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Cologne in January: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Take a look at past year’s weather for Cologne in January and see if it is worth visiting.
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January

Weather in Cologne in January 2025

OK Weather
Chill
☁️
Cloudy
If you plan to visit Cologne in January, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +41°F during the day and approximately 3 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 7 rainy days in the month and around 52 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to 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.
52 mm
Total precipitation
81%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
3 ☀️
Sunny Days
20 ⛅️
Cloudy
7 🌦
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 +45°F with a maximum of +59°F and a minimum of +30°F.

The average maximum temperature goes down 56% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +59°F to +43°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
60 mm52 mm45 mm
Wind
2 m/s3 m/s2 m/s
Humidity
83%81%77%
Air pressure
1015 HPa1016 HPa1016 HPa
Sunny days
335
Cloudy days
192016
Rainy days
876
Snowy days
111

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 60 mm to 52 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 83% to 81%. Winds are stronger in comparison to December, going up from 2 m/s to 3 m/s on average. The amount of sunny days stay about the same, averaging 3 sunny days during the month.

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 3 m/s getting up to 8 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 3 m/s to 8 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
A chance of rain on a typical day in January stands at 42%, leading to total precipitation of around 63 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 13 mm, which is considered light rain. January is a pretty wet month with over 13 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 26% chance of precipitation and 74 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 21% chance of precipitation and 45 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during January in Cologne based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The chance of snow on a typical day in January is 0%, for a monthly total of around 0 mm.

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
☀️
+59°F
2 January
🌧️
+57°F
3 January
🌧️
+53°F
4 January
🌧️
+47°F
5 January
🌧️
+42°F
6 January
☁️
+42°F
7 January
🌧️
+43°F
8 January
🌧️
+40°F
9 January
🌧️
+43°F
10 January
☀️
+44°F
11 January
☀️
+42°F
12 January
☁️
+39°F
13 January
☀️
+44°F
14 January
☀️
+40°F
15 January
☁️
+37°F
16 January
☁️
+43°F
17 January
☁️
+45°F
18 January
☁️
+47°F
19 January
☁️
+43°F
20 January
🌧️
+42°F
21 January
☁️
+41°F
22 January
🌧️
+43°F
23 January
☁️
+43°F
24 January
☁️
+41°F
25 January
☁️
+39°F
26 January
☁️
+38°F
27 January
☁️
+46°F
28 January
☁️
+46°F
29 January
☁️
+52°F
30 January
☁️
+46°F
31 January
🌧️
+43°F
In January 2023 Cologne had 5 sunny days, 16 cloudy days, and 9 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +45°F, with an absolute maximum of +59°F and a minimum of +37°F. The average humidity was 84%, with a maximum of 96% and a minimum of 57%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 12 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 changed quite a lot over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1987 (+31°F) and the highest in 2007 (+49°F). The driest year was 1979 with only 2 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 1995 with 147 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, 2022.

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.