Lawrence weather in January

In January, Lawrence sees average daytime highs of 36°F and overnight lows near 22°F, with 3.2 in of precipitation across 9.5 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 36°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% 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 Lawrence's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lawrence's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
12th warmest
Overnight low
22°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.2 in
9.5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
8:09 AM – 5:37 PM
Cloud cover
72%
12th clearest
Wind
9 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Lawrence is city in Marion County, Indiana, United States.

Density
912/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

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 36°F through the month.

A typical January day in Lawrence reaches about 36°F in the afternoon and slips back to 22°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°F and 53°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 4°F cooler than December and about 4°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13824
23824
33724
43724
53724
63723
73723
83723
93723
103623
113622
123622
133622
143622
153622
163621
173621
183521
193521
203521
213521
223521
233621
243621
253621
263621
273621
283621
293621
303722
313722

How January really feels in Lawrence

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
27 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Lawrence weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan36° / 22°3.29.54.39.50.0
Feb40° / 25°2.68.64.210.40.2
Mar51° / 33°3.911.1211.72.4
Apr63° / 44°4.712.20.4135.1
May73° / 55°4.813.5014.26.1
Jun81° / 64°4.211.4014.86.0
Jul84° / 67°3.511.3014.55.5
Aug83° / 65°2.89.2013.66.3
Sep77° / 57°2.97.8012.37.2
Oct65° / 46°3.38.70.110.96.0
Nov51° / 36°3.49.10.89.82.6
Dec40° / 27°3.210.13.59.20.2

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 70%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12971
22971
32872
42773
52773
62773
72773
82773
92773
102872
112872
122872
132872
142872
152872
162971
173070
183070
193070
203070
213169
223268
233268
243268
253268
263367
273367
283367
293367
303367
313367

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Lawrence gets around 3.2 in of rain and snow over 9.5 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 31% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13012
23012
33113
43113
53113
63213
73213
83314
93314
103314
113314
123315
133315
143315
153315
163215
173215
183215
193115
203115
213015
223015
232915
242915
252915
262915
272815
282815
292815
302815
312815

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 (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
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 9 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

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 8:11 AM to 8:01 AM, and sunset from 5:24 PM to 5:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.28:115:24
29.28:115:25
39.28:115:25
49.38:115:26
59.38:115:27
69.38:115:28
79.38:115:29
89.38:115:30
99.38:115:31
109.38:115:32
119.48:115:32
129.48:105:33
139.48:105:34
149.48:105:35
159.48:105:36
169.58:095:37
179.58:095:38
189.58:095:40
199.58:085:41
209.68:085:42
219.68:075:43
229.68:075:44
239.68:065:45
249.78:065:46
259.78:055:47
269.78:045:48
279.88:045:50
289.88:035:51
299.88:025:52
309.98:025:53
319.98:015:54

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.99 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.25 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 1.99 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.7Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
162.0Dim
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Lawrence?

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 Lawrence.

What to pack for Lawrence in January

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

In January, Lawrence sees daytime highs around 36°F and nights near 22°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Lawrence 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 Lawrence peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Lawrence 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 Lawrence is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Oct 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Moderate
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Lawrence?

Lawrence sits at 39.8°N, 86.0°W, 873 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Broad Ripple, 6.2 mi away.

Topography around Lawrence

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Lawrence has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 141 ft around an average of 860 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 302 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 833 ft.

The land around Lawrence is covered by trees (43%), artificial surfaces (35%) and grassland (20%) within 2 miles, trees (40%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 10 miles, and cropland (63%) and trees (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
141 ft
10 miles
302 ft
50 miles
833 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Broad Ripple 6.2 mi · Fishers 8.1 mi · Indianapolis 8.7 mi · Carmel 11 mi · Greenfield 14 mi · Noblesville 14 mi · Zionsville 15 mi · Westfield 15 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 Lawrence (39.8387°, -86.0253°, elevation 873 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).