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CanadaCanada Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories Canada
Weather in January
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Weather in January in Northwest Territories

Thinking about venturing to Northwest Territories this January and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:

What is the weather like in Northwest Territories in January?

Northwest Territories is a region in Canada. January in Northwest Territories generally has very cold temperatures, with low precipitation. The month of January is in the winter season.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are very cold and range from -22°C in Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve to -17°C in Hay River. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to -24°C in Hay River and -27°C in Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve. 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.

For a closer look at conditions across Northwest Territories, refer to the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From low snowfall in Yellowknife with an average of 16 mm to low snowfall in Fort Simpson with 20 mm.

Average sunshine

Most areas see fewer sunny days, with a projection of about 6 hours of sunshine in Inuvik. This reduced sunlight makes it ideal for those who prefer dimmer, overcast conditions over bright sunny days.

For a more detailed look at Northwest Territories's conditions throughout the year, check out our Northwest Territories climate page.

Where to go in Northwest Territories in January

Find more information for the most popular destinations in the Northwest Territories on the map below. Click on a destination dot for more details.

Weather conditions Weather
Temperatures
Precipitation
Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.
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).

Select a Month of Interest

Check the conditions for any month of the year.

For a detailed overview over the year and the best time to visit Canada, check out our Northwest Territories's climate page.

Popular destinations

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

Inuvik

In January Inuvik generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -21°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -28°C and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Inuvik
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
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
-2°C 
-11°C 
1,900 hours 
312 mm 
124 days 
poor 
January January
-21°C 
-28°C 
6 hours 
19 mm 
10 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
-20°C 
-27°C 
67 hours 
16 mm 
9 days 
poor 
Climate in Inuvik

Yellowknife

In January Yellowknife generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -21°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -28°C and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Yellowknife
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
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
1°C 
-7°C 
2,251 hours 
317 mm 
115 days 
poor 
January January
-21°C 
-28°C 
50 hours 
16 mm 
10 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
-18°C 
-26°C 
107 hours 
12 mm 
9 days 
poor 
Climate in Yellowknife

Hay River

In January Hay River generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -17°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -24°C and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Hay River
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
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
3°C 
-5°C 
381 mm 
119 days 
poor 
January January
-17°C 
-24°C 
19 mm 
12 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
-14°C 
-22°C 
15 mm 
9 days 
poor 
Climate in Hay River

Fort Simpson

In January Fort Simpson generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -19°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -27°C and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Fort Simpson
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
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
4°C 
-7°C 
2,088 hours 
408 mm 
123 days 
poor 
January January
-19°C 
-27°C 
55 hours 
20 mm 
12 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
-14°C 
-23°C 
96 hours 
16 mm 
10 days 
poor 
Climate in Fort Simpson

Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve

In January Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -22°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -27°C and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve
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
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
-2°C 
-7°C 
400 mm 
123 days 
poor 
January January
-22°C 
-27°C 
18 mm 
11 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
-20°C 
-25°C 
15 mm 
9 days 
poor 
Climate in Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Northwest Territories, in Canada.

Is January the best time to visit Northwest Territories?

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Inuvik, January may not be the ideal time to visit Northwest Territories.

Generally speaking, July provides perfect weather in Inuvik. On the other hand, the months of January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Northwest Territories.

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

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.