District of Columbia · United States
Washington, D.C. in January
In January, Washington, D.C. averages a daytime high of 7 °C and a night-time low of -3 °C, with about 71 mm of rain over the month. Washington, D.C. has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here.
- Average high
- 7 °C
- Average low
- -3 °C
- Rain in the month
- 71 mm
- Daylight on 15 Jan
- 9 h 50 min
- Comfortable month
- No
- Places to stay
- 94
When to go
How January compares with the rest of the year in Washington, D.C.
January is the coolest month in Washington, D.C. by average daytime high; across the year the highs run from 7 °C to 31 °C and the lows from -3 °C to 21 °C. By day, January is 2 °C cooler than December, and February is 2 °C warmer than January.
January brings 71 mm of rain, less than the monthly average of 89 mm (1067 mm a year); it is the 11th wettest month.
On 15 January the sun is up for about 9 h 50 min, against 9 h 30 min at the shortest and 14 h 50 min at the longest point of the year (calculated from the latitude, sunrise to sunset).
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7 °C | -3 °C | 71 mm | |
| February | 8 °C | -2 °C | 66 mm | |
| March | 13 °C | 2 °C | 95 mm | |
| April | 19 °C | 7 °C | 81 mm | |
| May | 24 °C | 13 °C | 89 mm | |
| June | 29 °C | 18 °C | 96 mm | |
| July | 31 °C | 21 °C | 106 mm | |
| August | 30 °C | 20 °C | 96 mm | |
| September | 26 °C | 16 °C | 106 mm | |
| October | 20 °C | 9 °C | 90 mm | |
| November | 14 °C | 3 °C | 80 mm | |
| December | 9 °C | -1 °C | 92 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 Washington, D.C.?
Not by the measure used here: the average high of 7 °C is below 18 °C. No month in Washington, D.C. meets it.
The measure is about weather for a city stay only; it says nothing about events, school holidays or prices.
Public holidays in United States in January
Nationwide public holidays; shops and offices may close on these dates.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Washington, D.C.
This guide lists 94 places to stay in Washington, D.C., hotels recorded in Wikidata. By straight-line distance from the centre: under 1 km, 16; 1–3 km, 68; 3–10 km, 10.
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.