Chicago - Recent January Temperatures, Rain & Snow

The numbers here describe what the January weather in Chicago, Illinois was like for every year since 2010. A series of tables gives January data by year for temperature, precipitation and snowfall.

They begin with average maximum and minimum temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit and Celsius. That's followed by how many cold days occurred each January. Then there's information on how much rain and snow actually landed this month during recent years, as well as how often Chicago had wet or snowy weather.

The climate data come from weather measurements made at Chicago's Midway Airport.

Temperature Weather iconTemperature

January temperature averages by year in Chicago
High °F Low °F Year High °C Low °C
38 28 2023 3 -3
31 15 2022 -1 -10
35 25 2021 2 -4
37 26 2020 3 -3
29 16 2019 -2 -9
33 18 2018 0 -8
36 25 2017 2 -4
34 20 2016 1 -6
32 19 2015 0 -7
26 8 2014 -4 -13
36 19 2013 2 -7
39 23 2012 4 -5
28 16 2011 -2 -9
28 17 2010 -2 -8
Number of days in January when the temperature in Chicago dropped to 0 or 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower
Year 0 °F
-18 °C
32 °F
0 °C
2023 0 21
2022 1 31
2021 0 29
2020 0 26
2019 6 29
2018 4 26
2017 0 22
2016 1 27
2015 4 30
2014 9 31
2013 1 28
2012 0 28
2011 1 31
2010 1 29

Rainy Weather iconPrecipitation

This table gives the total precipitation that fell on Chicago during January in each year from 2010. The number of days with precipitation counts the days when rainfall or snowfall (when melted) amounted to 0.01 inches (0.3 millimeters) or more.

Total precipitation for January in Chicago
Days Year Inches Milli­metres
13 2023 2.5 63
10 2022 1.1 28
10 2021 2.0 51
10 2020 3.1 80
13 2019 1.9 49
10 2018 1.1 29
13 2017 3.3 84
11 2016 1.0 25
12 2015 1.6 40
19 2014 3.2 82
12 2013 3.2 81
13 2012 2.2 55
10 2011 0.7 18
7 2010 1.1 27

Snowy Weather iconSnow

Amount of snowfall in Chicago for January and number of days when new snow totalled at least 1 inch (2.5 centimetres)
Days Year Inches Centi­metres
1 2023 6.7 17
5 2022 18.1 46
5 2021 19.9 51
3 2020 6.8 17
6 2019 21.7 55
1 2018 5.0 13
0 2017 0.6 2
2 2016 6.4 16
5 2015 11.4 29
8 2014 37.0 94
0 2013 2.1 5
2 2012 15.5 39
1 2011 9.3 24
2 2010 7.4 19
Reference

Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Month, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 

Chicago - Recent Years
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