Kalispell weather in January

In January, Kalispell sees average daytime highs of 29°F and overnight lows near 17°F, with 2.7 in of precipitation across 14 wet days and about 8.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°F in the first days to 31°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 12 min at the start of January to 9 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Kalispell's 12th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kalispell's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
12th warmest
Overnight low
17°
1st coldest
Precipitation
2.7 in
14 wet days
Daylight
8 h 36 min
8:30 AM – 5:03 PM
Cloud cover
77%
12th clearest
Wind
3 mph
12th windiest
Solar energy
1.25 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Kalispell is seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States.

Density
726/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 28°F in the first days to 31°F by the end.

A typical January day in Kalispell reaches about 29°F in the afternoon and slips back to 17°F overnight — a 12°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°F and 39°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 3°F cooler than February.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
12816
22816
32816
42816
52816
62816
72816
82816
92816
102917
112917
122917
132917
142917
152917
162917
173017
183017
193017
203017
213017
223017
233017
243117
253117
263117
273117
283117
293117
303117
313117

How January really feels in Kalispell

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
8 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Kalispell weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 17°2.71414.38.60.0
Feb33° / 18°2.111.211.49.90.0
Mar40° / 23°2.614.210.111.60.2
Apr50° / 30°2.714.15.313.42.1
May60° / 38°3.013.71.214.94.5
Jun67° / 45°3.512.10.415.85.9
Jul77° / 50°1.25.7015.57.8
Aug78° / 50°1.250.114.17.9
Sep66° / 43°1.87.10.112.46.6
Oct51° / 34°2.611.92.810.62.6
Nov38° / 26°3.014.110.690.0
Dec30° / 19°2.713.414.18.20.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
21882
31981
41981
52080
61981
71981
81981
91981
102080
112179
122179
132179
142179
152179
162278
172278
182278
192278
202377
212377
222377
232476
242575
252476
262476
272476
282575
292575
302575
312674

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Kalispell gets around 2.7 in of rain and snow over 14 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 45% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days, and about 14 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14648
24649
34749
44749
54749
64749
74748
84748
94648
104648
114648
124648
134648
144548
154547
164547
174547
184446
194446
204445
214445
224445
234444
244444
254444
264343
274342
284242
294241
304140
314140

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 (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 3 mph in January, the calmest month.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 3 mph on the calmest days to 3 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
13calm
23calm
33calm
43calm
53calm
63calm
73calm
83calm
93calm
103calm
113calm
123calm
133calm
143calm
153calm
163calm
173calm
183calm
193calm
203calm
213calm
223calm
233calm
243calm
253calm
263calm
273calm
283calm
293calm
303calm
313calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 12 min at the start of January to 9 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 8:34 AM to 8:16 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 5:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.28:344:46
28.28:344:47
38.28:344:48
48.38:344:49
58.38:344:50
68.38:344:51
78.38:344:52
88.38:344:53
98.48:334:55
108.48:334:56
118.48:324:57
128.48:324:58
138.58:324:59
148.58:315:01
158.58:315:02
168.68:305:03
178.68:295:04
188.68:295:06
198.78:285:07
208.78:275:09
218.78:265:10
228.88:265:11
238.88:255:13
248.88:245:14
258.98:235:16
268.98:225:17
279.08:215:19
289.08:205:20
299.18:195:22
309.18:185:23
319.18:165:25

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.25 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.01 kWh/m² to a high of 7.27 kWh/m² in July across the year — January's 1.25 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.1Dim
21.1Dim
31.1Dim
41.1Dim
51.1Dim
61.1Dim
71.1Dim
81.1Dim
91.1Dim
101.1Dim
111.1Dim
121.2Dim
131.2Dim
141.2Dim
151.2Dim
161.2Dim
171.3Dim
181.3Dim
191.3Dim
201.3Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.4Dim
241.4Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.5Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.7Dim
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Kalispell?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kalispell.

What to pack for Kalispell in January

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

In January, Kalispell sees daytime highs around 29°F and nights near 17°F. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Kalispell in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kalispell peaks around July 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 18UV 8Dec 18UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Kalispell 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 Kalispell is worst in August — around 44 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 10.8× the cleanest month (December, 4 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModeratePoorModerateGoodAug 1942 µg/m³Dec 204 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb6Good
Mar8Good
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun9Good
Jul15Moderate
Aug44Poor
Sep31Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov7Good
Dec4Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kalispell?

Kalispell sits at 48.2°N, 114.3°W, 2,956 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Whitefish, 15 mi away.

Topography around Kalispell

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Kalispell has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 804 ft around an average of 2,969 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,900 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,871 ft.

The land around Kalispell is covered by grassland (36%), trees (30%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 2 miles, trees (38%), grassland (35%) and cropland (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (73%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
804 ft
10 miles
2,900 ft
50 miles
7,871 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermoss and lichen
January weather nearby: Whitefish 15 mi · Missoula 93 mi · Cranbrook 112 mi · Coeur d'Alene 120 mi · Lethbridge 124 mi · Post Falls 127 mi · Spokane Valley 140 mi · Opportunity 140 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 Kalispell (48.1958°, -114.3129°, elevation 2,956 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).