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Cologne in January: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Discover the weather for Cologne in January and if it’s a good time to travel (based on historical data).
Check flight prices to Cologne on Avionero:
January

Weather in Cologne in January 2025

OK Weather
Chill
🌧️
Rainy
January could be a good time to visit Cologne, as the weather is generally fine. The average high temperature is around +41°F, and there are typically 3 sunny days in January. However, expect about 13 rainy days, and total monthly rainfall of approximately 53 mm. The weather is changeable so pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
  • January is usually the coldest month of the year in Cologne;

Average weather

☀️
+41°F
Avg. max. temperature
-4°F
Min.
+61°F
Max.
53 mm
Total precipitation
82%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
3 ☀️
Sunny Days
10 ⛅️
Cloudy
13 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Cologne has OK weather in January.

Average temperature in Cologne in January

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Cologne for January based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The expected average maximum temperature in January is +46°F with a maximum of +61°F and a minimum of +25°F.

The average maximum temperature goes down 40% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +61°F to +46°F.

Is Cologne warm or cold in January?

Cologne is typically chill in January.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +43°F to +41°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +36°F to +34°F.

Pack a jumper and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.

January is the coldest month in Cologne, here is the comparison with other months:

Climate in Cologne in January

Cologne weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
DecemberJanuaryFebruary
Avg. temperature
+43°F+41°F+43°F
Min. temperature
+3°F-4°F+3°F
Max. temperature
+64°F+61°F+70°F
Rainfall
61 mm53 mm44 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Humidity
84%82%78%
Air pressure
1015 HPa1016 HPa1016 HPa
Sunny days
235
Cloudy days
9108
Rainy days
141310
Snowy days
554

January weather is still as ok as in December. It’s getting colder in January. From +43°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +41°F. As January arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 61 mm to 53 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 84% to 82%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during January, staying around 3 m/s. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in January, from 2 to 3.

February brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

Wind speed in Cologne in January based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 7 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Cologne is gradually increasing during January, going from 4 m/s to 5 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during January in Cologne based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Total precipitation in January is about 75 mm, with a 65% chance of rain on a typical day. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 15 mm, which is considered light rain. January is a pretty wet month with over 20 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
Here’s how January is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Cologne wettest month is July, where a typical day has a 52% chance of precipitation and 75 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 34% chance of precipitation and 44 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during January in Cologne based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The total snow in January is about 5 mm, with a 3% chance of snow on a typical day.

January is one of the snowiest months in Cologne.

Here’s how January is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:

How was the weather last January in Cologne?

This is the weather in Cologne in January 2023:
1 January
☀️
+60°F
2 January
☁️
+58°F
3 January
☀️
+53°F
4 January
🌧️
+56°F
5 January
☁️
+54°F
6 January
☁️
+53°F
7 January
☁️
+53°F
8 January
🌧️
+52°F
9 January
☁️
+48°F
10 January
☁️
+48°F
11 January
🌧️
+52°F
12 January
🌧️
+53°F
13 January
🌧️
+52°F
14 January
🌧️
+54°F
15 January
🌧️
+47°F
16 January
🌧️
+43°F
17 January
☀️
+42°F
18 January
☀️
+40°F
19 January
☁️
+39°F
20 January
☁️
+36°F
21 January
☀️
+35°F
22 January
🌨️
+36°F
23 January
☁️
+39°F
24 January
☁️
+38°F
25 January
☁️
+35°F
26 January
🌫️
+38°F
27 January
☁️
+42°F
28 January
☀️
+37°F
29 January
☁️
+37°F
30 January
🌧️
+47°F
31 January
☁️
+46°F
In January 2023 Cologne had 6 sunny days, 14 cloudy days, and 9 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +46°F, with an absolute maximum of +61°F and a minimum of +36°F. The average humidity was 79%, with a maximum of 93% and a minimum of 50%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 11 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Cologne climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Cologne in January has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1985 (+54°F) and the highest in 2022 (+63°F). The driest year was 2018 with only 570 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2023 with 1162 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Cologne in January:

Is January a good time to visit Cologne?

It’s always a good time to visit Cologne, but the weather is changeable in January, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in Cologne in January?

Not really, January is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.

Is Cologne rainy in January?

Cologne is often rainy in January. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Cologne in January?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Cologne in January, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in Germany

Check out the weather for other cities in Germany.

Monthly weather in Cologne

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Cologne, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.