Schmalkalden weather in January

In January, Schmalkalden sees average daytime highs of 2°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 64 mm of precipitation across 13.3 wet days and about 8.3 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 2°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 7 h 48 min at the start of January to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Schmalkalden's 10th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Schmalkalden's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
1st coldest
Precipitation
64 mm
13.3 wet days
Daylight
8 h 12 min
8:21 AM – 4:34 PM
Cloud cover
77%
10th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
0.85 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 2°C through the month.

A typical January day in Schmalkalden reaches about 2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -5°C and 7°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°C cooler than February.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12-2
22-2
32-2
42-2
52-2
62-2
72-2
82-2
92-2
102-2
112-2
122-2
132-2
142-3
152-3
162-3
172-3
182-3
192-3
201-3
211-3
221-3
231-3
241-3
251-3
261-3
271-3
281-3
291-3
301-3
311-3

How January really feels in Schmalkalden

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Schmalkalden weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -3°6413.37.48.30.0
Feb / -3°5110.46.49.70.0
Mar / 6313.24.611.50.9
Apr12° / 5711.71.113.53.1
May16° / 8213.40.115.24.7
Jun20° / 11°8013.6016.25.5
Jul22° / 13°8914.3015.85.9
Aug21° / 12°8112.9014.36.1
Sep17° / 6411012.45.1
Oct12° / 6111.80.310.42.8
Nov / 6211.73.48.70.5
Dec / -2°6814.26.97.80.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 79%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
21981
31981
41981
51981
62080
72080
82179
92179
102278
112278
122377
132377
142476
152377
162377
172377
182377
192377
202377
212278
222179
232179
242179
252278
262278
272278
282179
292179
302179
312278

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Schmalkalden gets around 64 mm of rain and snow over 13.3 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 42% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14822
24822
34722
44721
54721
64621
74621
84521
94421
104421
114321
124221
134222
144122
154022
164023
174024
184024
194025
204025
214026
224026
234027
244127
254127
264127
274027
284027
294026
303926
313926

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 13 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 7 h 48 min at the start of January to 8 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 8:27 AM to 8:06 AM, and sunset from 4:16 PM to 4:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
17.88:274:16
27.88:274:17
37.88:274:18
47.98:274:19
57.98:274:20
67.98:264:21
77.98:264:22
88.08:264:23
98.08:254:24
108.08:254:26
118.08:244:27
128.18:244:28
138.18:234:29
148.18:234:31
158.28:224:32
168.28:214:34
178.28:214:35
188.38:204:37
198.38:194:38
208.48:184:40
218.48:174:41
228.48:164:43
238.58:154:44
248.58:144:46
258.68:134:47
268.68:124:49
278.78:114:51
288.78:104:52
298.88:084:54
308.88:074:56
318.98:064:57

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 0.85 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.63 kWh/m² to a high of 5.33 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 0.85 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
10.7Dim
20.7Dim
30.7Dim
40.7Dim
50.7Dim
60.7Dim
70.7Dim
80.7Dim
90.7Dim
100.8Dim
110.8Dim
120.8Dim
130.8Dim
140.8Dim
150.8Dim
160.8Dim
170.9Dim
180.9Dim
190.9Dim
200.9Dim
210.9Dim
221.0Dim
231.0Dim
241.0Dim
251.0Dim
261.0Dim
271.1Dim
281.1Dim
291.1Dim
301.1Dim
311.2Dim
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Schmalkalden?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Schmalkalden.

What to pack for Schmalkalden in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Schmalkalden sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Schmalkalden in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Schmalkalden peaks around July 13 at about 7 (high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJul 13UV 7Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Schmalkalden in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Schmalkalden is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (November, 9 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1415 µg/m³Nov 219 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb11Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Schmalkalden?

Schmalkalden sits at 50.7°N, 10.4°E, 291 m above sea level, in Germany. The nearest listed city is Meiningen, 17 km away.

Topography around Schmalkalden

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Schmalkalden.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Schmalkalden has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 259 m around an average of 379 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 678 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 858 m.

The land around Schmalkalden is covered by trees (58%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, trees (69%) within 16 km, and trees (48%) and cropland (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
259 m
16 km
678 m
80 km
858 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
January weather nearby: Meiningen 17 km · Bad Salzungen 18 km · Suhl 22 km · Eisenach 30 km · Gotha 31 km · Ilmenau 34 km · Arnstadt 38 km · Bad Langensalza 45 km

Germany travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 80% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$60,496
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 615
Religion
none 44%Roman Catholic 25%Protestant 23%other 5%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Schmalkalden (50.7214°, 10.4439°, elevation 291 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).