Dover weather in January

In January, Dover sees average daytime highs of 43°F and overnight lows near 30°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 9.2 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 43°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 Dover's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dover's year-round climate.

Daytime high
43°
12th warmest
Overnight low
30°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
9.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:25 AM – 4:57 PM
Cloud cover
59%
7th clearest
Wind
9 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.26 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.4
out of 10

Dover is capital city of the U.S. state of Delaware and seat of Kent County.

Density
648/km²
people per km²
Founded
1683

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 43°F through the month.

A typical January day in Dover reaches about 43°F in the afternoon and slips back to 30°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 56°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 5°F cooler than December and about 2°F cooler than February.

20°30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14432
24432
34432
44432
54432
64431
74431
84431
94331
104331
114331
124330
134330
144230
154230
164229
174229
184229
194229
204229
214229
224229
234229
244229
254229
264229
274229
284229
294229
304229
314229

How January really feels in Dover

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.

Dover 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
Jan43° / 30°3.19.22.99.60.4
Feb45° / 31°3.08.92.910.51.0
Mar53° / 38°4.110.31.611.72.9
Apr64° / 47°3.39.90.2135.6
May72° / 57°3.410.7014.16.6
Jun81° / 66°3.610.2014.76.2
Jul85° / 71°3.711014.55.2
Aug83° / 70°4.310.5013.55.8
Sep77° / 63°4.19.2012.37.0
Oct67° / 52°3.780116.5
Nov56° / 42°2.97.50.29.94.0
Dec47° / 35°3.79.11.39.31.6

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 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
44951
54951
64951
74852
84852
94852
104852
114852
124753
134753
144753
154753
164852
174753
184753
194753
204753
214852
224852
234753
244753
254753
264852
274852
284852
294753
304852
314852

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Dover gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 9.2 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 30% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1295
2296
3306
4306
5306
6307
7317
8317
9318
10318
11319
12319
13319
14319
153110
163110
173110
183110
193111
203011
213011
222911
232911
242911
252811
262811
272711
282711
292710
302710
312710

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 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 7:27 AM to 7:17 AM, and sunset from 4:44 PM to 5:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:274:44
29.37:274:45
39.37:274:45
49.37:274:46
59.37:274:47
69.37:274:48
79.47:274:49
89.47:274:50
99.47:274:51
109.47:274:51
119.47:274:52
129.47:264:53
139.57:264:54
149.57:264:55
159.57:264:56
169.57:254:57
179.67:254:58
189.67:254:59
199.67:245:00
209.67:245:01
219.77:235:03
229.77:235:04
239.77:225:05
249.77:225:06
259.87:215:07
269.87:215:08
279.87:205:09
289.87:195:10
299.97:195:11
309.97:185:13
319.97:175:14

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.26 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.93 kWh/m² to a high of 6.33 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.26 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.0Moderate
22.0Moderate
32.0Moderate
42.0Moderate
52.0Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.4Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.6Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Dover

In seasonPeak

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

Dover 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 Dover?

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

0.4
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 Dover.

What to pack for Dover in January

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

In January, Dover sees daytime highs around 43°F and nights near 30°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 Dover in January

The nearest coast averages about 39°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 8 mi away) is warmest in August at about 76°F and coldest in February near 37°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 19 to Oct 3 — about 3.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan39Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar41Bracing
Apr49Bracing
May58Bracing
Jun67Cool
Jul74Refreshing
Aug76Warm
Sep73Refreshing
Oct64Cool
Nov53Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Dover 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 Dover peaks around July 10 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 8Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Dover 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 Dover is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1115 µg/m³Nov 127 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Dover?

Dover sits at 39.2°N, 75.5°W, 30 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Middletown, 22 mi away.

Topography around Dover

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Dover has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 131 ft around an average of 39 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 174 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 761 ft.

The land around Dover is covered by trees (41%), artificial surfaces (29%) and grassland (21%) within 2 miles, trees (30%) and cropland (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (39%), water (27%) and cropland (20%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
131 ft
10 miles
174 ft
50 miles
761 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
January weather nearby: Middletown 22 mi · Bridgeton 24 mi · Millville 31 mi · South Vineland 33 mi · Bear 34 mi · Vineland 35 mi · Elkton 35 mi · Cape May 37 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 Dover (39.1582°, -75.5244°, elevation 30 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).