Hottest (avg)
#12 / 12
On the cooler side.
January in context
How it compares to the rest of the year in Beijing.
Wettest (avg)
#12 / 12
One of the drier months.
Daylight Hours
#11 / 12
Shorter days.
Windiest (avg)
#6 / 12
Close to the yearly wind average.
Highest UV
#11 / 12
UV is gentler than usual.
Most Humid
#11 / 12
One of the less humid months.
Monthly climate breakdown
A detailed look at the typical climate conditions for January.
Thermal profile
Temperature
Typical daytime high
- Nighttime low
-
- Feels like (avg)
-
Light window
Sunshine
9.7 h
Average daylight
- UV index (max)
- 3
- Typical sun hours
- 07:32 - 17:14
Wet-day pattern
Rain & Snow
Typical rainfall
- Rainy days
- 1 days
- Cloud cover (avg)
- 27%
- Snowfall
-
Air feel
Humidity & Wind
42%
Average humidity
- Wind (avg)
-
- Wind (max gusts)
-
Historical daily baseline
Daily climate explorer
Pick a day to inspect the usual conditions through January in Beijing. Based on a 30-year historical climate baseline, not a forecast.
Primary control
Select a day
Scroll to compare daily conditions. The summary updates with your selection.
Secondary context
Monthly trend
Median daytime highs across the month, with a softer low line.
Median temperatureMedian lowTypical range
Day 15 selected for January. Temperature 1.8°C.
Historical disruption baseline
Typical disruptions in January
Based on 30 years of historical data, these are the disruption patterns most likely to affect plans in January.
Cold High impact
Freezing nights Measures: Freezing nights (min <=0C). Observed about 100% of days (31.0 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
31.0 days / month
- Share of days
- ~100% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~-4°C (P95)
Why this matters
Freezing nights are possible on ~31 days. Fixed-time outdoor plans are safer with a backup option and flexible timing.
Cold High impact
Cold feels-like nights Measures: Cold feels-like nights (min <=5C). Observed about 100% of days (31.0 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
31.0 days / month
- Share of days
- ~100% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~-9°C (P95)
Why this matters
Cold feels-like nights are possible on ~31 days. Long outdoor blocks become harder to sustain, so layer up and keep a warm indoor fallback nearby.
Cold High impact
Hard freeze nights Measures: Hard freeze nights (min <=-2C). Observed about 100% of days (30.9 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
30.9 days / month
- Share of days
- ~100% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~-4°C (P95)
Why this matters
Hard freeze conditions are possible on ~31 days. Long outdoor blocks become harder to sustain, so layer up and keep a warm indoor fallback nearby.
Snow Moderate
Snow days Measures: Snow days (>=0.1mm snowfall). Observed about 7% of days (2.0 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
2.0 days / month
- Share of days
- ~7% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~3.1mm (P95)
Why this matters
Snowfall is possible on ~2 days. Fixed-time outdoor plans are safer with a backup option and flexible timing.
Cold Moderate
Cold snap run Measures: Cold snap runs (>=3 cold days). Observed about 1.1 days/month in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
1.1 days / month
- Share of days
- —
- Upper edge
- Up to ~6°C (P95)
Why this matters
Cold snap runs are possible on ~1 days. Long outdoor blocks become harder to sustain, so layer up and keep a warm indoor fallback nearby.
Show all disruptions (10 more)
Cold Minor
Cold nights Measures: Cold nights (min <=5C). Observed about 100% of days (31.0 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
31.0 days / month
- Share of days
- ~100% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~-4°C (P95)
Why this matters
Cold nights are possible on ~31 days. Long outdoor blocks become harder to sustain, so layer up and keep a warm indoor fallback nearby.
Cold Minor
Cold days Measures: Cold days (max <=10C). Observed about 99% of days (30.8 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
30.8 days / month
- Share of days
- ~99% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~7°C (P95)
Why this matters
Cold daytime conditions are possible on ~31 days. Long outdoor blocks become harder to sustain, so layer up and keep a warm indoor fallback nearby.
