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Oulu in January: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Oulu in January will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Oulu, based on historical data.
Check flight prices to Oulu on Avionero:
January

Weather in Oulu in January 2025

OK Weather
Cold
☁️
Cloudy
🌊
Cold water
If you plan to visit Oulu in January, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +21°F during the day and approximately 2 sunny days. Expect some snowy, though, as there are typically 14 snowy days in the month and around 33 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 Oulu;

Average weather

☀️
+21°F
Avg. max. temperature
-36°F
Min.
+43°F
Max.
2 mm
Total precipitation
87%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
2 ☀️
Sunny Days
15 ⛅️
Cloudy
0 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Oulu has OK weather in January.

Average temperature in Oulu in January

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

Going from a maximum of +41°F during the day to a minimum of -8°F during the night, the temperature in January averages around +30°F.

The average maximum temperature goes down 19% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +36°F to +27°F.

Is Oulu warm or cold in January?

Oulu is typically cold in January.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +25°F to +21°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +16°F to +10°F.

Wear your winter warms as it will be cold. To save space, layer, and don’t forget gloves and a scarf.

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

Water temperature in Oulu in January

Water in Oulu in January is Cold. It varies from +28°F to +33°F, with an average of +31°F. Note that the air temperature is lower than the water temperature, averaging around +21°F.

The water temperature in January is one of the coldest of the entire year:

The warmest water temperatures in Oulu are reached in July, when the average sea temperature rises to +62°F. The coldest water temperatures are in February, with an average of +31°F.

Can you swim in Oulu in January?

We would not recommend swimming in Oulu in January, the water is very cold (+31°F on average). Consider swimming only if you are an experienced cold-water swimmer with proper gear.
🦭
Cold
Below +61°F
🏄‍♂️
Fresh
61°F - 70°F
🏊
Comfortable
70°F - 77°F
👙
Warm
77°F - 82°F
🔥
Very warm
+82°C and up
You will need a full-body wetsuit, cap, gloves, a warm change of clothes, and a hot drink ready for after your swim.

Climate in Oulu in January

Oulu weather looks like this, on average, in January and the surrounding months.
DecemberJanuaryFebruary
Avg. temperature
+25°F+21°F+21°F
Min. temperature
-24°F-36°F-27°F
Max. temperature
+45°F+43°F+43°F
Rainfall
7 mm2 mm3 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Avg. water temperature
+36°F+31°F+31°F
Humidity
88%87%86%
Air pressure
1006 HPa1007 HPa1009 HPa
Sunny days
222
Cloudy days
131513
Rainy days
101
Snowy days
151412

January weather is still as ok as in December. It’s getting colder in January. From +25°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +21°F. As January arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 7 mm to 2 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 88% to 87%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during January, staying around 3 m/s. The amount of sunny days stay about the same, averaging 2 sunny days during the month.

February brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 6 m/s getting up to 13 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Oulu is gradually decreasing during January, going from 11 m/s to 6 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during January in Oulu based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 16% chance of rain on an average day in January, with total rainfall of approximately 16 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 5 mm, which is considered light rain. On average, there are about 5 rainy days during January, so prepare to bring an umbrella.
Here’s how January is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Oulu wettest month is August, where a typical day has a 55% chance of precipitation and 77 mm of rainfall per day. January, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 0% chance of precipitation and 2 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during January in Oulu based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 16% chance of snow on an average day in January, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 37 mm.

January is one of the snowiest months in Oulu.

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

How was the weather last January in Oulu?

This is the weather in Oulu in January 2023:
1 January
☀️
+35°F
2 January
☀️
+30°F
3 January
☁️
+21°F
4 January
☁️
+20°F
5 January
☁️
+20°F
6 January
☀️
+12°F
7 January
☁️
+14°F
8 January
🌨️
+19°F
9 January
🌨️
+21°F
10 January
🌨️
+21°F
11 January
🌧️
+35°F
12 January
🌧️
+37°F
13 January
☁️
+36°F
14 January
☁️
+33°F
15 January
🌧️
+36°F
16 January
🌧️
+36°F
17 January
☁️
+32°F
18 January
🌨️
+34°F
19 January
☁️
+32°F
20 January
☁️
+33°F
21 January
☀️
+32°F
22 January
☁️
+26°F
23 January
☁️
+29°F
24 January
☁️
+32°F
25 January
🌧️
+42°F
26 January
☀️
+32°F
27 January
☀️
+31°F
28 January
☁️
+33°F
29 January
☀️
+32°F
30 January
🌨️
+33°F
31 January
☁️
+27°F
In January 2023 Oulu had 7 sunny days, 14 cloudy days, and 5 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +30°F, with an absolute maximum of +41°F and a minimum of +12°F. The average humidity was 85%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 63%. The average wind speed was 6 m/s, with a maximum of 17 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in January?

Climate Change Over the Years

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

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 1985 (+37°F) and the highest in 2020 (+47°F). The driest year was 2002 with only 247 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2021 with 603 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Oulu in January:

Is January a good time to visit Oulu?

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

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

Can you swim in Oulu in January?

Swimming in Oulu in January is challenging and not recommended for inexperienced swimmers or without proper equipment and preparation.

Is Oulu rainy in January?

Oulu is usually dry in January. Plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring.

Is it sunny in Oulu in January?

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

Other cities in Finland

Check out the weather for other cities in Finland.

Monthly weather in Oulu

Source of the data

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