Bloomington weather in January

In January, Bloomington sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 9.5 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 38°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% 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 Bloomington's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bloomington's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
12th warmest
Overnight low
24°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
9.5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
8:09 AM – 5:41 PM
Cloud cover
70%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.02 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Bloomington is county seat of Monroe County, Indiana, United States.

Density
1,385/km²
people per km²
Founded
1818

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 38°F through the month.

A typical January day in Bloomington reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 24°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°F and 54°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 4°F cooler than December and about 4°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13926
23926
33925
43925
53925
63825
73825
83824
93824
103824
113824
123824
133824
143723
153723
163723
173723
183723
193723
203723
213723
223723
233723
243723
253823
263823
273823
283823
293823
303823
313823

How January really feels in Bloomington

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
5 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Bloomington 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
Jan38° / 24°3.49.53.79.60.0
Feb42° / 26°2.98.43.410.50.4
Mar53° / 35°4.010.81.711.72.8
Apr64° / 45°5.012.40.2135.3
May73° / 56°5.113.4014.16.2
Jun82° / 65°4.411.9014.75.8
Jul85° / 68°3.511.5014.55.1
Aug84° / 66°3.19013.55.7
Sep78° / 58°2.97.9012.37.1
Oct66° / 47°3.38.30116.2
Nov52° / 37°3.68.90.79.92.9
Dec42° / 28°3.4103.29.30.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% 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 67%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33268
43268
53268
63070
73070
83070
92971
102971
112971
122971
132971
143070
153070
163169
173169
183169
193268
203367
213367
223565
233565
243565
253664
263664
273664
283862
293862
303862
313862

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Bloomington gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 9.5 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 31% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13111
23111
33111
43211
53211
63311
73311
83312
93312
103312
113312
123312
133212
143212
153212
163212
173212
183112
193112
203012
213012
222912
232913
242913
252813
262813
272813
282813
292813
302813
312713

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
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

Wind in January

Winds average 8 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37light breeze
47light breeze
57light breeze
67light breeze
77light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
127light breeze
137light breeze
147light breeze
157light breeze
167light breeze
177light breeze
187light breeze
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 8:11 AM to 8:01 AM, and sunset from 5:28 PM to 5:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.38:115:28
29.38:115:29
39.38:115:29
49.38:115:30
59.38:115:31
69.38:115:32
79.48:115:33
89.48:115:34
99.48:115:35
109.48:115:35
119.48:115:36
129.48:105:37
139.58:105:38
149.58:105:39
159.58:105:40
169.58:095:41
179.68:095:42
189.68:095:43
199.68:085:44
209.68:085:45
219.78:075:47
229.78:075:48
239.78:065:49
249.78:065:50
259.88:055:51
269.88:055:52
279.88:045:53
289.88:035:54
299.98:035:55
309.98:025:57
319.98:015:58

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.02 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.72 kWh/m² to a high of 6.26 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.02 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
152.0Dim
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Bloomington?

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 Bloomington.

What to pack for Bloomington in January

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

In January, Bloomington sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 24°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Bloomington 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 Bloomington peaks around July 10 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 10UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Bloomington 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 Bloomington is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Oct 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bloomington?

Bloomington sits at 39.2°N, 86.5°W, 771 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Columbus, 32 mi away.

Topography around Bloomington

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bloomington has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 262 ft around an average of 807 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 554 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 732 ft.

The land around Bloomington is covered by trees (47%) and artificial surfaces (36%) within 2 miles, trees (71%) within 10 miles, and trees (49%) and cropland (37%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
262 ft
10 miles
554 ft
50 miles
732 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Columbus 32 mi · Franklin 34 mi · Seymour 37 mi · Plainfield 38 mi · Greenwood 39 mi · Avon 42 mi · Indianapolis 46 mi · Fairfield Heights 47 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 Bloomington (39.1653°, -86.5264°, elevation 771 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).