest January reached 17.6°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -27.4°C in 1984.
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°C to 0.7°C and overnight lows from -11.5°C to -6.9°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Wilkes Barre and one of the drier months, so plan for around -0.4°C daytime highs and -8.4°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Wilkes Barre, averaging -4.4°C.
For January in Wilkes Barre, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of -0.4°C and lows of -8.4°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 89% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.6 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 0.8 m/s (2000).
The wettest January on record was 1996 with 202 mm. On average, January sees 78 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 Wilkes Barre 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.
