January is one of the cooler months of the year in Yakima, with average highs near 1.5°C and lows around -4.9°C (mean -1.7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 89 mm of rainfall and 90% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Yakima. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Yakima was 1994 — when the month averaged 1.7°C — while the coldest was 1993 at -7.3°C. Typical January days reach 1.5°C with nights near -4.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Yakima, averaging 89 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1990 with 195 mm, while the driest was 1985 at 16 mm.
Relative humidity in Yakima during January averages 90%. The most humid January was 1993 at 95%, and the least humid was 2014 at 86%.
January receives about 1.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Yakima. The sunniest January was 2025 at 1.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2006 and 2024 at 1.
Average wind speed in Yakima during January is 1.4 m/s. The windiest January was 1990 at 2.1 m/s, while the calmest was 1985 at 1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -2.3°C | -1.9°C | -1.8°C | -1.3°C | -1.0°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg High | 0.9°C | 1.4°C | 1.4°C | 1.9°C | 2.2°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Low | -5.4°C | -5.1°C | -5.0°C | -4.5°C | -4.2°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 91 mm | 116 mm | 92 mm | 67 mm | 72 mm | -20 mm |
January temperatures in Yakima have risen by about 1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of -28.2°C (1996) to a record high of 11.5°C (2005).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 89 mm, with a wettest year of 195 mm.
A quieter season to visit Yakima
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Yakima. That said, January — with days averaging 1.5°C and nights around -4.9°C (mean -1.7°C) and higher rainfall (89 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 | -2.5°C | -6.3°C | 5.0°C | -11.4°C | 37 mm | 87% | 1.2 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2024 | -0.2°C | -2.9°C | -5.7°C | 7.1°C | -22.3°C | 104 mm | 90% | 1.5 m/s | 1 |
| 2023 | 2.5°C | -0.6°C | -3.8°C | 6.9°C | -11.6°C | 48 mm | 89% | 1.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2022 | 2.1°C | -1.3°C | -4.8°C | 7.6°C | -15.6°C | 70 mm | 89% | 1.2 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2021 | 3.7°C | 0.6°C | -2.6°C | 7.8°C | -5.5°C | 74 mm | 88% | 1.2 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2020 | 3.9°C | 0.9°C | -2.2°C | 11.0°C | -8.4°C | 97 mm | 89% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2019 | 2.9°C | -0.2°C | -3.4°C | 7.5°C | -8.1°C | 61 mm | 89% | 1.4 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2018 | 3.2°C | 0.5°C | -2.2°C | 7.9°C | -8.1°C | 82 mm | 92% | 1.5 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2017 | -3.8°C | -7.1°C | -10.5°C | 1.7°C | -18.6°C | 65 mm | 91% | 1.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2016 | 0.9°C | -1.8°C | -4.5°C | 5.3°C | -15.7°C | 93 mm | 95% | 1.1 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2015 | 4.1°C | 0.9°C | -2.3°C | 11.4°C | -10.4°C | 49 mm | 89% | 1.2 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2014 | 3.4°C | 0.0°C | -3.4°C | 9.7°C | -7.7°C | 50 mm | 86% | 1.5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 0.2°C | -3.4°C | -7.1°C | 5.6°C | -13.9°C | 30 mm | 89% | 1.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2012 | 2.1°C | -1.2°C | -4.6°C | 7.7°C | -11.6°C | 95 mm | 86% | 1.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2011 | 3.1°C | -0.7°C | -4.4°C | 10.4°C | -17.8°C | 69 mm | 87% | 1.6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2010 | 2.8°C | 0.2°C | -2.5°C | 6.9°C | -12.1°C | 82 mm | 91% | 1.2 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2009 | 0.7°C | -2.9°C | -6.5°C | 6.5°C | -14.4°C | 104 mm | 88% | 1.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2008 | -0.3°C | -3.7°C | -7.1°C | 3.1°C | -14.3°C | 76 mm | 88% | 1.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2007 | 1.1°C | -2.6°C | -6.3°C | 8.4°C | -13.8°C | 48 mm | 88% | 1.4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2006 | 3.4°C | 0.8°C | -1.9°C | 6.9°C | -5.2°C | 151 mm | 93% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2005 | 2.4°C | -1.4°C | -5.2°C | 11.5°C | -15.3°C | 51 mm | 89% | 1.