January is one of the cooler months of the year in Austin, with average highs near 15.9°C and lows around 3.4°C (mean 9.7°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 55 mm of rainfall and 73% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Austin. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Austin was 2006 — when the month averaged 14.1°C — while the coldest was 1985 at 5.1°C. Typical January days reach 15.9°C with nights near 3.4°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Austin, averaging 55 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1991 with 179 mm, while the driest was 1996 at 5 mm.
Relative humidity in Austin during January averages 73%. The most humid Januarys were 1991 and 1998 at 81%, and the least humid was 2006 at 52%.
January receives about 3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Austin. The sunniest Januarys were 2009, 2014 and 2016, among others at 3.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 2.2.
Average wind speed in Austin during January is 2.9 m/s. The windiest January was 1996 at 3.7 m/s, while the calmest was 1981 at 2.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.4°C | 9.9°C | 10.4°C | 9.3°C | 10.2°C | +1.8°C |
| Avg High | 14.6°C | 16.1°C | 16.7°C | 15.7°C | 16.5°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg Low | 2.2°C | 3.6°C | 4.2°C | 3.0°C | 3.9°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 40 mm | 62 mm | 56 mm | 60 mm | 55 mm | +15 mm |
January temperatures in Austin have risen by about 2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -10.6°C (1982) to a record high of 29.7°C (2006).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 55 mm, with a wettest year of 179 mm.
A quieter season to visit Austin
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of October and April tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Austin. That said, January — with days averaging 15.9°C and nights around 3.4°C (mean 9.7°C) and moderate rainfall (55 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 | 14.0°C | 7.8°C | 1.6°C | 23.9°C | -6.2°C | 52 mm | 66% | 3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2024 | 14.3°C | 8.3°C | 2.3°C | 23.1°C | -7.4°C | 113 mm | 70% | 3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2023 | 18.8°C | 12.5°C | 6.1°C | 26.8°C | -0.9°C | 30 mm | 70% | 2.9 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2022 | 15.9°C | 9.2°C | 2.4°C | 25.4°C | -4.2°C | 40 mm | 60% | 2.9 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2021 | 17.4°C | 10.6°C | 3.9°C | 25.0°C | -3.1°C | 34 mm | 72% | 2.8 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2020 | 18.8°C | 12.9°C | 7.0°C | 26.3°C | -0.2°C | 59 mm | 73% | 2.8 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2019 | 15.1°C | 9.3°C | 3.6°C | 23.1°C | -3.0°C | 71 mm | 78% | 2.8 m/s | 3 |
| 2018 | 15.0°C | 8.3°C | 1.5°C | 23.2°C | -8.1°C | 7 mm | 64% | 2.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2017 | 18.3°C | 12.3°C | 6.4°C | 25.8°C | -7.2°C | 73 mm | 71% | 3.2 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 15.7°C | 9.4°C | 3.1°C | 25.5°C | -2.5°C | 12 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2015 | 13.8°C | 8.0°C | 2.3°C | 24.7°C | -6.3°C | 98 mm | 74% | 2.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 15.0°C | 7.9°C | 0.8°C | 24.2°C | -6.7°C | 8 mm | 67% | 3.2 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 17.2°C | 10.8°C | 4.5°C | 27.9°C | -3.9°C | 89 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | 3 |
| 2012 | 18.5°C | 11.5°C | 4.5°C | 24.7°C | -2.2°C | 86 mm | 72% | 3.1 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2011 | 15.0°C | 8.4°C | 1.8°C | 25.2°C | -5.6°C | 68 mm | 69% | 2.4 m/s | 3 |
| 2010 | 13.3°C | 7.6°C | 1.9°C | 22.9°C | -6.0°C | 86 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 3 |
