Charleston weather in January

In January, Charleston sees average daytime highs of 37°F and overnight lows near 22°F, with 3.0 in of precipitation across 8.9 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 37°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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 Charleston's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Charleston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
37°
12th warmest
Overnight low
22°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.0 in
8.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:17 AM – 4:47 PM
Cloud cover
69%
12th clearest
Wind
9 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Charleston is city in and the county seat of Coles County, Illinois, United States.

Density
876/km²
people per km²
Founded
1831

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 37°F through the month.

A typical January day in Charleston reaches about 37°F in the afternoon and slips back to 22°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°F and 53°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 4°F cooler than December and about 5°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13824
23824
33724
43723
53723
63723
73723
83723
93722
103722
113622
123622
133622
143622
153622
163622
173621
183621
193621
203621
213621
223621
233621
243621
253621
263722
273722
283722
293722
303722
313722

How January really feels in Charleston

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
30 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Charleston weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan37° / 22°3.08.93.89.50.0
Feb41° / 25°2.57.83.410.40.3
Mar52° / 34°3.410.51.611.72.7
Apr64° / 45°4.811.80.3135.4
May74° / 56°4.712.7014.16.3
Jun82° / 65°4.211.2014.75.9
Jul85° / 68°3.710.7014.55.4
Aug83° / 65°3.08.5013.66.0
Sep78° / 58°2.97.2012.37.3
Oct65° / 46°3.38.20.1116.2
Nov52° / 36°3.58.30.79.82.8
Dec41° / 27°2.78.92.99.30.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 65%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33466
43367
53367
63466
73367
83367
93367
103367
113367
123367
133367
143268
153268
163268
173466
183565
193565
203565
213466
223565
233664
243664
253763
263763
273862
283961
293961
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Charleston gets around 3.0 in of rain and snow over 8.9 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 29% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12810
22910
32910
43010
53011
63111
73111
83111
93112
103112
113112
123112
133012
143012
153013
163013
173013
182913
192913
202813
212813
222713
232713
242613
252613
262613
272513
282513
292513
302513
312513

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 (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
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 9 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

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 7:18 AM to 7:09 AM, and sunset from 4:34 PM to 5:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:184:34
29.37:184:34
39.37:184:35
49.37:194:36
59.37:194:37
69.37:194:38
79.37:194:38
89.37:194:39
99.47:184:40
109.47:184:41
119.47:184:42
129.47:184:43
139.47:184:44
149.57:184:45
159.57:174:46
169.57:174:47
179.57:174:48
189.57:164:49
199.67:164:50
209.67:154:51
219.67:154:52
229.67:144:53
239.77:144:54
249.77:134:56
259.77:134:57
269.87:124:58
279.87:114:59
289.87:115:00
299.97:105:01
309.97:095:02
319.97:095:04

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.08 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.08 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
112.0Dim
122.0Dim
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Charleston?

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 Charleston.

What to pack for Charleston in January

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

In January, Charleston sees daytime highs around 37°F and nights near 22°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 Charleston 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 Charleston peaks around July 10 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 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 10UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Charleston 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 Charleston is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1616 µg/m³Oct 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Charleston?

Charleston sits at 39.5°N, 88.2°W, 669 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mattoon, 11 mi away.

Topography around Charleston

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Charleston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 187 ft around an average of 676 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 282 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 456 ft.

The land around Charleston is covered by cropland (38%) and trees (32%) within 2 miles, cropland (68%) and trees (23%) within 10 miles, and cropland (74%) and trees (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
187 ft
10 miles
282 ft
50 miles
456 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Mattoon 11 mi · Terre Haute 41 mi · Urbana 42 mi · Champaign 43 mi · Decatur 48 mi · Danville 52 mi · Vincennes 66 mi · Crawfordsville 79 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 Charleston (39.4962°, -88.1762°, elevation 669 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).