Durham weather in January
In January, Durham sees average daytime highs of 50°F and overnight lows near 33°F, with 3.6 in of precipitation across 9.4 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 50°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% 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 Durham's 3rd-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Durham's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 50°
- 12th warmest
- Overnight low
- 33°
- 1st coldest
- Precipitation
- 3.6 in
- 9.4 wet days
- Daylight
- 9 h 48 min
- 7:31 AM – 5:19 PM
- Cloud cover
- 54%
- 3rd clearest
- Wind
- 7 mph
- 4th windiest
- Solar energy
- 2.55 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 2.4
- out of 10
Durham is county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, United States.
- Density
- 919/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1869
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in January
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 50°F through the month.
A typical January day in Durham reaches about 50°F in the afternoon and slips back to 33°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 36°F and 65°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°F cooler than December and about 4°F cooler than February.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 51 |
| Avg low (°F) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51 | 35 |
| 2 | 51 | 35 |
| 3 | 51 | 35 |
| 4 | 51 | 35 |
| 5 | 51 | 35 |
| 6 | 51 | 35 |
| 7 | 51 | 35 |
| 8 | 51 | 35 |
| 9 | 51 | 34 |
| 10 | 51 | 34 |
| 11 | 50 | 34 |
| 12 | 50 | 34 |
| 13 | 50 | 34 |
| 14 | 50 | 33 |
| 15 | 50 | 33 |
| 16 | 50 | 33 |
| 17 | 50 | 33 |
| 18 | 49 | 33 |
| 19 | 49 | 33 |
| 20 | 49 | 33 |
| 21 | 49 | 33 |
| 22 | 49 | 32 |
| 23 | 49 | 32 |
| 24 | 50 | 32 |
| 25 | 50 | 32 |
| 26 | 50 | 32 |
| 27 | 50 | 33 |
| 28 | 50 | 33 |
| 29 | 51 | 33 |
| 30 | 51 | 33 |
| 31 | 51 | 33 |
How January really feels in Durham
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.
The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Durham 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.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50° / 33° | 3.6 | 9.4 | 1.4 | 9.8 | 2.4 |
| Feb | 54° / 35° | 3.2 | 8.9 | 1.3 | 10.6 | 3.3 |
| Mar | 62° / 42° | 4.3 | 10.5 | 0.5 | 11.7 | 5.2 |
| Apr | 71° / 51° | 3.5 | 9.3 | 0 | 12.9 | 6.7 |
| May | 78° / 60° | 3.4 | 10.6 | 0 | 13.9 | 6.6 |
| Jun | 85° / 68° | 3.9 | 12 | 0 | 14.4 | 5.0 |
| Jul | 88° / 71° | 4.3 | 14.9 | 0 | 14.2 | 3.9 |
| Aug | 86° / 70° | 3.9 | 11.6 | 0 | 13.4 | 4.7 |
| Sep | 81° / 64° | 4.4 | 9.4 | 0 | 12.2 | 6.4 |
| Oct | 71° / 53° | 3.1 | 7.5 | 0 | 11.1 | 7.1 |
| Nov | 61° / 42° | 3.3 | 7.7 | 0.1 | 10.1 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 53° / 36° | 3.5 | 9.2 | 0.6 | 9.6 | 3.2 |
Cloud cover in January
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% 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 48%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 50 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 51 |
| Cloudier (%) | 50 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 49 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 | 50 |
| 2 | 49 | 51 |
| 3 | 49 | 51 |
| 4 | 50 | 50 |
| 5 | 50 | 50 |
| 6 | 50 | 50 |
| 7 | 50 | 50 |
| 8 | 51 | 49 |
| 9 | 51 | 49 |
| 10 | 51 | 49 |
| 11 | 52 | 48 |
| 12 | 53 | 47 |
| 13 | 53 | 47 |
| 14 | 53 | 47 |
| 15 | 53 | 47 |
| 16 | 54 | 46 |
| 17 | 54 | 46 |
| 18 | 54 | 46 |
| 19 | 54 | 46 |
| 20 | 55 | 45 |
| 21 | 55 | 45 |
| 22 | 55 | 45 |
| 23 | 55 | 45 |
| 24 | 55 | 45 |
| 25 | 54 | 46 |
| 26 | 54 | 46 |
| 27 | 53 | 47 |
| 28 | 53 | 47 |
| 29 | 53 | 47 |
| 30 | 52 | 48 |
| 31 | 51 | 49 |
Chance of precipitation in January
Durham gets around 3.6 in of rain and snow over 9.4 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 31% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
