Carlisle weather in January

In January, Carlisle sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 3.2 in of precipitation across 9.2 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-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 21% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of January to 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Carlisle's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Carlisle's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
12th warmest
Overnight low
24°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.2 in
9.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:35 AM – 5:01 PM
Cloud cover
68%
12th clearest
Wind
7 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Carlisle is borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
1,334/km²
people per km²
Founded
1751

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 Carlisle 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 24°F and 51°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)
13927
23926
33926
43926
53926
63826
73826
83826
93825
103825
113825
123825
133724
143724
153724
163724
173724
183723
193723
203723
213723
223723
233722
243722
253722
263722
273722
283722
293722
303722
313823

How January really feels in Carlisle

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.

Carlisle weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 24°3.29.24.59.50.0
Feb40° / 25°2.894.410.40.2
Mar50° / 33°3.910.73.311.72.1
Apr62° / 43°3.711.20.3135.0
May71° / 53°3.812.7014.26.1
Jun80° / 62°3.711.6014.86.2
Jul84° / 67°3.910.8014.65.3
Aug82° / 65°3.410.6013.66.0
Sep76° / 58°4.49.3012.36.9
Oct64° / 46°3.48.30.210.95.8
Nov52° / 37°3.18.50.89.82.8
Dec42° / 29°3.4939.20.3

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 65%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23664
33565
43565
53565
63565
73466
83466
93466
103565
113565
123565
133565
143466
153367
163367
173466
183466
193466
203466
213466
223466
233565
243565
253565
263565
273565
283664
293664
303664
313664

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Carlisle gets around 3.2 in of rain and snow over 9.2 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 30% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12910
22911
32911
43011
53012
63112
73112
83112
93113
103213
113214
123114
133114
143115
153115
163115
173016
183016
193016
203017
212917
222917
232917
242917
252917
262917
272917
282917
292917
302917
312917

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 (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in January

Winds average 7 mph in January.

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 12 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 42 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:36 AM to 7:26 AM, and sunset from 4:47 PM to 5:18 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:364:47
29.27:374:48
39.27:374:49
49.27:374:50
59.27:374:51
69.27:374:51
79.37:374:52
89.37:374:53
99.37:374:54
109.37:364:55
119.37:364:56
129.37:364:57
139.47:364:58
149.47:364:59
159.47:355:00
169.47:355:01
179.57:355:02
189.57:345:03
199.57:345:04
209.57:335:05
219.67:335:06
229.67:325:08
239.67:325:09
249.67:315:10
259.77:315:11
269.77:305:12
279.77:295:13
289.87:295:14
299.87:285:16
309.87:275:17
319.97:265:18

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.03 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.72 kWh/m² to a high of 6.05 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.03 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
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
142.0Dim
152.0Dim
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Carlisle?

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 Carlisle.

What to pack for Carlisle in January

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

In January, Carlisle sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 24°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 Carlisle 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 Carlisle peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Carlisle 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 Carlisle is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Carlisle?

Carlisle sits at 40.2°N, 77.2°W, 479 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Harrisburg, 17 mi away.

Topography around Carlisle

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Carlisle has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 180 ft around an average of 482 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,699 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,438 ft.

The land around Carlisle is covered by trees (37%), grassland (27%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 2 miles, trees (50%), cropland (24%) and grassland (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (60%) and cropland (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
180 ft
10 miles
1,699 ft
50 miles
2,438 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Harrisburg 17 mi · York 29 mi · Hanover 30 mi · Chambersburg 31 mi · Lebanon 42 mi · Westminster 45 mi · Hagerstown 48 mi · Lancaster 48 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 Carlisle (40.2015°, -77.1889°, elevation 479 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).