Columbia weather in January

In January, Columbia sees average daytime highs of 42°F and overnight lows near 28°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 8.5 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 42°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% 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 Columbia's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbia's year-round climate.

Daytime high
42°
12th warmest
Overnight low
28°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
8.5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:31 AM – 5:02 PM
Cloud cover
59%
7th clearest
Wind
8 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

Columbia is planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States.

Density
1,195/km²
people per km²
Founded
1967

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 42°F through the month.

A typical January day in Columbia reaches about 42°F in the afternoon and slips back to 28°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 55°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 4°F cooler than December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14330
24330
34330
44330
54330
64229
74229
84229
94229
104229
114229
124229
134228
144128
154128
164128
174128
184127
194127
204127
214027
224027
234027
244127
254127
264127
274127
284127
294127
304127
314227

How January really feels in Columbia

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.

Columbia 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
Jan42° / 28°3.18.539.60.2
Feb44° / 29°2.98.53.210.50.9
Mar53° / 36°4.010.32.211.73.0
Apr64° / 47°3.510.30.2135.7
May73° / 56°3.811.4014.16.5
Jun82° / 65°3.711.6014.75.8
Jul86° / 70°4.212.1014.54.7
Aug84° / 69°3.710.9013.55.4
Sep78° / 61°4.69.1012.36.9
Oct66° / 50°3.680116.4
Nov55° / 39°3.07.60.29.83.8
Dec46° / 32°3.791.79.31.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% 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 53%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
34951
44951
54852
64852
74852
84852
94852
104852
114852
124753
134753
144753
154753
164654
174654
184654
194654
204654
214654
224654
234654
244753
254753
264753
274753
284753
294852
304852
314753

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Columbia gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 8.5 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 28% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1287
2287
3297
4297
5298
6308
7308
8308
9308
10309
11309
12309
133010
142910
152910
162910
172810
182810
192711
202711
212611
222611
232611
242611
252611
262611
272611
282611
292611
302611
312611

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
17991
18991
19991
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in January

Winds average 8 mph in January.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light 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 7:32 AM to 7:23 AM, and sunset from 4:49 PM to 5:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:324:49
29.37:324:50
39.37:324:51
49.37:324:51
59.37:324:52
69.37:324:53
79.47:324:54
89.47:324:55
99.47:324:56
109.47:324:57
119.47:324:57
129.47:324:58
139.57:324:59
149.57:325:00
159.57:315:01
169.57:315:02
179.57:315:03
189.67:305:04
199.67:305:05
209.67:295:07
219.67:295:08
229.77:285:09
239.77:285:10
249.77:275:11
259.87:275:12
269.87:265:13
279.87:265:14
289.87:255:15
299.97:245:16
309.97:235:18
319.97:235:19

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.23 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.92 kWh/m² to a high of 6.11 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.23 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.0Dim
22.0Dim
32.0Dim
42.0Moderate
52.0Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.6Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Columbia

In seasonPeak

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

Columbia 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 Columbia?

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

0.2
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 Columbia.

What to pack for Columbia in January

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

In January, Columbia sees daytime highs around 42°F and nights near 28°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Columbia in January

The nearest coast averages about 38°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 26 mi away) is warmest in August at about 78°F and coldest in February near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 16 to Oct 5 — about 3.7 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar40Bracing
Apr47Bracing
May58Bracing
Jun68Refreshing
Jul76Warm
Aug78Warm
Sep74Refreshing
Oct65Cool
Nov53Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Columbia 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 Columbia peaks around July 10 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Columbia 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 Columbia is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbia?

Columbia sits at 39.2°N, 76.8°W, 407 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ellicott City, 3.1 mi away.

Topography around Columbia

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbia has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 276 ft around an average of 404 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 755 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,313 ft.

The land around Columbia is covered by trees (75%) within 2 miles, trees (66%) within 10 miles, and trees (55%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
276 ft
10 miles
755 ft
50 miles
2,313 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Ellicott City 3.1 mi · Ilchester 4.3 mi · Catonsville 6.2 mi · West Elkridge 6.2 mi · Hanover 6.8 mi · Elkridge 6.8 mi · Scaggsville 7.5 mi · Arbutus 7.5 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 Columbia (39.2404°, -76.8394°, elevation 407 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).