Västerbotten Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Västerbotten, Sweden in January.

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Umeå Byske Skellefteå Karlsten

Are you planning a trip a to Västerbotten, Sweden in January and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.

What to Expect in Västerbotten in January

Västerbotten, Sweden is a region in Sweden. January in Västerbotten generally has very cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to high. January falls during the winter season.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are very cold and range from -5°C (23°F) in Tärnaby to -2°C (28°F) in Umeå. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to -8°C (18°F) in Umeå and -12°C (10°F) in Tärnaby. January is a very cold month in some areas, so be prepared and make sure to dress up warm.

To explore the conditions in Västerbotten, Sweden in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate snowfall in Byske with an average of 50 mm (2 in) to high snowfall in Hemavan with 113 mm (4.4 in).

Average sunshine

Many places experience limited sunshine during this period. Umeå receives around 32 hours of sunlight. If you prefer more sunny conditions, our weather planner can help you explore other destinations.

Explore Västerbotten by month

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

Best Places to Visit in Västerbotten in January

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

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 Västerbotten

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in Västerbotten, Sweden?

Temperature range in Västerbotten (January)

Precipitation variation in Västerbotten (January)

Umeå

In January Umeå generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -2°C (28°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -8°C (18°F) and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
1°C (34°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-2°C (28°F)
Min temperature
-5°C (23°F)
-8°C (18°F)
-9°C (16°F)
Monthly sun hours
25 hours
32 hours
75 hours
Monthly snowfall
69 mm (2.7 in)
57 mm (2.2 in)
49 mm (1.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
18 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Umeå →

Byske

In January Byske generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -3°C (27°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -10°C (14°F) and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
0°C (32°F)
-3°C (27°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Min temperature
-7°C (19°F)
-10°C (14°F)
-11°C (12°F)
Monthly snowfall
58 mm (2.3 in)
50 mm (2 in)
40 mm (1.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
18 days
14 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Byske →

Skellefteå

In January Skellefteå generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -3°C (27°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -9°C (16°F) and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
0°C (32°F)
-3°C (27°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Min temperature
-6°C (21°F)
-9°C (16°F)
-10°C (14°F)
Monthly snowfall
59 mm (2.3 in)
50 mm (2 in)
41 mm (1.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
18 days
14 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Skellefteå →

Karlsten

In January Karlsten generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -5°C (23°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -13°C (9°F) and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
-3°C (27°F)
-5°C (23°F)
-5°C (23°F)
Min temperature
-11°C (12°F)
-13°C (9°F)
-13°C (9°F)
Monthly snowfall
57 mm (2.2 in)
54 mm (2.1 in)
47 mm (1.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
19 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Karlsten →

Vilhelmina

In January Vilhelmina generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -4°C (25°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -11°C (12°F) and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
-3°C (27°F)
-4°C (25°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Min temperature
-10°C (14°F)
-11°C (12°F)
-12°C (10°F)
Monthly snowfall
56 mm (2.2 in)
54 mm (2.1 in)
45 mm (1.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
18 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Vilhelmina →

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

In our records: Sweden January extremes

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

  • From our sources, the wettest January day in Sweden brought 258 mm (10 in) in Ystad on January 17, 1981.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Västerbotten in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Umeå -2°C (28°F) -8°C (18°F) 57 mm (2.2 in)
Byske -3°C (27°F) -10°C (14°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Skellefteå -3°C (27°F) -9°C (16°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Karlsten -5°C (23°F) -13°C (9°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Vilhelmina -4°C (25°F) -11°C (12°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Kittelfjäll -5°C (23°F) -12°C (10°F) 76 mm (3 in)

Västerbotten weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Västerbotten, Sweden in January?

Västerbotten, Sweden typically experiences poor weather in January, part of the winter season. Daytime highs in Umeå average around -2°C (28°F), and temperatures drop to about -8°C (18°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Västerbotten, Sweden in January?

In Umeå, the average daytime high in January is -2°C (28°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around -8°C (18°F).

Does Västerbotten, Sweden get a lot of snow in January?

Rain is generally moderate to light in Västerbotten, Sweden during January, with Umeå averaging close to 57 mm (2.2 in).

Is January a Good Time to Visit Västerbotten, Sweden?

In our view, January might not be the best time to travel to Västerbotten, Sweden with often poor weather in Umeå.

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

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Västerbotten.

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

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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