Russia
Moscow in January
In January, Moscow averages a daytime high of -4 °C and a night-time low of -9 °C, with about 48 mm of rain over the month. It falls outside Moscow's most comfortable months, May, June and August.
- Average high
- -4 °C
- Average low
- -9 °C
- Rain in the month
- 48 mm
- Daylight on 15 Jan
- 7 h 40 min
- Comfortable month
- No
- Places to stay
- 132
When to go
How January compares with the rest of the year in Moscow
January is the coolest month in Moscow by average daytime high; across the year the highs run from -4 °C to 24 °C and the lows from -9 °C to 14 °C. By day, January is 2 °C cooler than December, and February is 1 °C warmer than January.
January brings 48 mm of rain, less than the monthly average of 57 mm (685 mm a year); it is the 9th wettest month.
On 15 January the sun is up for about 7 h 40 min, against 7 h at the shortest and 17 h 30 min at the longest point of the year (calculated from the latitude, sunrise to sunset).
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -4 °C | -9 °C | 48 mm | |
| February | -3 °C | -9 °C | 43 mm | |
| March | 3 °C | -5 °C | 37 mm | |
| April | 12 °C | 2 °C | 39 mm | |
| May | 19 °C | 8 °C | 57 mm | Yes |
| June | 22 °C | 12 °C | 76 mm | Yes |
| July | 24 °C | 14 °C | 84 mm | |
| August | 23 °C | 13 °C | 71 mm | Yes |
| September | 16 °C | 8 °C | 60 mm | |
| October | 9 °C | 3 °C | 67 mm | |
| November | 2 °C | -3 °C | 50 mm | |
| December | -2 °C | -7 °C | 56 mm |
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
When to go
Is January a good time to visit Moscow?
Not by the measure used here: the average high of -4 °C is below 18 °C. The comfortable months in Moscow are May, June and August; the nearest are August, before, and May, after.
The measure is about weather for a city stay only; it says nothing about events, school holidays or prices.
Public holidays in Russia in January
Nationwide public holidays; shops and offices may close on these dates.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Moscow
This guide lists 132 places to stay in Moscow, hotels recorded in Wikidata. By straight-line distance from the centre: under 1 km, 12; 1–3 km, 60; 3–10 km, 60.
Sources: climate from CRU TS v4.10 (Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia; Open Database License), 1991–2020 averages; day length calculated from the latitude; public holidays from python-holidays (MIT); places to stay from each operator's own public pages and Wikidata. How this guide is made.