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2004 | -0.5°C | -3.2°C | -5.8°C | 6.2°C | -22.2°C | 99 mm | 93% | 1.4 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2003 | 3.1°C | 0.2°C | -2.6°C | 11.4°C | -6.6°C | 134 mm | 93% | 1.2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2002 | 2.5°C | -0.6°C | -3.7°C | 5.5°C | -9.6°C | 84 mm | 89% | 1.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2001 | 1.0°C | -2.1°C | -5.2°C | 5.6°C | -9.8°C | 35 mm | 92% | 1.2 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2000 | 0.7°C | -2.6°C | -5.9°C | 3.9°C | -10.5°C | 133 mm | 93% | 1.5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1999 | 3.1°C | 0.0°C | -3.1°C | 7.1°C | -11.6°C | 118 mm | 91% | 1.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1998 | 1.1°C | -1.6°C | -4.4°C | 7.3°C | -18.2°C | 125 mm | 92% | 1.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1997 | -0.2°C | -3.2°C | -6.2°C | 4.6°C | -18.2°C | 110 mm | 90% | 1.5 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1996 | 0.2°C | -3.3°C | -6.9°C | 7.9°C | -28.2°C | 131 mm | 91% | 1.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1995 | 0.4°C | -2.6°C | -5.5°C | 10.4°C | -14.1°C | 157 mm | 92% | 1.4 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1994 🔥 | 5.0°C | 1.7°C | -1.6°C | 9.3°C | -5.1°C | 82 mm | 89% | 1.2 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1993 ❄️ | -3.7°C | -7.3°C | -11.0°C | 3.5°C | -21.2°C | 77 mm | 95% | 1.5 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1992 | 2.3°C | -0.9°C | -4.1°C | 9.4°C | -11.0°C | 91 mm | 93% | 1.2 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1991 | 1.9°C | -2.1°C | -6.1°C | 8.5°C | -15.0°C | 73 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1990 🌧️ | 3.6°C | 0.5°C | -2.6°C | 8.1°C | -7.7°C | 195 mm | 88% | 2.1 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1989 | 2.5°C | -0.7°C | -4.0°C | 6.5°C | -9.0°C | 98 mm | 88% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1988 | -1.0°C | -4.2°C | -7.4°C | 5.1°C | -15.7°C | 89 mm | 91% | 1.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1987 | 0.3°C | -3.0°C | -6.4°C | 3.8°C | -15.2°C | 115 mm | 93% | 1.2 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1986 | 1.4°C | -1.3°C | -4.0°C | 5.0°C | -8.5°C | 129 mm | 95% | 1.4 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1985 | -2.3°C | -5.9°C | -9.5°C | 2.7°C | -15.2°C | 16 mm | 92% | 1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1984 | 2.1°C | -1.4°C | -4.9°C | 10.3°C | -14.9°C | 76 mm | 90% | 1.6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1983 | 1.6°C | -0.8°C | -3.2°C | 6.2°C | -14.6°C | 136 mm | 94% | 1.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | -0.1°C | -3.3°C | -6.4°C | 4.0°C | -20.3°C | 128 mm | 92% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 3.2°C | 0.1°C | -3.1°C | 9.1°C | -6.9°C | 37 mm | 91% | 1.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 1.5°C with lows near -4.9°C (mean -1.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 89 mm of rainfall in Yakima, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 195 mm in 1990.
The hottest January reached 11.5°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to -28.2°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1°C. Daytime highs moved from 0.9°C to 1.9°C and overnight lows from -5.4°C to -4.6°C over the same span.
January is one of the cooler months of the year in Yakima and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 1.5°C daytime highs and -4.9°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 2nd coolest month in Yakima, averaging -1.7°C.
For January in Yakima, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 1.5°C and lows of -4.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 90% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1.4 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 2.1 m/s (1990).
The wettest January on record was 1990 with 195 mm. On average, January sees 89 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 Yakima 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.