| 2009 | 19.0°C | 11.2°C | 3.4°C | 27.9°C | -3.6°C | 14 mm | 57% | 3.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2008 | 15.5°C | 9.2°C | 3.0°C | 25.8°C | -5.0°C | 20 mm | 69% | 3.1 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2007 | 12.4°C | 7.3°C | 2.1°C | 23.4°C | -3.9°C | 144 mm | 79% | 2.7 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2006 🔥 | 21.4°C | 14.1°C | 6.8°C | 29.7°C | 1.7°C | 31 mm | 52% | 3.4 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2005 | 16.5°C | 11.2°C | 5.9°C | 23.9°C | -3.7°C | 62 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2004 | 17.2°C | 11.4°C | 5.6°C | 24.4°C | -3.0°C | 89 mm | 74% | 2.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2003 | 14.5°C | 8.4°C | 2.4°C | 25.8°C | -4.9°C | 32 mm | 77% | 2.8 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2002 | 17.5°C | 10.9°C | 4.3°C | 25.5°C | -5.6°C | 26 mm | 74% | 3.1 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2001 | 13.7°C | 8.2°C | 2.8°C | 21.3°C | -5.2°C | 75 mm | 80% | 2.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2000 | 18.8°C | 12.1°C | 5.3°C | 29.4°C | -4.3°C | 63 mm | 68% | 3.1 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1999 | 18.1°C | 11.2°C | 4.3°C | 25.3°C | -5.4°C | 15 mm | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1998 | 18.3°C | 12.2°C | 6.1°C | 23.0°C | -0.7°C | 81 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1997 | 14.0°C | 8.0°C | 2.0°C | 27.3°C | -6.1°C | 39 mm | 74% | 3.1 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1996 | 17.0°C | 9.2°C | 1.5°C | 26.1°C | -6.6°C | 5 mm | 62% | 3.7 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1995 | 16.5°C | 10.1°C | 3.8°C | 24.3°C | -4.3°C | 25 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1994 | 15.9°C | 10.0°C | 4.1°C | 23.8°C | -4.4°C | 33 mm | 74% | 3.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1993 | 14.3°C | 8.6°C | 2.8°C | 24.1°C | -2.5°C | 74 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1992 | 13.8°C | 8.8°C | 3.8°C | 20.5°C | -5.7°C | 120 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1991 🌧️ | 13.3°C | 7.8°C | 2.2°C | 22.0°C | -5.0°C | 179 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1990 | 19.4°C | 12.6°C | 5.7°C | 26.4°C | -1.7°C | 44 mm | 66% | 3.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1989 | 17.4°C | 11.6°C | 5.8°C | 27.7°C | -1.7°C | 115 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 13.2°C | 7.1°C | 1.0°C | 23.2°C | -5.8°C | 11 mm | 73% | 3.1 m/s | 3 |
| 1987 | 14.2°C | 8.2°C | 2.2°C | 21.6°C | -4.4°C | 24 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1986 | 16.6°C | 9.9°C | 3.3°C | 23.5°C | -2.1°C | 21 mm | 74% | 2.7 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1985 ❄️ | 11.0°C | 5.1°C | -0.8°C | 22.4°C | -9.7°C | 43 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1984 | 12.0°C | 6.2°C | 0.4°C | 23.0°C | -8.0°C | 43 mm | 72% | 2.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1983 | 14.9°C | 8.6°C | 2.4°C | 23.7°C | -2.3°C | 39 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 16.4°C | 9.3°C | 2.2°C | 26.0°C | -10.6°C | 27 mm | 68% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.4°C | 9.3°C | 3.1°C | 23.8°C | -2.2°C | 38 mm | 71% | 2.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 15.9°C with lows near 3.4°C (mean 9.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 55 mm of rainfall in Austin, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 179 mm in 1991.
The hottest January reached 29.7°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to -10.6°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 2°C. Daytime highs moved from 13.9°C to 16.1°C and overnight lows from 1.5°C to 3.3°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Austin and one of the drier months, so plan for around 15.9°C daytime highs and 3.4°C at night.
Yes — January is the coldest month of the year in Austin, averaging 9.7°C.
For January in Austin, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 15.9°C and lows of 3.4°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 73% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 2.9 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 3.7 m/s (1996).
The wettest January on record was 1991 with 179 mm. On average, January sees 55 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 Austin 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.
