Goldsboro weather in January

In January, Goldsboro sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 35°F, with 3.6 in of precipitation across 9.1 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 53°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% 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 Goldsboro's 4th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Goldsboro's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
12th warmest
Overnight low
35°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.6 in
9.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
7:26 AM – 5:17 PM
Cloud cover
54%
4th clearest
Wind
8 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.59 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.1
out of 10

Goldsboro is city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
491/km²
people per km²
Founded
1787

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 53°F through the month.

A typical January day in Goldsboro reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 35°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 38°F and 68°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°F cooler than December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15437
25437
35437
45437
55437
65337
75337
85336
95336
105336
115336
125336
135336
145335
155335
165235
175235
185235
195235
205234
215234
225234
235234
245234
255234
265234
275234
285334
295334
305335
315335

How January really feels in Goldsboro

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.

Goldsboro 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
Jan53° / 35°3.69.119.93.1
Feb56° / 37°3.18.50.910.73.8
Mar63° / 43°3.8100.311.75.6
Apr72° / 52°3.48.7012.96.9
May79° / 61°3.610.5013.86.6
Jun86° / 69°4.212.4014.34.8
Jul89° / 73°4.815.5014.13.8
Aug87° / 71°4.912.9013.34.4
Sep82° / 65°5.210.4012.26.2
Oct73° / 54°3.47.4011.17.2
Nov63° / 44°3.37.7010.16.0
Dec56° / 38°3.69.20.49.73.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 49%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34852
44852
54852
64852
74951
84951
94951
104951
114951
125050
135149
145149
155149
165248
175248
185248
195347
205347
215347
225347
235347
245347
255446
265446
275347
285347
295248
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Goldsboro gets around 3.6 in of rain and snow over 9.1 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 29% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1302
2302
3302
4292
5292
6292
7292
8292
9292
10293
11293
12293
13293
14293
15293
16293
17294
18294
19294
20294
21294
22294
23294
24294
25294
26294
27294
28293
29293
30283
31283

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 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
191531
291531
391531
491531
591531
691621
791621
891621
992521
1092521
1192521
1293511
1393511
1494411
1594411
1695410
1795410
1896310
1996310
2096310
2196310
2296310
2397210
2497210
2597210
2697210
2797210
2897210
2997210
3097210
3196310

Wind in January

Winds average 8 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57light breeze
67light breeze
77light 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 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 7:26 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 5:05 PM to 5:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:265:05
29.77:265:05
39.77:265:06
49.77:265:07
59.77:265:08
69.77:265:08
79.77:265:09
89.77:265:10
99.77:265:11
109.87:265:12
119.87:265:12
129.87:265:13
139.87:265:14
149.87:265:15
159.87:265:16
169.97:265:17
179.97:255:18
189.97:255:19
199.97:255:20
209.97:245:21
2110.07:245:22
2210.07:245:23
2310.07:235:24
2410.07:235:25
2510.17:225:26
2610.17:225:27
2710.17:215:28
2810.17:215:29
2910.27:205:30
3010.27:205:31
3110.27:195:32

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.59 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.59 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.6Moderate
162.6Moderate
172.6Moderate
182.6Moderate
192.7Moderate
202.7Moderate
212.7Moderate
222.7Moderate
232.8Moderate
242.8Moderate
252.8Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.9Moderate
282.9Moderate
292.9Moderate
303.0Moderate
313.0Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Goldsboro?

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

3.1
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 Goldsboro.

What to pack for Goldsboro in January

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

In January, Goldsboro sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 35°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Goldsboro in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

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 Goldsboro peaks around July 13 at about 9 (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 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Goldsboro 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 Goldsboro is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Dec 117 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb12Good
Mar16Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Goldsboro?

Goldsboro sits at 35.4°N, 78.0°W, 108 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Wilson, 24 mi away.

Topography around Goldsboro

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Goldsboro has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 135 ft around an average of 105 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 203 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 663 ft.

The land around Goldsboro is covered by trees (49%), artificial surfaces (25%) and grassland (22%) within 2 miles, trees (51%) and cropland (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (63%) and cropland (24%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
135 ft
10 miles
203 ft
50 miles
663 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Wilson 24 mi · Kinston 25 mi · Clayton 32 mi · Greenville 39 mi · Rocky Mount 40 mi · Garner 42 mi · Raleigh 45 mi · West Raleigh 47 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 Goldsboro (35.3849°, -77.9928°, elevation 108 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).