Dayton weather in January

In January, Dayton sees average daytime highs of 37°F and overnight lows near 23°F, with 3.2 in of precipitation across 9.8 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 8th-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 18% 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 Dayton's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dayton's year-round climate.

Daytime high
37°
12th warmest
Overnight low
23°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.2 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
8:02 AM – 5:30 PM
Cloud cover
74%
12th clearest
Wind
9 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.97 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Dayton is city and county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, United States.

Density
926/km²
people per km²
Founded
1796

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 Dayton reaches about 37°F in the afternoon and slips back to 23°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 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13825
23825
33825
43825
53825
63824
73724
83724
93724
103724
113723
123723
133723
143623
153622
163622
173622
183622
193622
203622
213621
223621
233621
243621
253621
263622
273622
283622
293722
303722
313722

How January really feels in Dayton

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
22 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Dayton weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan37° / 23°3.29.84.69.50.0
Feb40° / 25°2.79.24.110.40.2
Mar50° / 33°3.911.12.311.72.2
Apr63° / 44°4.612.70.5135.0
May72° / 54°4.613.3014.26.1
Jun80° / 63°4.212.6014.86.0
Jul83° / 66°3.411.6014.55.6
Aug82° / 65°3.210.1013.66.3
Sep76° / 57°2.77.8012.37.2
Oct64° / 46°2.98.40.210.95.9
Nov51° / 36°3.2919.82.6
Dec41° / 28°3.49.73.39.20.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 71%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12872
22872
32872
42773
52773
62773
72773
82773
92773
102773
112773
122872
132872
142872
152872
162872
172872
182872
193070
203070
213070
223070
233070
243070
253070
263169
273169
283268
293268
303169
313169

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Dayton gets around 3.2 in of rain and snow over 9.8 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 35% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13313
23313
33314
43414
53414
63414
73515
83515
93515
103415
113416
123416
133416
143416
153416
163316
173316
183316
193216
203216
213116
223116
233016
243016
252915
262915
272915
282915
292915
302815
312815

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, the windiest month of the year.

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 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 8:03 AM to 7:53 AM, and sunset from 5:17 PM to 5:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.28:035:17
29.28:035:18
39.38:035:18
49.38:035:19
59.38:035:20
69.38:035:21
79.38:035:22
89.38:035:23
99.38:035:23
109.48:035:24
119.48:035:25
129.48:035:26
139.48:035:27
149.48:025:28
159.58:025:29
169.58:025:30
179.58:015:31
189.58:015:32
199.58:015:33
209.68:005:35
219.68:005:36
229.67:595:37
239.77:595:38
249.77:585:39
259.77:575:40
269.77:575:41
279.87:565:42
289.87:555:44
299.87:555:45
309.97:545:46
319.97:535:47

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.97 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.64 kWh/m² to a high of 6.22 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 1.97 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.7Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
172.0Dim
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Dayton?

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 Dayton.

What to pack for Dayton in January

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

In January, Dayton sees daytime highs around 37°F and nights near 23°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Dayton 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 Dayton peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 20UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Dayton 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 Dayton is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1117 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Dayton?

Dayton sits at 39.8°N, 84.2°W, 738 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Riverside, 3.7 mi away.

Topography around Dayton

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Dayton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 207 ft around an average of 764 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 430 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,089 ft.

The land around Dayton is covered by artificial surfaces (55%) and trees (20%) within 2 miles, trees (42%), grassland (26%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 10 miles, and cropland (59%) and trees (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
207 ft
10 miles
430 ft
50 miles
1,089 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Riverside 3.7 mi · Kettering 5.0 mi · Huber Heights 6.8 mi · Trotwood 6.8 mi · Beavercreek 7.5 mi · Vandalia 9.3 mi · Centerville 9.3 mi · Miamisburg 9.3 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 Dayton (39.7589°, -84.1916°, elevation 738 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).