If you plan to visit Basel in January, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +5°C during the day and approximately 3 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 11 rainy days in the month and around 68 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flightsin one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
January is usually the coldest month of the year in Basel;
Average weather
☀️
+5°C
Avg. max. temperature
-23°C
Min.
+18°C
Max.
68 mm
Total precipitation
82%
Avg. humidity
2 m/s
Avg. wind
3 ☀️
Sunny Days
10 ⛅️
Cloudy
11 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Basel has OK weather in January.
Average temperature in Basel in January
Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Basel for January based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Going from a maximum of +17°C during the day to a minimum of -5°C during the night, the temperature in January averages around +7°C.
The average maximum temperature goes down 50% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +17°C to +6°C.
Is Basel warm or cold in January?
Basel is typically cool in January.
Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +6°C to +5°C. The minimum temperature also goes down from +1°C to -1°C.
Pack a sweater and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.
January is the coldest month in Basel, here is the comparison with other months:
Climate in Basel in January
Basel weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
December
January
February
Avg. temperature
+6°C
+5°C
+7°C
Min. temperature
-17°C
-23°C
-20°C
Max. temperature
+18°C
+18°C
+21°C
Rainfall
81 mm
68 mm
58 mm
Wind
2 m/s
2 m/s
2 m/s
Humidity
83%
82%
77%
Air pressure
1018 HPa
1019 HPa
1018 HPa
Sunny days
3
3
5
Cloudy days
10
10
8
Rainy days
13
11
10
Snowy days
5
6
5
January weather is still as ok as in December.It’s getting colder in January. From +6°C in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +5°C.As January arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 81 mm to 68 mm.It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 83% to 82%.The average wind speed doesn’t change much during January, staying around 2 m/s.The amount of sunny days stay about the same, averaging 3 sunny days during the month.
February brings much the same weather, it remains ok.
Wind speed in Basel in January based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The average wind speed is 3 m/s getting up to 6 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.
The average wind speed in Basel is gradually increasing during January, going from 2 m/s to 2 m/s over the course of the month.
Rain
Amount of rainfall in mm during January in Basel based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 61% chance of rain on an average day in January, with total rainfall of approximately 65 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 13 mm, which is considered light rain.January is a pretty wet month with over 19 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of galoshes.
Here’s how January is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Basel wettest month is May, where a typical day has a 58% chance of precipitation and 129 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 34% chance of precipitation and 58 mm of rainfall per day.
Snow
Amount of snow in mm during January in Basel based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 0% chance of snow on an average day in January, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 2 mm.
January is one of the snowiest months in Basel.
Here’s how January is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:
How was the weather last January in Basel?
This is the weather in Basel in January 2023:
1 January
☀️
+17°C
2 January
☀️
+15°C
3 January
🌧️
+10°C
4 January
☁️
+11°C
5 January
🌧️
+13°C
6 January
☁️
+11°C
7 January
☀️
+12°C
8 January
🌧️
+8°C
9 January
🌧️
+8°C
10 January
🌧️
+8°C
11 January
🌧️
+11°C
12 January
☁️
+11°C
13 January
🌧️
+11°C
14 January
🌧️
+12°C
15 January
🌧️
+13°C
16 January
🌧️
+8°C
17 January
🌧️
+4°C
18 January
🌧️
+2°C
19 January
☁️
+2°C
20 January
☀️
+2°C
21 January
☀️
+1°C
22 January
☁️
+1°C
23 January
☁️
+2°C
24 January
☁️
+4°C
25 January
🌫️
+3°C
26 January
☁️
+1°C
27 January
☁️
+1°C
28 January
☁️
+3°C
29 January
☁️
+3°C
30 January
☁️
+5°C
31 January
☁️
+6°C
In January 2023 Basel had 5 sunny days, 13 cloudy days, and 12 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +7°C, with an absolute maximum of +17°C and a minimum of +1°C. The average humidity was 81%, with a maximum of 96% and a minimum of 56%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 12 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?
Climate Change over Years
This is how Basel climate have been changing during last 43 years period.
The climate in Basel in January has not changed much over the last 43 years.
The average temperature was the lowest in 1980 (+14°C) and the highest in 2022 (+18°C). The driest year was 1991 with only 753 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2016 with 1490 mm.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the weather in Basel in January:
Is January a good time to visit Basel?
It’s always a good time to visit Basel, but the weather is changeable in January, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.
Can you sunbathe in Basel in January?
Not really, January is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.
Is Basel rainy in January?
Basel is often rainy in January. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.
Is it sunny in Basel in January?
Usually, it’s not very sunny in Basel in January, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.
Other cities in Switzerland
Check out the weather for other cities in Switzerland.
For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Basel, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.
For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.