Chesapeake weather in January

In January, Chesapeake sees average daytime highs of 49°F and overnight lows near 34°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 9.1 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 49°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 30 min at the start of January to 10 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Chesapeake's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chesapeake's year-round climate.

Daytime high
49°
12th warmest
Overnight low
34°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
9.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
7:22 AM – 5:06 PM
Cloud cover
56%
4th clearest
Wind
9 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.47 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.2
out of 10

Chesapeake is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
259/km²
people per km²
Founded
1963

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 49°F through the month.

A typical January day in Chesapeake reaches about 49°F in the afternoon and slips back to 34°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 35°F and 64°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)
15136
25136
35136
45136
55136
65136
75136
85035
95035
105035
115035
125035
135035
144934
154934
164934
174934
184934
194933
204933
214933
224933
234933
244933
254933
264933
274933
284933
294933
304933
314933

How January really feels in Chesapeake

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.

Chesapeake 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
Jan49° / 34°3.49.11.39.82.2
Feb52° / 35°3.091.110.62.8
Mar59° / 42°3.910.40.511.74.5
Apr68° / 51°3.39.7012.96.4
May75° / 59°3.710.9013.96.7
Jun83° / 68°4.111.7014.55.6
Jul87° / 73°5.215.1014.34.3
Aug85° / 71°4.712.9013.45.0
Sep80° / 66°4.711.1012.26.4
Oct71° / 55°3.77.90117.0
Nov61° / 45°3.48.50.1105.3
Dec53° / 38°3.59.30.59.53.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 51%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24753
34753
44753
54852
64852
74852
84951
95050
105050
115050
125050
135149
145149
155149
165149
175149
185149
195149
205050
215149
225050
235050
244951
254951
264951
274951
284951
294951
304951
314852

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Chesapeake gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 9.1 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 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1303
2303
3303
4303
5303
6303
7303
8303
9303
10303
11303
12304
13304
14314
15314
16314
17304
18305
19305
20305
21295
22295
23295
24285
25285
26285
27285
28285
29284
30284
31284

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 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19442
29442
39442
49442
59442
69442
79442
89442
99541
109541
119631
129631
139631
149631
159721
169721
179721
189721
199820
209820
219820
229820
239820
249910
259910
269910
279910
289910
299910
309820
319820

Wind in January

Winds average 9 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light 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 30 min at the start of January to 10 h 06 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 7:23 AM to 7:15 AM, and sunset from 4:54 PM to 5:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.57:234:54
29.57:234:55
39.57:234:55
49.57:234:56
59.67:234:57
69.67:234:58
79.67:234:58
89.67:234:59
99.67:235:00
109.67:235:01
119.67:235:02
129.77:235:03
139.77:235:04
149.77:235:05
159.77:235:06
169.77:225:06
179.87:225:07
189.87:225:08
199.87:215:09
209.87:215:10
219.87:215:11
229.97:205:12
239.97:205:13
249.97:195:14
259.97:195:15
2610.07:185:17
2710.07:185:18
2810.07:175:19
2910.17:165:20
3010.17:165:21
3110.17:155:22

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.47 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.42 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.47 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.3Moderate
82.3Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.4Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.4Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.4Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Chesapeake

In seasonPeak

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

Chesapeake sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Chesapeake?

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

2.2
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chesapeake.

What to pack for Chesapeake in January

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

In January, Chesapeake sees daytime highs around 49°F and nights near 34°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Chesapeake in January

The nearest coast averages about 46°F in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 mi away) is warmest in August at about 78°F and coldest in February near 43°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 3 to Oct 16 — about 4.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan46Bracing
Feb43Bracing
Mar46Bracing
Apr53Bracing
May63Cool
Jun72Refreshing
Jul77Warm
Aug78Warm
Sep75Warm
Oct68Refreshing
Nov59Cool
Dec52Bracing

UV index in Chesapeake in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Chesapeake peaks around July 12 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Chesapeake?

Chesapeake sits at 36.8°N, 76.3°W, 10 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Portsmouth, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Chesapeake

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Chesapeake has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 79 ft around an average of 13 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 230 ft.

The land around Chesapeake is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and trees (28%) within 2 miles, trees (48%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (41%) and water (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
79 ft
10 miles
194 ft
50 miles
230 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
January weather nearby: Portsmouth 1.9 mi · Norfolk 1.9 mi · Portsmouth Heights 5.0 mi · Newport News 14 mi · Hampton 15 mi · East Hampton 16 mi · Virginia Beach 17 mi · Suffolk 18 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 Chesapeake (36.819°, -76.2749°, elevation 10 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).