Harrisburg weather in January

In January, Harrisburg sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 25°F, with 3.3 in of precipitation across 9 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 38°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% 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 Harrisburg's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Harrisburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
12th warmest
Overnight low
25°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.3 in
9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:34 AM – 5:00 PM
Cloud cover
67%
12th clearest
Wind
7 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.04 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Harrisburg is capital city of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and seat of Dauphin County.

Density
1,633/km²
people per km²
Founded
1719

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 38°F through the month.

A typical January day in Harrisburg reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 25°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°F and 52°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 5°F cooler than December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14028
24027
34027
44027
53927
63927
73927
83926
93926
103926
113826
123826
133825
143825
153825
163825
173824
183724
193724
203724
213724
223723
233723
243723
253723
263723
273823
283823
293823
303823
313824

How January really feels in Harrisburg

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.

Harrisburg weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 25°3.394.59.50.0
Feb41° / 26°2.88.94.210.40.2
Mar50° / 33°3.810.63.211.72.3
Apr63° / 44°3.610.60.3135.2
May72° / 53°3.512014.26.3
Jun81° / 63°3.411014.86.1
Jul85° / 68°3.610.3014.65.2
Aug83° / 66°3.19.6013.65.9
Sep76° / 59°4.39012.36.9
Oct64° / 47°3.58.30.110.95.9
Nov53° / 37°3.18.20.79.83.0
Dec43° / 30°3.59.22.99.20.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33763
43763
53664
63763
73763
83664
93664
103763
113763
123763
133763
143664
153664
163664
173565
183565
193565
203466
213466
223565
233565
243664
253664
263565
273565
283763
293763
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Harrisburg gets around 3.3 in of rain and snow over 9 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 31% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12910
22910
32911
43011
53012
63112
73112
83113
93113
103113
113114
123114
133115
143115
153015
163015
173016
182916
192916
202916
212917
222817
232817
242817
252817
262817
272816
282816
292816
302916
312916

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 (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
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 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 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 7:35 AM to 7:25 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 5:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:354:46
29.27:364:47
39.27:364:48
49.27:364:48
59.27:364:49
69.27:364:50
79.37:364:51
89.37:364:52
99.37:364:53
109.37:354:54
119.37:354:55
129.37:354:56
139.47:354:57
149.47:354:58
159.47:344:59
169.47:345:00
179.57:345:01
189.57:335:02
199.57:335:03
209.57:325:04
219.67:325:05
229.67:315:06
239.67:315:07
249.67:305:08
259.77:305:10
269.77:295:11
279.77:285:12
289.87:285:13
299.87:275:14
309.87:265:15
319.97:255:17

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.04 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.73 kWh/m² to a high of 6.06 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.04 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
142.0Dim
152.0Dim
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Harrisburg

In seasonPeak

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

Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg?

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 Harrisburg.

What to pack for Harrisburg in January

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

In January, Harrisburg sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 25°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg peaks around June 22 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 8Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Harrisburg?

Harrisburg sits at 40.3°N, 76.9°W, 331 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Carlisle, 17 mi away.

Topography around Harrisburg

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Harrisburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 335 ft around an average of 367 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,260 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,300 ft.

The land around Harrisburg is covered by artificial surfaces (39%), trees (32%) and water (21%) within 2 miles, trees (59%) within 10 miles, and trees (58%) and cropland (22%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
335 ft
10 miles
1,260 ft
50 miles
2,300 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Carlisle 17 mi · York 23 mi · Lebanon 25 mi · Hanover 33 mi · Lancaster 35 mi · Chambersburg 47 mi · Westminster 48 mi · Reading 50 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 Harrisburg (40.2737°, -76.8844°, elevation 331 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). 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).