| Snow chance (%) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Rain chance (%) | Snow chance (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | 3 |
| 2 | 30 | 3 |
| 3 | 30 | 3 |
| 4 | 30 | 3 |
| 5 | 30 | 3 |
| 6 | 30 | 3 |
| 7 | 30 | 3 |
| 8 | 30 | 3 |
| 9 | 30 | 3 |
| 10 | 30 | 3 |
| 11 | 30 | 4 |
| 12 | 30 | 4 |
| 13 | 31 | 4 |
| 14 | 31 | 4 |
| 15 | 31 | 4 |
| 16 | 32 | 5 |
| 17 | 32 | 5 |
| 18 | 32 | 5 |
| 19 | 32 | 5 |
| 20 | 32 | 5 |
| 21 | 32 | 5 |
| 22 | 32 | 6 |
| 23 | 31 | 6 |
| 24 | 31 | 6 |
| 25 | 31 | 6 |
| 26 | 31 | 6 |
| 27 | 30 | 5 |
| 28 | 30 | 5 |
| 29 | 30 | 5 |
| 30 | 29 | 5 |
| 31 | 29 | 5 |
Humidity in January
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 93 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 96 | 96 | 96 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 97 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 |
| Comfortable (%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Humid (%) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 93 | 5 | 2 |
| 2 | 94 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | 94 | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | 94 | 4 | 2 |
| 5 | 94 | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | 94 | 4 | 2 |
| 7 | 95 | 3 | 2 |
| 8 | 95 | 3 | 2 |
| 9 | 95 | 3 | 2 |
| 10 | 96 | 2 | 2 |
| 11 | 96 | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | 96 | 2 | 2 |
| 13 | 96 | 2 | 2 |
| 14 | 96 | 2 | 2 |
| 15 | 97 | 1 | 2 |
| 16 | 97 | 1 | 2 |
| 17 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 20 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 21 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 22 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 23 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 24 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 25 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 27 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 28 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 29 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | 98 | 1 | 1 |
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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | calm |
| 2 | 7 | calm |
| 3 | 7 | calm |
| 4 | 7 | calm |
| 5 | 7 | calm |
| 6 | 7 | calm |
| 7 | 7 | calm |
| 8 | 7 | calm |
| 9 | 7 | calm |
| 10 | 7 | calm |
| 11 | 7 | calm |
| 12 | 7 | calm |
| 13 | 7 | calm |
| 14 | 7 | calm |
| 15 | 7 | calm |
| 16 | 7 | calm |
| 17 | 7 | calm |
| 18 | 7 | calm |
| 19 | 7 | calm |
| 20 | 7 | calm |
| 21 | 7 | calm |
| 22 | 7 | calm |
| 23 | 7 | calm |
| 24 | 7 | calm |
| 25 | 7 | calm |
| 26 | 7 | calm |
| 27 | 7 | calm |
| 28 | 7 | calm |
| 29 | 7 | calm |
| 30 | 7 | calm |
| 31 | 7 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in January
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 7:31 AM to 7:24 AM, and sunset from 5:07 PM to 5:34 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.2 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:31 | 7:31 | 7:31 | 7:31 | 7:32 | 7:32 | 7:32 | 7:32 | 7:32 | 7:32 | 7:32 | 7:31 | 7:31 | 7:31 | 7:31 | 7:31 | 7:30 | 7:30 | 7:30 | 7:30 | 7:29 | 7:29 | 7:28 | 7:28 | 7:27 | 7:27 | 7:26 | 7:26 | 7:25 | 7:25 | 7:24 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:07 | 5:07 | 5:08 | 5:09 | 5:10 | 5:10 | 5:11 | 5:12 | 5:13 | 5:14 | 5:15 | 5:15 | 5:16 | 5:17 | 5:18 | 5:19 | 5:20 | 5:21 | 5:22 | 5:23 | 5:24 | 5:25 | 5:26 | 5:27 | 5:28 | 5:29 | 5:30 | 5:31 | 5:32 | 5:33 | 5:34 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9.6 | 7:31 | 5:07 |
| 2 | 9.6 | 7:31 | 5:07 |
| 3 | 9.6 | 7:31 | 5:08 |
| 4 | 9.6 | 7:31 | 5:09 |
| 5 | 9.6 | 7:32 | 5:10 |
| 6 | 9.6 | 7:32 | 5:10 |
| 7 | 9.7 | 7:32 | 5:11 |
| 8 | 9.7 | 7:32 | 5:12 |
| 9 | 9.7 | 7:32 | 5:13 |
| 10 | 9.7 | 7:32 | 5:14 |
| 11 | 9.7 | 7:32 | 5:15 |
| 12 | 9.7 | 7:31 | 5:15 |
| 13 | 9.8 | 7:31 | 5:16 |
| 14 | 9.8 | 7:31 | 5:17 |
| 15 | 9.8 | 7:31 | 5:18 |
| 16 | 9.8 | 7:31 | 5:19 |
| 17 | 9.8 | 7:30 | 5:20 |
| 18 | 9.8 | 7:30 | 5:21 |
