January could be a good time to visit London, as the weather is generally fine. The average high temperature is around +8°C, and there are typically 2 sunny days in January. However, expect about 14 rainy days, and total monthly rainfall of approximately 54 mm. The weather is changeable so pack for every eventuality. Search flightsin one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
January is usually the coldest month of the year in London;
Average weather
☀️
+8°C
Avg. max. temperature
-11°C
Min.
+16°C
Max.
54 mm
Total precipitation
80%
Avg. humidity
4 m/s
Avg. wind
2 ☀️
Sunny Days
12 ⛅️
Cloudy
14 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: London has OK weather in January.
Average temperature in London in January
Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in London for January based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The expected average maximum temperature in January is +9°C with a maximum of +14°C and a minimum of -3°C.
The average maximum temperature goes down 6% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +13°C to +12°C.
Is London warm or cold in January?
London is typically cool in January.
Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +8°C to +8°C. The minimum temperature also goes down from +4°C to +3°C.
Pack a sweater and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.
January is the coldest month in London, here is the comparison with other months:
Climate in London in January
London weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
December
January
February
Avg. temperature
+8°C
+8°C
+8°C
Min. temperature
-13°C
-11°C
-15°C
Max. temperature
+16°C
+16°C
+19°C
Rainfall
59 mm
54 mm
41 mm
Wind
4 m/s
4 m/s
4 m/s
Humidity
82%
80%
77%
Air pressure
1014 HPa
1015 HPa
1015 HPa
Sunny days
2
2
3
Cloudy days
13
12
12
Rainy days
14
14
12
Snowy days
1
2
2
January weather is still as ok as in December.The temperature levels stay the same in the area of +8°C for average maximum temperature during the day.As January arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 59 mm to 54 mm.It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 82% to 80%.The average wind speed doesn’t change much during January, staying around 4 m/s.The amount of sunny days stay about the same, averaging 2 sunny days during the month.
February brings much the same weather, it remains ok.
Wind speed in London in January based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 8 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.
The average wind speed in London is gradually increasing during January, going from 4 m/s to 5 m/s over the course of the month.
Rain
Amount of rainfall in mm during January in London based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Total precipitation in January is about 87 mm, with a 52% chance of rain on a typical day. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 13 mm, which is considered light rain.January is a pretty wet month with over 16 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:
London wettest month is October, where a typical day has a 52% chance of precipitation and 68 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 41% chance of precipitation and 41 mm of rainfall per day.
How was the weather last January in London?
This is the weather in London in January 2023:
1 January
☁️
+13°C
2 January
☀️
+9°C
3 January
🌧️
+13°C
4 January
🌧️
+14°C
5 January
☁️
+13°C
6 January
☀️
+12°C
7 January
🌧️
+13°C
8 January
🌧️
+10°C
9 January
☀️
+9°C
10 January
☀️
+13°C
11 January
☀️
+11°C
12 January
🌧️
+13°C
13 January
☀️
+11°C
14 January
🌧️
+12°C
15 January
☀️
+8°C
16 January
☁️
+5°C
17 January
☀️
+2°C
18 January
☀️
+5°C
19 January
☀️
+5°C
20 January
☀️
+6°C
21 January
☀️
+6°C
22 January
☀️
+5°C
23 January
☁️
+5°C
24 January
☁️
+5°C
25 January
🌫️
+6°C
26 January
☁️
+7°C
27 January
☁️
+7°C
28 January
☁️
+6°C
29 January
☁️
+9°C
30 January
☀️
+9°C
31 January
☁️
+12°C
In January 2023 London had 14 sunny days, 10 cloudy days, and 6 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +9°C, with an absolute maximum of +14°C and a minimum of +2°C. The average humidity was 83%, with a maximum of 97% and a minimum of 59%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 11 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?
Climate Change over Years
This is how London climate have been changing during last 43 years period.
The climate in London in January has not changed much over the last 43 years.
The average temperature was the lowest in 1979 (+12°C) and the highest in 2022 (+17°C). The driest year was 1996 with only 431 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2021 with 1037 mm.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the weather in London in January:
Is January a good time to visit London?
It’s always a good time to visit London, 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 London in January?
Not really, January is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.
Is London rainy in January?
London 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 London in January?
Usually, it’s not very sunny in London in January, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.
Other cities in United Kingdom
Check out the weather for other cities in United Kingdom.
For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in London, 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.