Harrisonburg weather in January

In January, Harrisonburg sees average daytime highs of 42°F and overnight lows near 25°F, with 2.7 in of precipitation across 7.8 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 42°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Harrisonburg's 6th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Harrisonburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
42°
12th warmest
Overnight low
25°
1st coldest
Precipitation
2.7 in
7.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:37 AM – 5:13 PM
Cloud cover
58%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.35 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

Harrisonburg is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
1,161/km²
people per km²
Founded
1779

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 42°F through the month.

A typical January day in Harrisonburg reaches about 42°F in the afternoon and slips back to 25°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°F and 56°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°F cooler than December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14326
24326
34326
44226
54226
64226
74226
84226
94226
104226
114226
124225
134125
144125
154125
164125
174125
184124
194124
204124
214124
224124
234124
244124
254124
264124
274124
284124
294224
304224
314224

How January really feels in Harrisonburg

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.

Harrisonburg 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
Jan42° / 25°2.77.83.29.60.2
Feb45° / 26°2.47.8310.51.0
Mar53° / 33°3.310.12.411.73.1
Apr64° / 43°3.1100.4135.6
May72° / 52°3.512.1014.16.3
Jun80° / 61°2.810.9014.66.3
Jul84° / 65°3.111014.45.5
Aug82° / 64°2.39.5013.56.1
Sep76° / 57°3.68.4012.37.1
Oct65° / 45°2.86.90.2116.3
Nov54° / 35°2.67.20.59.93.5
Dec45° / 29°2.98.22.19.41.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24753
34852
44753
54753
64654
74654
84654
94852
104852
114852
124852
134852
144852
154852
164852
174852
184852
194951
204951
214951
224951
235050
245050
255050
265050
275050
285050
294852
304852
314852

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Harrisonburg gets around 2.7 in of rain and snow over 7.8 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 25% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1248
2258
3258
4268
5268
6268
7279
8279
9279
10279
11279
122710
132710
142710
152710
162610
172610
182611
192511
202511
212511
222512
232412
242412
252412
262412
272412
282412
292412
302412
312412

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 6 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:38 AM to 7:29 AM, and sunset from 4:59 PM to 5:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:384:59
29.47:385:00
39.47:385:01
49.47:385:02
59.47:385:03
69.47:385:03
79.47:385:04
89.47:385:05
99.57:385:06
109.57:385:07
119.57:385:08
129.57:385:09
139.57:385:10
149.67:375:11
159.67:375:12
169.67:375:13
179.67:375:14
189.67:365:15
199.77:365:16
209.77:355:17
219.77:355:18
229.77:355:19
239.87:345:20
249.87:345:21
259.87:335:22
269.87:325:23
279.97:325:24
289.97:315:25
299.97:305:26
3010.07:305:28
3110.07:295:29

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.35 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.06 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.35 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.4Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.6Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.7Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.8Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Harrisonburg?

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

0.2
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 Harrisonburg.

What to pack for Harrisonburg in January

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

In January, Harrisonburg sees daytime highs around 42°F and nights near 25°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg peaks around June 23 at about 9 (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 highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Harrisonburg?

Harrisonburg sits at 38.4°N, 78.9°W, 1,325 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Staunton, 24 mi away.

Topography around Harrisonburg

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Harrisonburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 453 ft around an average of 1,388 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,241 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,701 ft.

The land around Harrisonburg is covered by artificial surfaces (36%), trees (32%) and grassland (24%) within 2 miles, trees (38%) and grassland (38%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
453 ft
10 miles
2,241 ft
50 miles
4,701 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
January weather nearby: Staunton 24 mi · Waynesboro 26 mi · Charlottesville 36 mi · Culpeper 47 mi · Front Royal 48 mi · Winchester 63 mi · Linton Hall 73 mi · Lynchburg 73 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 Harrisonburg (38.4496°, -78.8689°, elevation 1,325 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).