Athens weather in January

In January, Athens sees average daytime highs of 40°F and overnight lows near 26°F, with 3.6 in of precipitation across 10.9 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 40°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 18 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Athens's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Athens's year-round climate.

Daytime high
40°
12th warmest
Overnight low
26°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.6 in
10.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:52 AM – 5:23 PM
Cloud cover
73%
12th clearest
Wind
7 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.96 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Athens is city in Athens County, Ohio, United States.

Density
963/km²
people per km²
Founded
1797

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 40°F through the month.

A typical January day in Athens reaches about 40°F in the afternoon and slips back to 26°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°F and 56°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 4°F cooler than December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14228
24228
34128
44128
54128
64127
74127
84127
94127
104027
114026
124026
134026
144026
154025
163925
173925
183925
193925
203924
213924
223924
233924
243924
253924
263924
273924
284024
294025
304025
314025

How January really feels in Athens

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
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.

Athens weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan40° / 26°3.610.94.39.50.0
Feb43° / 28°3.510.24.110.50.5
Mar53° / 35°4.512.42.211.72.8
Apr65° / 46°4.412.50.3135.4
May73° / 55°4.713.7014.16.1
Jun81° / 63°4.512.5014.75.9
Jul85° / 67°4.113.1014.55.0
Aug84° / 65°3.510.5013.55.6
Sep78° / 58°3.58.5012.37.0
Oct66° / 47°3.19.20.1116.1
Nov53° / 37°3.39.20.79.83.2
Dec44° / 30°3.610.42.59.30.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 72%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13070
23070
33070
43070
52971
62872
72872
82872
92872
102773
112773
122773
132773
142773
152674
162674
172674
182674
192773
202872
212872
222872
232872
242971
252971
262971
272971
282971
293070
303070
313070

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Athens gets around 3.6 in of rain and snow over 10.9 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 35% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13411
23412
33512
43512
53613
63613
73713
83713
93714
103714
113814
123815
133715
143715
153715
163715
173715
183615
193615
203615
213515
223515
233515
243415
253415
263415
273415
283315
293315
303315
313315

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3982
4982
5982
6982
7982
8982
9982
10982
11982
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in January

Winds average 7 mph in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 18 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:53 AM to 7:44 AM, and sunset from 5:10 PM to 5:40 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:535:10
29.37:545:11
39.37:545:11
49.37:545:12
59.37:545:13
69.37:545:14
79.37:545:15
89.47:545:15
99.47:545:16
109.47:545:17
119.47:535:18
129.47:535:19
139.57:535:20
149.57:535:21
159.57:535:22
169.57:525:23
179.57:525:24
189.67:525:25
199.67:515:26
209.67:515:27
219.67:505:28
229.77:505:30
239.77:495:31
249.77:495:32
259.77:485:33
269.87:475:34
279.87:475:35
289.87:465:36
299.97:455:37
309.97:455:38
319.97:445:40

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.96 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.65 kWh/m² to a high of 6.13 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 1.96 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.7Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.8Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Athens?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Athens.

What to pack for Athens in January

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

In January, Athens sees daytime highs around 40°F and nights near 26°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Athens in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Athens peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 19UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Athens 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 Athens is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1318 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Athens?

Athens sits at 39.3°N, 82.1°W, 719 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Parkersburg, 29 mi away.

Topography around Athens

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Athens.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Athens has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 430 ft around an average of 778 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 499 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Athens is covered by trees (70%) within 2 miles, trees (81%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
430 ft
10 miles
499 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Parkersburg 29 mi · Lancaster 37 mi · Zanesville 42 mi · Chillicothe 47 mi · Pickerington 52 mi · Newark 53 mi · Pataskala 55 mi · Reynoldsburg 57 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

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 Athens (39.3292°, -82.1013°, elevation 719 ft), 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).