Mongolia weather in January

Planning a journey to Mongolia this January and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What is the weather like in Mongolia in January?

January in Mongolia generally has very cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from almost none to low. The month of January is in the winter season.

The average maximum temperatures are very cold and range from -15°C in Ulaanbaatar to -7°C in Dalanzadgad. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to -19°C in Dalanzadgad and -28°C in Ulaanbaatar. In general, this month stands out as the coldest period throughout the year. Given the lower temperatures, it's essential to be well-prepared. Packing the right winter clothing and necessary accessories can make a significant difference in ensuring your comfort and well-being during this chilly season.

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From almost no snowfall in Zamiin Ude with an average of 1.9 mm to low snowfall in Baitag with 6.1 mm. Based on climate data from the last 30 years, Ulaanbaatar typically sees the least rain in this month, making it the driest month of the year. Most areas experience a moderate amount of sunshine, with approximately 180 hours of sunlight expected in Ulaanbaatar. This makes it neither too gloomy nor overly bright.

For specific regional insights in Mongolia for January, refer to the map provided below. For an in-depth overview of the yearly weather conditions, do visit our Mongolia climate page.

Where to go in Mongolia in January

Find the average weather conditions in January for the most popular destinations in Mongolia on the map below. Click on a destination dot for more detailed information.

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Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor
Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

Popular destinations in Mongolia

What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Mongolia?

Average weather in Ulaanbaatar

In January Ulaanbaatar generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -15°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -28°C and almost no monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Ulaanbaatar
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snowfall precipitationSnowfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
-13°C 
-25°C 
154 hours 
4.8 mm 
4 days 
poor 
-15°C 
-28°C 
180 hours 
3.6 mm 
3 days 
poor 
-10°C 
-24°C 
205 hours 
6.1 mm 
3 days 
poor 
Climate in Ulaanbaatar

Average weather in Gobi desert

In January Gobi desert generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -10°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -23°C and almost no monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Gobi desert
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
precipitationMonthly snowfall precipitationSnowfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
-8°C 
-20°C 
2.8 mm 
3 days 
poor 
-10°C 
-23°C 
2.4 mm 
3 days 
poor 
-5°C 
-19°C 
3.4 mm 
2 days 
poor 
Climate in Gobi desert

Average weather in Baitag

In January Baitag generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -11°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -23°C and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Baitag
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snowfall precipitationSnowfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
-10°C 
-21°C 
178 hours 
8 mm 
4 days 
poor 
-11°C 
-23°C 
201 hours 
6.1 mm 
4 days 
poor 
-6°C 
-20°C 
215 hours 
6.6 mm 
3 days 
poor 
Climate in Baitag

Average weather in Baruun Urt

In January Baruun Urt generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -14°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -25°C and almost no monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Baruun Urt
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snowfall precipitationSnowfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
-12°C 
-22°C 
183 hours 
5 mm 
4 days 
poor 
-14°C 
-25°C 
203 hours 
3.4 mm 
4 days 
poor 
-9°C 
-22°C 
216 hours 
5.5 mm 
3 days 
poor 
Climate in Baruun Urt

Average weather in Dalanzadgad

In January Dalanzadgad generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -7°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -19°C and almost no monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Dalanzadgad
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
precipitationMonthly snowfall precipitationSnowfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
-5°C 
-17°C 
2.9 mm 
3 days 
poor 
-7°C 
-19°C 
2.2 mm 
3 days 
poor 
-2°C 
-16°C 
3.7 mm 
2 days 
poor 
Climate in Dalanzadgad

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Mongolia.

Is January the best time to visit Mongolia?

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Ulaanbaatar, January may not be the ideal time to visit Mongolia.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, July and August offering mostly perfect weather in Ulaanbaatar. On the other hand, the weather in January, February, March, November and December tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Mongolia. Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.

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  • Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Mongolia? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Mongolia.

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