January is one of the cooler months of the year in Vancouver, with average highs near 6.8°C and lows around 0.7°C (mean 3.8°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 224 mm of rainfall and 92% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Vancouver. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Vancouver was 2003 — when the month averaged 6.3°C — while the coldest was 1993 at -0.4°C. Typical January days reach 6.8°C with nights near 0.7°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Vancouver, averaging 224 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2006 with 457 mm, while the driest was 1985 at 18 mm.
Relative humidity in Vancouver during January averages 92%. The most humid January was 2006 at 96%, and the least humid was 1985 at 87%.
January receives about 1.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Vancouver. The sunniest January was 2025 at 1.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2006 and 2020 at 0.9.
Average wind speed in Vancouver during January is 0.8 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 2018, 2020 and 2024, among others at 1 m/s, while the calmest was 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 | 3.5°C | 3.7°C | 3.5°C | 4.1°C | 4.3°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg High | 6.8°C | 6.7°C | 6.4°C | 7.2°C | 7.2°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Low | 0.3°C | 0.7°C | 0.6°C | 0.9°C | 1.3°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 200 mm | 260 mm | 236 mm | 186 mm | 244 mm | +44 mm |
January temperatures in Vancouver have risen by about 0.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -15.9°C (1996) to a record high of 16.7°C (2005).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 224 mm, with a wettest year of 457 mm.
A quieter season to visit Vancouver
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Vancouver. That said, January — with days averaging 6.8°C and nights around 0.7°C (mean 3.8°C) and higher rainfall (224 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 | 6.5°C | 3.0°C | -0.6°C | 9.1°C | -4.1°C | 109 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2024 | 6.2°C | 3.5°C | 0.8°C | 16.1°C | -12.9°C | 358 mm | 96% | 1 m/s | 1 |
| 2023 | 7.0°C | 4.3°C | 1.6°C | 12.0°C | -5.6°C | 141 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2022 | 8.2°C | 4.5°C | 0.9°C | 12.6°C | -10.9°C | 224 mm | 91% | 0.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2021 | 8.0°C | 5.0°C | 2.1°C | 13.2°C | -2.7°C | 268 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2020 | 7.3°C | 5.2°C | 3.1°C | 12.4°C | -5.1°C | 361 mm | 96% | 1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2019 | 8.0°C | 4.7°C | 1.4°C | 12.1°C | -2.8°C | 118 mm | 89% | 0.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2018 | 8.3°C | 5.5°C | 2.8°C | 13.7°C | -2.1°C | 249 mm | 93% | 1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2017 | 3.3°C | -0.2°C | -3.7°C | 10.5°C | -10.6°C | 141 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2016 | 7.2°C | 4.5°C | 1.7°C | 14.0°C | -8.2°C | 237 mm | 94% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2015 | 9.6°C | 5.9°C | 2.2°C | 16.7°C | -6.3°C | 118 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2014 | 8.1°C | 4.5°C | 0.8°C | 10.8°C | -3.5°C | 158 mm | 89% | 0.8 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 4.9°C | 2.1°C | -0.7°C | 8.6°C | -5.6°C | 122 mm | 92% | 0.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2012 | 7.0°C | 3.9°C | 0.8°C | 11.9°C | -4.0°C | 315 mm | 90% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2011 | 7.0°C | 4.1°C | 1.1°C | 12.5°C | -6.9°C | 195 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2010 | 8.5°C | 5.7°C | 3.0°C | 11.7°C | -1.1°C | 202 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2009 | 6.0°C | 2.6°C | -0.7°C | 10.7°C | -6.4°C | 209 mm | 89% | 0.8 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2008 | 4.1°C | 1.6°C | -1.0°C | 10.0°C | -7.0°C | 261 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2007 | 5.3°C | 2.0°C | -1.4°C | 12.2°C | -9.1°C | 156 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2006 🌧️ | 7.8°C | 5.5°C | 3.2°C | 12.5°C | 0.6°C | 457 mm | 96% | 1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2005 | 8.0°C | 4.6°C | 1.3°C | 16.7°C | -5.0°C | 99 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2004 | 5.7°C | 3.0°C | 0.4°C | 11.7°C | -13.4°C | 261 mm | 96% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2003 🔥 | 9.7°C | 6.3°C | 2.9°C | 13.8°C | -1.3°C | 282 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2002 | 5.6°C | 3.2°C | 0.8°C | 13.9°C | -5.5°C | 306 mm | 95% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2001 | 7.1°C | 3.8°C | 0.5°C | 14.6°C | -4.4°C | 78 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2000 | 5.1°C | 2.5°C | -0.1°C | 8.3°C | -3.7°C | 248 mm | 95% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1999 | 6.9°C | 4.3°C | 1.7°C | 12.4°C | -4.9°C | 269 mm | 93% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1998 | 7.3°C | 4.5°C | 1.6°C | 12.2°C | -8.9°C | 326 mm | 95% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1997 | 6.1°C | 3.2°C | 0.3°C | 12.3°C | -8.2°C | 281 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1996 | 5.6°C | 3.2°C | 0.7°C | 12.3°C | -15.9°C | 330 mm | 95% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1995 | 7.4°C | 4.2°C | 1.0°C | 13.8°C | -7.1°C | 296 mm | 90% | 1 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1994 | 9.3°C | 5.8°C | 2.4°C | 14.2°C | -3.2°C | 183 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 2.9°C | -0.4°C | -3.8°C | 11.0°C | -12.6°C | 147 mm | 94% | 0.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1992 | 8.0°C | 5.0°C | 2.1°C | 13.4°C | -3.3°C | 205 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1991 | 5.8°C | 2.6°C | -0.7°C | 12.2°C | -9.1°C | 155 mm | 89% | 0.7 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1990 | 7.3°C | 4.5°C | 1.8°C | 13.0°C | -2.9°C | 410 mm | 93% | 1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1989 | 6.5°C | 3.7°C | 1.0°C | 11.9°C | -3.7°C | 227 mm | 95% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1988 | 5.2°C | 2.1°C | -1.0°C | 14.7°C | -7.3°C | 236 mm | 92% | 0.9 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1987 | 6.6°C | 3.2°C | -0.1°C | 12.2°C | -5.7°C | 264 mm | 92% | 0.9 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1986 | 9.0°C | 5.6°C | 2.2°C | 12.8°C | -2.0°C | 240 mm | 94% | 0.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1985 | 5.5°C | 1.6°C | -2.4°C | 16.0°C | -6.1°C | 18 mm | 87% | 0.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1984 | 7.3°C | 3.9°C | 0.6°C | 14.3°C | -7.8°C | 143 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1983 | 8.5°C | 5.4°C | 2.3°C | 14.6°C | -4.3°C | 293 mm | 93% | 0.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 3.9°C | 1.4°C | -1.1°C | 11.1°C | -14.8°C | 302 mm | 95% | 0.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 8.4°C | 4.7°C | 1.1°C | 13.9°C | -2.1°C | 75 mm | 90% | 0.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 6.8°C with lows near 0.7°C (mean 3.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 224 mm of rainfall in Vancouver, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 457 mm in 2006.
The hottest January reached 16.7°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to -15.9°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.7°C. Daytime highs moved from 6.7°C to 7.2°C and overnight lows from 0.1°C to 1°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Vancouver and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 6.8°C daytime highs and 0.7°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in Vancouver, averaging 3.8°C.
For January in Vancouver, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.8°C and lows of 0.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 92% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 0.8 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 1 m/s (1990).
The wettest January on record was 2006 with 457 mm. On average, January sees 224 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 Vancouver 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.
