Lake Tahoe weather in January

In January, Lake Tahoe sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 5.7 in of precipitation across 10.7 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 1st-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 31% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 18 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Lake Tahoe's 12th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lake Tahoe's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
11th warmest
Overnight low
24°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
5.7 in
10.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:23 AM – 4:56 PM
Cloud cover
61%
12th clearest
Wind
4 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
2.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Lake Tahoe is city in El Dorado County, California, United States.

Density
505/km²
people per km²
Founded
1965

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 Lake Tahoe reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 24°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 47°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and about 1°F cooler than February.

20°30°40°50°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13723
23824
33824
43824
53824
63824
73824
83824
93824
103824
113824
123824
133824
143824
153824
163824
173824
183824
193824
203824
213824
223824
233824
243824
253924
263924
273924
283924
293924
303924
313924

How January really feels in Lake Tahoe

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.

Lake Tahoe weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 11th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 24°5.710.710.29.60.0
Feb40° / 25°5.211.21110.50.0
Mar44° / 27°4.911.110.711.70.7
Apr49° / 29°2.78.97.4132.0
May59° / 36°2.18.43.614.14.8
Jun70° / 44°0.84.30.714.77.9
Jul79° / 51°0.43.1014.48.4
Aug79° / 52°0.53.1013.58.5
Sep72° / 47°0.63.20.312.38.5
Oct61° / 38°1.74.82.1116.0
Nov47° / 28°3.27.96.79.91.6
Dec38° / 23°5.610.610.29.30.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24357
34357
44357
54456
64456
74555
84555
94555
104555
114555
124555
134654
144654
154654
164654
174654
184654
194654
204654
214555
224654
234555
244555
254456
264456
274357
284357
294357
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Lake Tahoe gets around 5.7 in of rain and snow over 10.7 wet days in January, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 35% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days, and about 10 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13432
23432
33432
43432
53332
63331
73331
83331
93331
103332
113332
123332
133433
143533
153534
163635
173635
183735
193736
203736
213836
223836
233735
243735
253735
263634
273634
283533
293533
303532
313432

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 4 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 4 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 18 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 42 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:24 AM to 7:15 AM, and sunset from 4:42 PM to 5:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:244:42
29.37:244:43
39.37:244:44
49.37:244:45
59.47:244:46
69.47:244:46
79.47:244:47
89.47:244:48
99.47:244:49
109.47:244:50
119.57:244:51
129.57:244:52
139.57:234:53
149.57:234:54
159.57:234:55
169.67:234:56
179.67:224:57
189.67:224:58
199.67:224:59
209.67:215:00
219.77:215:01
229.77:205:02
239.77:205:03
249.87:195:04
259.87:195:05
269.87:185:06
279.87:175:08
289.97:175:09
299.97:165:10
309.97:155:11
3110.07:155:12

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.4 kWh/m² to a high of 8.26 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.66 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.5Moderate
62.5Moderate
72.5Moderate
82.5Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.6Moderate
122.6Moderate
132.6Moderate
142.6Moderate
152.6Moderate
162.7Moderate
172.7Moderate
182.7Moderate
192.7Moderate
202.8Moderate
212.8Moderate
222.8Moderate
232.9Moderate
242.9Moderate
252.9Moderate
263.0Moderate
273.0Moderate
283.0Moderate
293.1Moderate
303.1Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Lake Tahoe

In seasonPeak

In January, Lake Tahoe sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Lake Tahoe's rainy season runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Lake Tahoe?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Lake Tahoe.

What to pack for Lake Tahoe in January

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

In January, Lake Tahoe sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 24°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Lake Tahoe in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Lake Tahoe peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 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 highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 13UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May10Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep7Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe is worst in August — around 85 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 16.6× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0306090JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateGoodAug 1679 µg/m³Dec 165 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May9Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul45Poor
Aug85Unhealthy
Sep34Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe sits at 38.9°N, 120.0°W, 6,237 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Carson City, 20 mi away.

Topography around Lake Tahoe

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Lake Tahoe has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 427 ft around an average of 6,270 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,181 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,850 ft.

The land around Lake Tahoe is covered by trees (50%) and water (29%) within 2 miles, trees (57%) and water (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (60%) and grassland (24%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
427 ft
10 miles
6,181 ft
50 miles
10,850 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Carson City 20 mi · Truckee 29 mi · Reno 42 mi · Sparks 43 mi · Sun Valley 47 mi · Spanish Springs 52 mi · Cameron Park 57 mi · Fernley 61 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 Lake Tahoe (38.9332°, -119.9844°, elevation 6,237 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).