Bozeman weather in January

In January, Bozeman sees average daytime highs of 28°F and overnight lows near 12°F, with 1.2 in of precipitation across 8.7 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°F in the first days to 30°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 30 min at the start of January to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Bozeman's 9th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bozeman's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
11th warmest
Overnight low
12°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
1.2 in
8.7 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
8:08 AM – 4:59 PM
Cloud cover
62%
9th clearest
Wind
4 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
1.95 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Bozeman is city and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States.

Density
875/km²
people per km²
Founded
1864

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 27°F in the first days to 30°F by the end.

A typical January day in Bozeman reaches about 28°F in the afternoon and slips back to 12°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°F and 39°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
12610
22610
32710
42710
52710
62711
72711
82711
92711
102811
112811
122812
132812
142812
152812
162812
172912
182912
192913
202913
212913
222913
232913
242913
252913
262913
272913
282913
292913
303013
313013

How January really feels in Bozeman

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
31 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Bozeman weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 12°1.28.798.90.0
Feb31° / 13°1.38.69.310.10.0
Mar39° / 19°1.911.39.511.60.1
Apr47° / 26°3.214.19.513.31.4
May58° / 35°4.016.33.214.73.6
Jun67° / 42°4.214.40.715.45.6
Jul78° / 48°2.08.6015.17.3
Aug77° / 47°1.67.2013.97.6
Sep66° / 40°2.18.30.912.36.4
Oct51° / 29°2.310.64.810.72.6
Nov37° / 17°1.79.58.49.30.0
Dec28° / 10°1.38.798.60.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24357
34357
44456
54456
64456
74555
84555
94555
104456
114456
124456
134456
144456
154456
164456
174456
184357
194456
204357
214456
224357
234357
244357
254357
264357
274357
284357
294357
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Bozeman gets around 1.2 in of rain and snow over 8.7 wet days in January, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 29% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12929
22929
32929
42930
52930
62930
72930
82930
92930
102930
112930
122930
132930
142930
152930
162930
172930
182930
192930
202929
212829
222829
232829
242829
252829
262829
272830
282830
292830
302830
312830

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 4 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 4 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 30 min at the start of January to 9 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 8:11 AM to 7:56 AM, and sunset from 4:44 PM to 5:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.58:114:44
28.68:114:45
38.68:114:45
48.68:114:46
58.68:114:47
68.68:114:48
78.68:114:49
88.78:104:50
98.78:104:51
108.78:104:52
118.78:104:53
128.88:094:55
138.88:094:56
148.88:094:57
158.88:084:58
168.98:084:59
178.98:075:01
188.98:065:02
199.08:065:03
209.08:055:04
219.08:055:06
229.18:045:07
239.18:035:08
249.18:025:10
259.28:015:11
269.28:015:12
279.28:005:14
289.37:595:15
299.37:585:16
309.47:575:18
319.47:565:19

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.95 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.67 kWh/m² to a high of 7.6 kWh/m² in July across the year — January's 1.95 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
172.0Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Bozeman

In seasonPeak

None of Bozeman's seasonal hazards are active in January. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Bozeman's rainy season runs March–July, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Bozeman?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Bozeman.

What to pack for Bozeman in January

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

In January, Bozeman sees daytime highs around 28°F and nights near 12°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Bozeman 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 Bozeman peaks around July 12 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateVery highHighModerateLowJul 12UV 9Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Bozeman 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 Bozeman is worst in August — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1618 µg/m³Jan 126 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun9Good
Jul15Moderate
Aug19Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct7Good
Nov8Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bozeman?

Bozeman sits at 45.7°N, 111.0°W, 4,816 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Butte, 75 mi away.

Topography around Bozeman

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bozeman has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 627 ft around an average of 4,843 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,731 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,293 ft.

The land around Bozeman is covered by artificial surfaces (36%), grassland (32%) and trees (23%) within 2 miles, grassland (44%) and trees (34%) within 10 miles, and grassland (54%) and trees (36%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
627 ft
10 miles
4,731 ft
50 miles
7,293 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainmoss and lichen
January weather nearby: Butte 75 mi · Helena 79 mi · Billings 122 mi · Great Falls 126 mi · Rexburg 133 mi · Idaho Falls 160 mi · Missoula 163 mi · Conda 206 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 Bozeman (45.6797°, -111.0386°, elevation 4,816 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).