Columbia weather in January

In January, Columbia sees average daytime highs of 48°F and overnight lows near 32°F, with 4.4 in of precipitation across 9.7 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 48°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Columbia's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbia's year-round climate.

Daytime high
48°
12th warmest
Overnight low
32°
1st coldest
Precipitation
4.4 in
9.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
7:02 AM – 4:53 PM
Cloud cover
62%
10th clearest
Wind
7 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.39 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.9
out of 10

Columbia is city in and county seat of Maury County, Tennessee, United States.

Density
450/km²
people per km²
Founded
1808

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 48°F through the month.

A typical January day in Columbia reaches about 48°F in the afternoon and slips back to 32°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 34°F and 63°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°F cooler than December and about 4°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14933
24933
34933
44833
54833
64833
74833
84833
94833
104832
114832
124832
134832
144832
154832
164832
174831
184831
194831
204831
214831
224831
234831
244831
254931
264932
274932
284932
294932
304932
314932

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 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan48° / 32°4.49.71.19.91.9
Feb53° / 35°4.710.51.310.72.8
Mar61° / 42°5.211.30.711.75.0
Apr70° / 50°4.910.3012.96.4
May78° / 60°4.511.9013.96.4
Jun85° / 68°4.012.7014.44.8
Jul88° / 71°4.313014.24.1
Aug88° / 69°3.210.7013.34.5
Sep82° / 62°3.27.8012.26.3
Oct72° / 51°3.57.9011.17.2
Nov60° / 41°3.98.70.110.15.0
Dec51° / 35°5.010.40.59.62.5

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24159
34159
43961
53961
63961
73961
84060
94159
104060
114060
124159
134159
144159
154159
164159
174258
184258
194258
204357
214456
224555
234555
244555
254555
264555
274654
284654
294555
304456
314357

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Columbia gets around 4.4 in of rain and snow over 9.7 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 32% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1333
2333
3333
4333
5333
6333
7333
8333
9334
10334
11334
12334
13334
14324
15324
16324
17324
18314
19314
20304
21304
22304
23304
24304
25304
26304
27304
28304
29304
30314
31314

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 (%)
19451
29451
39451
49451
59451
69451
79451
89451
99451
109541
119541
129541
139631
149631
159631
169631
179631
189631
199820
209820
219820
229820
239820
249820
259820
269820
279820
289820
299730
309631
319631

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 36 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 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 7:02 AM to 6:56 AM, and sunset from 4:40 PM to 5:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:024:40
29.67:034:41
39.67:034:42
49.77:034:42
59.77:034:43
69.77:034:44
79.77:034:45
89.77:034:46
99.77:034:46
109.77:034:47
119.77:034:48
129.87:034:49
139.87:034:50
149.87:034:51
159.87:034:52
169.87:024:53
179.97:024:53
189.97:024:54
199.97:014:55
209.97:014:56
219.97:014:57
2210.07:004:58
2310.07:004:59
2410.07:005:00
2510.06:595:01
2610.16:595:02
2710.16:585:03
2810.16:575:04
2910.16:575:05
3010.26:565:06
3110.26:565:07

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.39 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.2 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.39 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.4Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.6Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.7Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.8Moderate
Planning a trip in January

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).

1.9
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
12th-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 48°F and nights near 32°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Columbia in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Columbia peaks around July 12 at about 10 (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 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

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 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1618 µg/m³Jan 16 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May12Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbia?

Columbia sits at 35.6°N, 87.0°W, 643 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Spring Hill, 11 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 374 ft around an average of 653 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 643 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,194 ft.

The land around Columbia is covered by trees (50%) and grassland (29%) within 2 miles, trees (56%) and grassland (34%) within 10 miles, and trees (70%) and grassland (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
374 ft
10 miles
643 ft
50 miles
1,194 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Spring Hill 11 mi · Franklin 24 mi · Brentwood Estates 32 mi · Brentwood 32 mi · Shelbyville 34 mi · Dickson 37 mi · La Vergne 37 mi · Smyrna 39 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 (35.6151°, -87.0353°, elevation 643 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).