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United Kingdom Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the United Kingdom in January.

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London Edinburgh Blackpool Torquay

Considering a trip to the United Kingdom this January and wondering about the expected weather conditions? Find all the crucial information you need right here, addressing your question:

What to Expect in the United Kingdom in January

January in the United Kingdom generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. January is a winter month.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are cold and range from 4°C (39°F) in Inverey to 12°C (54°F) in Hugh Town. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 9°C (48°F) in Hugh Town and -1°C (30°F) in Inverey. On average, January is the coldest month of the year in the United Kingdom. So be prepared and make sure to pack winter cloths.

To explore the conditions in the United Kingdom in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in South Clifton with an average of 52 mm (2 in) to heavy rainfall in Cullipool with 277 mm (11 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is more limited in many areas during this month. London receives about 62 hours of sunlight. For sunnier weather, check our weather planner to find destinations with better conditions.

Explore the United Kingdom by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the United Kingdom — and find the best time to visit. (based on London)

January9°C (48°F) February9°C (48°F) March12°C (54°F) April15°C (59°F) May18°C (64°F) June21°C (70°F) This monthJuly23°C (73°F) August23°C (73°F) September20°C (68°F) October16°C (61°F) November12°C (54°F) December9°C (48°F)
Best Time to Visit the United Kingdom →

Best Places to Visit in the United Kingdom in January

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across the United Kingdom.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in the United Kingdom

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in the United Kingdom?

Temperature range in the United Kingdom (January)

Precipitation variation in the United Kingdom (January)

London

In January London generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
Monthly sun hours
54 hours
62 hours
78 hours
Monthly rainfall
63 mm (2.5 in)
60 mm (2.4 in)
55 mm (2.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
18 days
13 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in London →

Edinburgh

In January Edinburgh generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
48 hours
54 hours
81 hours
Monthly rainfall
85 mm (3.3 in)
84 mm (3.3 in)
78 mm (3.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
18 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Edinburgh →

Blackpool

In January Blackpool generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
49 hours
57 hours
79 hours
Monthly rainfall
154 mm (6.1 in)
123 mm (4.8 in)
110 mm (4.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
19 days
14 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Blackpool →

York

In January York generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
48 hours
42 hours
61 hours
Monthly rainfall
64 mm (2.5 in)
59 mm (2.3 in)
57 mm (2.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
18 days
14 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in York →

Torquay

In January Torquay generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (50°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
10°C (50°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
53 hours
59 hours
81 hours
Monthly rainfall
94 mm (3.7 in)
87 mm (3.4 in)
75 mm (3 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
19 days
15 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Torquay →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the United Kingdom.

In our records: the United Kingdom January extremes

Notable January records observed across cities in the United Kingdom in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • Based on our data, the coldest January night in the United Kingdom dropped to -20°C (-4°F) in Birmingham on January 14, 1982.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the United Kingdom in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
London 9°C (48°F) 3°C (37°F) 60 mm (2.4 in)
Edinburgh 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 84 mm (3.3 in)
Blackpool 9°C (48°F) 5°C (41°F) 123 mm (4.8 in)
Torquay 10°C (50°F) 5°C (41°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Glasgow 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 132 mm (5.2 in)
Manchester 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)

The United Kingdom weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the United Kingdom in January?

In January, the United Kingdom generally has poor weather conditions. London sees daytime temperatures near 9°C (48°F), with nights cooling to roughly 3°C (37°F).

What is the average temperature in the United Kingdom in January?

Daytime temperatures in London peak at roughly 9°C (48°F) in January, dropping to about 3°C (37°F) overnight.

Does the United Kingdom get a lot of rain in January?

Rain is generally moderate to light in the United Kingdom during January, with London averaging close to 60 mm (2.4 in).

Is January a Good Time to Visit the United Kingdom?

In our view, January might not be the best time to travel to the United Kingdom with often poor weather in London.

On average, the best time to visit the United Kingdom is in June, July, August and September with generally perfect weather in London. On the other hand, the months of January, February and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the United Kingdom.

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

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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