Inverness

Highlands Weather in January

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

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Inverness Fort William Fort Augustus Nairn

Planning a getaway to the Highlands, the United Kingdom this January and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:

What to Expect in the Highlands in January

The Highlands, the United Kingdom is a region in the United Kingdom. January in the Highlands generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. It's the height of winter.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are cold and range from 5°C (41°F) in Newtonmore to 9°C (48°F) in Dunvegan. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 5°C (41°F) in Dunvegan and -1°C (30°F) in Newtonmore. Typically, it's the chilliest month of the year. Making it a great time for staying indoors and enjoying the warmth. Make sure you're prepared by packing the right winter outfits.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of the Highlands, the United Kingdom, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Balintore with an average of 75 mm (3 in) to heavy rainfall in Arisaig with 269 mm (11 in). Going by our weather data, it is the wettest month of the year in Inverness.

Average sunshine

Sunshine is more limited in many areas during this month. Inverness receives about 40 hours of sunlight. For sunnier weather, check our weather planner to find destinations with better conditions.

Explore the Highlands by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in the Highlands in January

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

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 Highlands

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

Temperature range in the Highlands (January)

Precipitation variation in the Highlands (January)

Inverness

In January Inverness generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 7°C (45°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
7°C (45°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
27 hours
40 hours
75 hours
Monthly rainfall
92 mm (3.6 in)
99 mm (3.9 in)
91 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
20 days
19 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Inverness →

Fort William

In January Fort William generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
31 hours
33 hours
59 hours
Monthly rainfall
213 mm (8.4 in)
232 mm (9.1 in)
211 mm (8.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
24 days
24 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Fort William →

Fort Augustus

In January Fort Augustus generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
Min temperature
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
27 hours
40 hours
75 hours
Monthly rainfall
150 mm (5.9 in)
167 mm (6.6 in)
151 mm (5.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
24 days
23 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Fort Augustus →

Nairn

In January Nairn 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
27 hours
40 hours
75 hours
Monthly rainfall
76 mm (3 in)
80 mm (3.1 in)
74 mm (2.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
18 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Nairn →

Drumnadrochit

In January Drumnadrochit generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
6°C (43°F)
6°C (43°F)
7°C (45°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
27 hours
40 hours
75 hours
Monthly rainfall
113 mm (4.4 in)
124 mm (4.9 in)
113 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
22 days
21 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Drumnadrochit →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the Highlands, 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 Highlands in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Inverness 7°C (45°F) 1°C (34°F) 99 mm (3.9 in)
Fort William 6°C (43°F) 1°C (34°F) 232 mm (9.1 in)
Fort Augustus 6°C (43°F) 0°C (32°F) 167 mm (6.6 in)
Nairn 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Drumnadrochit 6°C (43°F) 1°C (34°F) 124 mm (4.9 in)
Grantown on Spey 6°C (43°F) 0°C (32°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)

The Highlands weather in January: frequently asked questions

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

Expect poor weather across the Highlands, the United Kingdom in January. The popular destination of Inverness averages 7°C (45°F) by day and 1°C (34°F) at night during this winter month.

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

Average temperatures in the Highlands, the United Kingdom during January range from a nighttime low near 1°C (34°F) to a daytime high around 7°C (45°F) in Inverness.

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

January is on the drier side in the Highlands, the United Kingdom. Inverness averages only about 99 mm (3.9 in), with most days staying dry.

Is January a Good Time to Visit the Highlands, the United Kingdom?

In our opinion, January may not be the ideal time to visit the Highlands, the United Kingdom due to the typically poor weather in Inverness.

Generally speaking, July and August provide pleasant weather in Inverness. On the other hand, the months of January, February, March, November and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the Highlands.

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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