January is one of the cooler months of the year in Federal Way, with average highs near 7.2°C and lows around 1.7°C (mean 4.5°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 175 mm of rainfall and 90% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Federal Way. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Federal Way was 2003 — when the month averaged 7.2°C — while the coldest was 1993 at 0.9°C. Typical January days reach 7.2°C with nights near 1.7°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Federal Way, averaging 175 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2006 with 334 mm, while the driest was 1985 at 19 mm.
Relative humidity in Federal Way during January averages 90%. The most humid January was 2006 at 94%, and the least humid was 2017 at 85%.
January receives about 1.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Federal Way. The sunniest January was 2025 at 1.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1999 at 0.7.
Average wind speed in Federal Way during January is 0.8 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2006 and 2020 at 1.1 m/s, while the calmest were 1981, 1985 and 2025 at 0.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 4.3°C | 4.2°C | 4.4°C | 4.8°C | 4.7°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | 7.3°C | 7.0°C | 7.2°C | 7.5°C | 7.3°C | 0°C |
| Avg Low | 1.4°C | 1.5°C | 1.7°C | 2.0°C | 2.0°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 160 mm | 195 mm | 176 mm | 157 mm | 190 mm | +30 mm |
January temperatures in Federal Way have stayed relatively stable across the record.
January has ranged from a record low of -12.8°C (1996) to a record high of 17.5°C (2005).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 175 mm, with a wettest year of 334 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Federal Way
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Federal Way. That said, January — with days averaging 7.2°C and nights around 1.7°C (mean 4.5°C) and higher rainfall (175 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 | 5.8°C | 3.0°C | 0.2°C | 7.6°C | -3.8°C | 66 mm | 91% | 0.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2024 | 6.6°C | 4.1°C | 1.5°C | 17.1°C | -11.4°C | 214 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2023 | 7.7°C | 5.1°C | 2.5°C | 12.5°C | -4.0°C | 135 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2022 | 7.8°C | 4.8°C | 1.8°C | 11.9°C | -9.3°C | 213 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2021 | 8.2°C | 5.5°C | 2.8°C | 12.2°C | -1.4°C | 227 mm | 91% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2020 | 7.6°C | 5.5°C | 3.4°C | 12.3°C | -2.7°C | 286 mm | 93% | 1.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2019 | 9.0°C | 5.9°C | 2.8°C | 12.7°C | -1.1°C | 116 mm | 88% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2018 | 8.2°C | 5.9°C | 3.6°C | 13.1°C | -1.6°C | 235 mm | 93% | 0.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2017 | 4.7°C | 1.7°C | -1.3°C | 10.1°C | -6.3°C | 95 mm | 85% | 0.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2016 | 7.6°C | 5.0°C | 2.3°C | 13.4°C | -4.0°C | 209 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2015 | 9.8°C | 6.6°C | 3.3°C | 16.9°C | -2.9°C | 135 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2014 | 8.3°C | 5.3°C | 2.2°C | 12.3°C | -2.4°C | 132 mm | 91% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2013 | 5.5°C | 3.1°C | 0.7°C | 9.5°C | -3.1°C | 120 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2012 | 5.9°C | 3.4°C | 0.9°C | 10.7°C | -3.9°C | 197 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2011 | 6.8°C | 4.2°C | 1.6°C | 12.6°C | -5.8°C | 167 mm | 91% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2010 | 9.4°C | 6.8°C | 4.1°C | 14.0°C | -0.3°C | 168 mm | 89% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2009 | 6.4°C | 3.4°C | 0.4°C | 11.2°C | -5.0°C | 171 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2008 | 5.0°C | 2.4°C | -0.1°C | 8.9°C | -4.4°C | 137 mm | 88% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2007 | 6.2°C | 3.0°C | -0.1°C | 12.4°C | -5.6°C | 148 mm | 90% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2006 🌧️ | 8.2°C | 6.2°C | 4.1°C | 12.1°C | 1.3°C | 334 mm | 94% | 1.1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2005 | 8.2°C | 5.4°C | 2.5°C | 17.5°C | -4.4°C | 117 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2004 | 6.5°C | 4.1°C | 1.7°C | 11.7°C | -10.4°C | 207 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2003 🔥 | 10.4°C | 7.2°C | 4.0°C | 14.0°C | 0.1°C | 218 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2002 | 6.4°C | 4.2°C | 2.1°C | 13.3°C | -3.5°C | 198 mm | 93% | 0.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2001 | 8.0°C | 4.9°C | 1.8°C | 12.2°C | -2.4°C | 81 mm | 88% | 0.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2000 | 6.2°C | 3.5°C | 0.8°C | 8.4°C | -2.7°C | 145 mm | 92% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1999 | 7.2°C | 4.8°C | 2.5°C | 10.9°C | -1.5°C | 217 mm | 94% | 1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1998 | 7.0°C | 4.5°C | 2.0°C | 12.7°C | -9.5°C | 250 mm | 91% | 1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1997 | 6.5°C | 4.0°C | 1.5°C | 11.2°C | -5.8°C | 217 mm | 89% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1996 | 5.6°C | 3.2°C | 0.8°C | 11.7°C | -12.8°C | 193 mm | 92% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1995 | 8.4°C | 5.1°C | 1.9°C | 13.5°C | -5.0°C | 194 mm | 86% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 9.0°C | 6.3°C | 3.6°C | 11.8°C | -0.9°C | 107 mm | 92% | 0.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 4.3°C | 0.9°C | -2.5°C | 10.7°C | -9.8°C | 113 mm | 88% | 0.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1992 | 8.3°C | 5.6°C | 3.0°C | 12.6°C | -3.8°C | 239 mm | 91% | 1 m/s | 1 |
| 1991 | 6.1°C | 3.1°C | 0.2°C | 11.3°C | -5.8°C | 138 mm | 89% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1990 | 7.5°C | 4.8°C | 2.0°C | 11.4°C | -2.5°C | 279 mm | 92% | 1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1989 | 6.4°C | 3.7°C | 1.1°C | 10.9°C | -2.6°C | 142 mm | 93% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1988 | 6.2°C | 3.2°C | 0.2°C | 12.1°C | -6.2°C | 134 mm | 88% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1987 | 6.4°C | 3.8°C | 1.1°C | 12.0°C | -5.2°C | 213 mm | 90% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1986 | 8.9°C | 6.0°C | 3.0°C | 12.6°C | -0.5°C | 257 mm | 90% | 0.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1985 | 6.3°C | 2.8°C | -0.7°C | 12.1°C | -3.9°C | 19 mm | 87% | 0.6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1984 | 7.3°C | 4.6°C | 1.8°C | 12.2°C | -5.6°C | 158 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1983 | 8.7°C | 5.9°C | 3.1°C | 12.4°C | -2.9°C | 236 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.7°C | 2.4°C | 0.1°C | 9.6°C | -8.4°C | 202 mm | 92% | 1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 10.4°C | 6.7°C | 2.9°C | 14.1°C | -0.2°C | 79 mm | 86% | 0.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 7.2°C with lows near 1.7°C (mean 4.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 175 mm of rainfall in Federal Way, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 334 mm in 2006.
The hottest January reached 17.5°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to -12.8°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have held steady by about 0°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 1.4°C to 1.8°C while daytime highs eased from 7.5°C to 7.2°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Federal Way and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 7.2°C daytime highs and 1.7°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in Federal Way, averaging 4.5°C.
For January in Federal Way, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 7.2°C and lows of 1.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 90% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.8 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 1.1 m/s (2006).
The wettest January on record was 2006 with 334 mm. On average, January sees 175 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 Federal Way 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.