| 19 | 9.9 | 7:30 | 5:22 |
| 20 | 9.9 | 7:30 | 5:23 |
| 21 | 9.9 | 7:29 | 5:24 |
| 22 | 9.9 | 7:29 | 5:25 |
| 23 | 10.0 | 7:28 | 5:26 |
| 24 | 10.0 | 7:28 | 5:27 |
| 25 | 10.0 | 7:27 | 5:28 |
| 26 | 10.0 | 7:27 | 5:29 |
| 27 | 10.1 | 7:26 | 5:30 |
| 28 | 10.1 | 7:26 | 5:31 |
| 29 | 10.1 | 7:25 | 5:32 |
| 30 | 10.1 | 7:25 | 5:33 |
| 31 | 10.2 | 7:24 | 5:34 |
Solar energy in January
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.55 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.55 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.0 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 2 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 3 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 4 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 5 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 6 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 7 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 8 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 9 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 10 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 11 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 12 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 13 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 14 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 15 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 16 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 17 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 18 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 19 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 20 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 21 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 22 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 23 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 24 | 2.8 | Moderate |
| 25 | 2.8 | Moderate |
| 26 | 2.8 | Moderate |
| 27 | 2.8 | Moderate |
| 28 | 2.9 | Moderate |
| 29 | 2.9 | Moderate |
| 30 | 2.9 | Moderate |
| 31 | 3.0 | Moderate |
Is January a good time to visit Durham?
Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Durham.
What to pack for Durham in January
From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In January, Durham sees daytime highs around 50°F and nights near 33°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.
UV index in Durham in January
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 Durham peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | High |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 7 | High |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Moderate |
Air quality in Durham in January
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Durham is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Level | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 12 | Moderate |
| Apr | 12 | Moderate |
| May | 13 | Moderate |
| Jun | 16 | Moderate |
| Jul | 18 | Moderate |
| Aug | 16 | Moderate |
| Sep | 12 | Good |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 8 | Good |
| Dec | 8 | Good |
Where is Durham?
Durham sits at 36.0°N, 78.9°W, 404 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Chapel Hill, 11 mi away.
Topography around Durham
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Durham.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Durham has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 184 ft around an average of 374 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 614 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,122 ft.
The land around Durham is covered by trees (61%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, trees (78%) within 10 miles, and trees (78%) within 50 miles.
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
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 Durham (35.994°, -78.8986°, elevation 404 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).