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Washington in January

A shoulder month — score 57 of 100

Typical January days in Washington reach about 45°F with nights near 30°F; about 5 inches of snow falls in a typical month.

What to pack for Washington in January

• A real winter coat — typical nights drop below freezing, to about 30°F.
• A compact rain layer — about 10 days see rain in a typical January.
• Warm, waterproof boots for slush and snow days.

Every packing line is triggered by a number on this page — the rules are on How we pick.

January vs. the alternatives

The whole year in Washington

Averages are the 1991–2020 climate normals (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information) for the station named on each page. Rain days = days with at least 0.01 in of precipitation. Daylight is computed for the middle of the month.