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New Orleans in January: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Take a look at past year’s weather for New Orleans in January and see if it is worth visiting.
Check flight prices to New Orleans on Avionero:
January

Weather in New Orleans in January 2025

OK Weather
Mild
☁️
Cloudy
January could be a good time to visit New Orleans, as the weather is generally fine. The average high temperature is around +61°F, and there are typically 7 sunny days in January. However, expect about 8 rainy days, and total monthly rainfall of approximately 248 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 New Orleans;

Average weather

☀️
+61°F
Avg. max. temperature
+14°F
Min.
+81°F
Max.
248 mm
Total precipitation
76%
Avg. humidity
2 m/s
Avg. wind
7 ☀️
Sunny Days
16 ⛅️
Cloudy
8 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: New Orleans has OK weather in January.

Average temperature in New Orleans in January

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

Going from a maximum of +81°F during the day to a minimum of +32°F during the night, the temperature in January averages around +61°F.

The average maximum temperature goes down 26% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +81°F to +68°F.

Is New Orleans warm or cold in January?

New Orleans is typically mild in January.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +64°F to +61°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +52°F to +48°F.

Pack a light jacket as it will be warm in the day and cool in the evenings.

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

Climate in New Orleans in January

New Orleans weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
DecemberJanuaryFebruary
Avg. temperature
+64°F+61°F+64°F
Min. temperature
+14°F+14°F+23°F
Max. temperature
+82°F+81°F+82°F
Rainfall
103 mm248 mm328 mm
Wind
2 m/s2 m/s2 m/s
Humidity
78%76%77%
Air pressure
1019 HPa1019 HPa1018 HPa
Sunny days
876
Cloudy days
161614
Rainy days
788
Snowy days
000

January weather is still as ok as in December. It’s getting colder in January. From +64°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +61°F. Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 103 mm to 248 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 78% to 76%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during January, staying around 2 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 8 sunny days in December to 7 in January.

February brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 2 m/s getting up to 4 m/s which is a light breeze; barely moving the tree leaves.

The average wind speed in New Orleans is gradually decreasing during January, going from 4 m/s to 2 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during January in New Orleans based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in January stands at 87%, leading to total precipitation of around 6012 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 393 mm, which is considered heavy rain. January is a pretty wet month with over 27 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:
New Orleans wettest month is March, where a typical day has a 26% chance of precipitation and 395 mm of rainfall per day. November, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 20% chance of precipitation and 86 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during January in New Orleans based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 0% chance of snow on an average day in January, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 74 mm.

January is one of the snowiest months in New Orleans.

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

How was the weather last January in New Orleans?

This is the weather in New Orleans in January 2023:
1 January
☁️
+81°F
2 January
🌧️
+77°F
3 January
☁️
+49°F
4 January
☀️
+56°F
5 January
☁️
+66°F
6 January
☀️
+74°F
7 January
☁️
+64°F
8 January
☁️
+67°F
9 January
☁️
+80°F
10 January
🌧️
+74°F
11 January
🌧️
+56°F
12 January
🌧️
+56°F
13 January
☀️
+66°F
14 January
☀️
+67°F
15 January
🌧️
+65°F
16 January
☁️
+51°F
17 January
☀️
+55°F
18 January
☀️
+63°F
19 January
🌧️
+71°F
20 January
🌧️
+68°F
21 January
🌧️
+42°F
22 January
☀️
+46°F
23 January
☀️
+51°F
24 January
🌧️
+57°F
25 January
🌧️
+53°F
26 January
☀️
+53°F
27 January
☀️
+59°F
28 January
☀️
+56°F
29 January
☀️
+51°F
30 January
☀️
+66°F
31 January
☀️
+67°F
In January 2023 New Orleans had 14 sunny days, 7 cloudy days, and 10 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +61°F, with an absolute maximum of +81°F and a minimum of +41°F. The average humidity was 64%, with a maximum of 95% and a minimum of 19%. The average wind speed was 2 m/s, with a maximum of 8 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?

Climate Change Over the Years

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

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 1984 (+57°F) and the highest in 2023 (+72°F). The driest year was 2003 with only 9 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2022 with 6114 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in New Orleans in January:

Is January a good time to visit New Orleans?

It’s always a good time to visit New Orleans, 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 New Orleans in January?

January has mild temperatures in New Orleans. Not ideal for sunbathing, but still good for daytime outdoor activities, but plan for cool evenings. Pack a light jacket and shorts!

Is New Orleans rainy in January?

New Orleans 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 New Orleans in January?

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

Other cities in USA

Check out the weather for other cities in USA.

Monthly weather in New Orleans

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in New Orleans, 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.