Cloud Minor
Cloudy days Measures: Cloudy days (cloud cover >=60%). Observed about 19% of days (5.8 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
5.8 days / month
- Share of days
- ~19% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~100% (P95)
Why this matters
Cloudy skies are possible on ~6 days. Fixed-time outdoor plans are safer with a backup option and flexible timing.
Wind Minor
Gusty days Measures: Gusty days (>=40 km/h). Observed about 13% of days (4.2 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
4.2 days / month
- Share of days
- ~13% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~58km/h (P95)
Why this matters
Gusty conditions are possible on ~4 days. Exposed activities and transport links are more likely to be disrupted, so keep sheltered alternatives ready.
Cloud Minor
Mostly cloudy days Measures: Mostly cloudy days (cloud cover >=80%). Observed about 9% of days (2.7 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
2.7 days / month
- Share of days
- ~9% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~100% (P95)
Why this matters
Mostly cloudy skies are possible on ~3 days. Fixed-time outdoor plans are safer with a backup option and flexible timing.
Rain Minor
Wet days Measures: Wet days (>=0.1mm). Observed about 6% of days (1.9 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
1.9 days / month
- Share of days
- ~6% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~4.0mm (P95)
Why this matters
Measurable rain is possible on ~2 days. Fixed-time outdoor plans are safer with a backup option and flexible timing.
Rain Minor
Rainy hours Measures: Rain-hours signal (>=3h rain). Observed about 4% of days (1.3 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
1.3 days / month
- Share of days
- ~4% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~21h (P95)
Why this matters
Several rainy hours are possible on ~1 days. Outdoor plans can become unreliable, so keep an indoor backup and flexibility around start times.
Cloud Minor
Overcast days Measures: Overcast days (cloud cover >=95%). Observed about 3% of days (1.0 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
1.0 days / month
- Share of days
- ~3% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~100% (P95)
Why this matters
Overcast skies are possible on ~1 days. Fixed-time outdoor plans are safer with a backup option and flexible timing.
Rain Minor
Wet most of day Measures: Wet-most-of-day signal (>=6h rain). Observed about 2% of days (0.7 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
0.7 days / month
- Share of days
- ~2% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~21h (P95)
Why this matters
Wet-most-of-day conditions are possible on ~1 days. Outdoor plans can become unreliable, so keep an indoor backup and flexibility around start times.
Humidity Minor
High humidity Measures: High humidity days (RH >=80%). Observed about 2% of days (0.5 days/month) in January. Historical risk signal only, not a day-by-day forecast.
Likely frequency
0.5 days / month
- Share of days
- ~2% of days
- Upper edge
- Up to ~87% (P95)
Why this matters
High humidity is possible on ~1 days. Comfort and pace can drop quickly, so plan shorter outdoor blocks with air-conditioned backup stops.
Travel planning FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the weather questions you ask the most.
Is January a good time to visit Beijing?
Typical January days in Beijing reach highs of 2°C (36°F) with nights around -8°C (18°F). It usually feels cold by day and very cold after dark. It is one of the drier months, which suits outdoor exploring and sightseeing.
What are temperatures like in January?
Daytime temperatures in January typically peak near 2°C (36°F), while nights drop to around -8°C (18°F). Expect cold afternoons and very cold evenings.
How much does it rain in January?
Rainfall in January averages 3 mm (0.12 in) across roughly 1 days. Overall it is a mostly dry time of year, so showers are usually brief rather than all-day downpours.
How many hours of daylight are there in January?
You can expect about 10 hours of daylight in January. Sunrise is typically around 07:32 and sunset near 17:14. Days are on the shorter side, so plan activities around limited daylight.
How strong is the sun in January?
UV levels are moderate (around 3); sunscreen and sunglasses are still a good idea.
Is it windy in January?
In January, average wind speeds are around 8 km/h (5 mph), with gusts on the windiest days reaching about 42 km/h (26 mph). On the ground, it is it often feels breezy, especially in more exposed spots or along the coast.