Wausau weather in January: Wausau, Wisconsin: normal highs, lows, rain and records for January
Wausau in January has a normal high of 23°F and a normal low of 7°F, a daily mean of 15°F, holding near 23°F all month. Measurable precipitation falls on 11 days in a normal January, 1.20 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of −5°C and low of −14°C, 30 mm of precipitation and 38 cm of snow in January.
- NOAA stationWausau Asos
- Station IDUSW00014897
- Location44.93°N 89.63°W
- Elevation1,181 ft (360 m)
- Population40,262
- Jan 23° 7°
- Feb 27° 10°
- Mar 40° 21°
- Apr 54° 32°
- May 67° 45°
- Jun 76° 55°
- Jul 80° 59°
- Aug 78° 57°
- Sep 70° 49°
- Oct 56° 37°
- Nov 40° 25°
- Dec 28° 14°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Wausau in January?
The normal high is 23°F and the normal low 7°F, for a daily mean of 14.8°F. January is 5.9°F cooler than December and 3.7°F cooler than February. January is the 12th warmest month of the year in Wausau and the 11th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 1°F, from 24°F on January 1 to 23°F on January 31. From one year to the next January's mean temperature typically moves about 5.5°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Januarys in three average between 9°F and 20°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 34%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | 24°F | 9°F | 34% | 13% |
| January 8 | 23°F | 8°F | 34% | 13% |
| January 15 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 13% |
| January 22 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 12% |
| January 31 | 23°F | 6°F | 31% | 12% |
Every day of January: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon January 1, coldest night January 22)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | 24°F | 9°F | 34% | 13% | 8 h 50 min |
| January 2 | 24°F | 9°F | 34% | 13% | 8 h 50 min |
| January 3 | 24°F | 9°F | 34% | 13% | 8 h 50 min |
| January 4 | 24°F | 8°F | 34% | 13% | 8 h 50 min |
| January 5 | 23°F | 8°F | 34% | 13% | 8 h 50 min |
| January 6 | 23°F | 8°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 7 | 23°F | 8°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 8 | 23°F | 8°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 9 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 10 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 11 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 12 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 13 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 13% | 9 h |
| January 14 | 23°F | 7°F | 33% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| January 15 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| January 16 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| January 17 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| January 18 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| January 19 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| January 20 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| January 21 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| January 22 | 22°F | 6°F | 33% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| January 23 | 22°F | 6°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| January 24 | 23°F | 6°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 25 | 23°F | 6°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 26 | 23°F | 6°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 27 | 23°F | 6°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h 30 min |
| January 28 | 23°F | 6°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 29 | 23°F | 6°F | 31% | 12% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 30 | 23°F | 6°F | 31% | 12% | 9 h 40 min |
| January 31 | 23°F | 6°F | 31% | 12% | 9 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 23°FJanuary average
- Normal low
- 7°FJanuary average
- Precipitation
- 1.20 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 110.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 14.8 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 31
- Daylight
- 8 h 50 min to 9 h 40 minJanuary 1 to January 31
- Sunshine
- 69%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014897; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Wausau in January?
On a given January day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 33% on average, highest around January 1 (34%). In all, 1.20 in falls on 11 days of a normal January.
In a normal January in Wausau, 31 nights fall to freezing, 25 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 14.8 inches.
Snow falls on 11 days in a normal January, and an inch or more covers the ground on 30 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014897.
How humid and windy is Wausau in January?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 23°F with 61% relative humidity and a dew point of 12°F; at 6 a.m. it is 13°F with 80% humidity. The wind averages 7.3 mph, most often from the west in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 13°F | 7°F | 80% | 6.3 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 14°F | 8°F | 78% | 7.1 mph | – |
| noon | 20°F | 11°F | 66% | 8.7 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 23°F | 12°F | 61% | 9.3 mph | 44% |
| 6 p.m. | 20°F | 11°F | 67% | 7.0 mph | 43% |
| 9 p.m. | 17°F | 10°F | 73% | 6.6 mph | 44% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014897. 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 Wausau?
The warmest January temperature on Wausau's official record (since 1895) is 54°F, on January 24, 1942; the coldest is −40°F, on January 30, 1951. The wettest January brought 3.12 in (1967); the snowiest, 32.1 inches (1996).
The January mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 14.8°F: 2021 19.8°F (+5.0), 2022 11.1°F (−3.7), 2023 23.4°F (+8.6), 2024 22.2°F (+7.4), 2025 14.3°F (−0.5), 2026 11.5°F (−3.3). 3 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| January | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19.8°F | +5.0°F | 0.62 in |
| 2022 | 11.1°F | −3.7°F | 0.68 in |
| 2023 | 23.4°F | +8.6°F | 1.58 in |
| 2024 | 22.2°F | +7.4°F | 0.78 in |
| 2025 | 14.3°F | −0.5°F | 0.09 in |
| 2026 | 11.5°F | −3.3°F | 1.92 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record AUWthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014897. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does January in Wausau compare across Wisconsin?
Across the 165 places PlainClimate covers in Wisconsin, January normal highs run from 19°F in Cumberland to 31°F in Kenosha; Wausau's is 23°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.