Indianapolis weather in January: Indianapolis, Indiana: normal highs, lows, rain and records for January
Indianapolis in January has a normal high of 36°F and a normal low of 21°F, a daily mean of 29°F, holding near 36°F all month. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal January, 3.12 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 2°C and low of −6°C, 79 mm of precipitation and 22 cm of snow in January.
- NOAA stationIndianapolis International Airport
- Station IDUSW00093819
- Location39.71°N 86.28°W
- Elevation790 ft (241 m)
- From the center9 miles
- Population891,484
- Jan 36° 21°
- Feb 41° 24°
- Mar 52° 33°
- Apr 64° 43°
- May 73° 54°
- Jun 82° 63°
- Jul 85° 66°
- Aug 84° 65°
- Sep 78° 57°
- Oct 66° 46°
- Nov 52° 35°
- Dec 40° 26°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Indianapolis in January?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low 21°F, for a daily mean of 28.5°F. January is 4.8°F cooler than December and 4.0°F cooler than February. January is the 12th warmest month of the year in Indianapolis and the 10th wettest, and the snowiest. From one year to the next January's mean temperature typically moves about 4.9°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Januarys in three average between 24°F and 33°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 40%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | 37°F | 23°F | 40% | 21% |
| January 8 | 36°F | 21°F | 40% | 20% |
| January 15 | 36°F | 21°F | 39% | 20% |
| January 22 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 19% |
| January 31 | 37°F | 21°F | 37% | 19% |
Every day of January: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon January 31, coldest night January 21)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | 37°F | 23°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| January 2 | 37°F | 22°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 3 | 37°F | 22°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 4 | 36°F | 22°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 5 | 36°F | 22°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 6 | 36°F | 22°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 7 | 36°F | 22°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 8 | 36°F | 21°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 9 | 36°F | 21°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 10 | 36°F | 21°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 11 | 36°F | 21°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 12 | 36°F | 21°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 13 | 36°F | 21°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 14 | 36°F | 21°F | 39% | 20% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 15 | 36°F | 21°F | 39% | 20% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 16 | 36°F | 20°F | 39% | 20% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 17 | 36°F | 20°F | 39% | 20% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 18 | 36°F | 20°F | 39% | 20% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 19 | 36°F | 20°F | 39% | 20% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 20 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 20% | 9 h 50 min |
| January 21 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 19% | 9 h 50 min |
| January 22 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 19% | 9 h 50 min |
| January 23 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 19% | 9 h 50 min |
| January 24 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 19% | 9 h 50 min |
| January 25 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 19% | 10 h |
| January 26 | 36°F | 20°F | 38% | 19% | 10 h |
| January 27 | 36°F | 21°F | 37% | 19% | 10 h |
| January 28 | 37°F | 21°F | 37% | 19% | 10 h |
| January 29 | 37°F | 21°F | 37% | 19% | 10 h |
| January 30 | 37°F | 21°F | 37% | 19% | 10 h 10 min |
| January 31 | 37°F | 21°F | 37% | 19% | 10 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 36°FJanuary average
- Normal low
- 21°FJanuary average
- Precipitation
- 3.12 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 120.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 8.8 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 26
- Daylight
- 9 h 20 min to 10 h 10 minJanuary 1 to January 31
- Sunshine
- 61%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00093819; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Indianapolis in January?
On a given January day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 39% on average, highest around January 1 (40%). In all, 3.12 in falls on 12 days of a normal January, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal January in Indianapolis, 26 nights fall to freezing, 12 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 8.8 inches.
Snow falls on 7 days in a normal January, and an inch or more covers the ground on 11 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00093819.
How humid and windy is Indianapolis in January?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 34°F with 63% relative humidity and a dew point of 23°F; at 6 a.m. it is 25°F with 80% humidity. The wind averages 10.7 mph, most often from the west-southwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 25°F | 20°F | 80% | 9.8 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 26°F | 20°F | 80% | 9.9 mph | 24% |
| noon | 31°F | 22°F | 69% | 11.9 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 34°F | 23°F | 63% | 12.5 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 32°F | 23°F | 67% | 10.9 mph | – |
| 9 p.m. | 29°F | 22°F | 74% | 10.1 mph | 33% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00093819. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for January in Indianapolis?
The warmest January temperature on Indianapolis's official record (since 1871) is 71°F, on January 25, 1950; the coldest is −27°F, on January 19, 1994. The wettest January brought 12.69 in (1950); the snowiest, 30.6 inches (1978).
The January mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 28.5°F: 2021 31.0°F (+2.5), 2022 25.6°F (−2.9), 2023 37.1°F (+8.6), 2024 29.0°F (+0.5), 2025 24.4°F (−4.1), 2026 25.0°F (−3.5). 3 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| January | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 31.0°F | +2.5°F | 2.39 in |
| 2022 | 25.6°F | −2.9°F | 1.13 in |
| 2023 | 37.1°F | +8.6°F | 3.97 in |
| 2024 | 29.0°F | +0.5°F | 4.92 in |
| 2025 | 24.4°F | −4.1°F | 1.17 in |
| 2026 | 25.0°F | −3.5°F | 1.30 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record INDthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00093819. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does January in Indianapolis compare across Indiana?
Across the 99 places PlainClimate covers in Indiana, January normal highs run from 31°F in Angola to 43°F in St. Meinrad; Indianapolis's is 36°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Indianapolis in December40°F by day, 26°F at night
- Indianapolis in February41°F by day, 24°F at night
- Indianapolis through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Indiana in JanuaryThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- St. Meinrad: Indiana's warmest Januarynormal high 43°F