Memphis weather in January

In January, Memphis sees average daytime highs of 49°F and overnight lows near 33°F, with 3.9 in of precipitation across 9.6 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 49°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Memphis's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Memphis's year-round climate.

Daytime high
49°
12th warmest
Overnight low
33°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.9 in
9.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
7:13 AM – 5:06 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
8 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.46 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.1
out of 10

Memphis is city in and county seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, United States.

Density
754/km²
people per km²
Founded
1819

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 49°F through the month.

A typical January day in Memphis reaches about 49°F in the afternoon and slips back to 33°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 34°F and 64°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°F cooler than December and about 4°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14934
24934
34934
44934
54934
64934
74933
84933
94933
104933
114933
124933
134933
144933
154933
164933
174933
184933
194933
204933
214933
224933
234933
244933
255033
265033
275033
285033
295033
305033
315034

How January really feels in Memphis

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.

Memphis 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
Jan49° / 33°3.99.60.99.92.1
Feb53° / 36°4.19.20.910.73.1
Mar62° / 44°5.011.40.511.75.2
Apr71° / 53°4.810012.96.6
May80° / 62°4.611.1013.86.4
Jun87° / 71°3.49.7014.34.8
Jul89° / 74°3.710.4014.14.1
Aug89° / 72°3.08.5013.34.5
Sep83° / 65°2.97.4012.26.2
Oct73° / 53°4.07.4011.17.3
Nov61° / 43°4.08.50.110.25.3
Dec52° / 36°5.09.80.49.72.7

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24555
34555
44456
54456
64456
74456
84456
94357
104357
114357
124258
134258
144258
154258
164258
174159
184258
194357
204357
214456
224555
234654
244654
254654
264654
274852
284852
294753
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Memphis gets around 3.9 in of rain and snow over 9.6 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 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1312
2312
3312
4313
5323
6323
7323
8323
9323
10323
11323
12323
13323
14333
15333
16333
17323
18323
19323
20313
21313
22313
23303
24303
25303
26293
27293
28293
29283
30284
31284

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19352
29352
39352
49352
59352
69352
79352
89352
99352
109352
119442
129541
139541
149541
159631
169631
179631
189631
199631
209631
219721
229721
239721
249721
259721
269721
279721
289631
299631
309631
319532

Wind in January

Winds average 8 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:13 AM to 7:07 AM, and sunset from 4:53 PM to 5:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:134:53
29.77:134:54
39.77:144:55
49.77:144:56
59.77:144:56
69.77:144:57
79.77:144:58
89.77:144:59
99.87:145:00
109.87:145:00
119.87:145:01
129.87:145:02
139.87:145:03
149.87:145:04
159.97:135:05
169.97:135:06
179.97:135:07
189.97:135:08
199.97:125:09
2010.07:125:09
2110.07:125:10
2210.07:115:11
2310.07:115:12
2410.07:115:13
2510.17:105:14
2610.17:105:15
2710.17:095:16
2810.17:095:17
2910.27:085:18
3010.27:075:19
3110.27:075:20

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.46 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.47 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.46 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.2Moderate
62.2Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.4Moderate
162.4Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.8Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.9Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Memphis

In seasonPeak

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

Memphis 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 Memphis?

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

2.1
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
12th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Memphis.

What to pack for Memphis in January

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

In January, Memphis sees daytime highs around 49°F and nights near 33°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Memphis 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 Memphis peaks around June 20 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 20UV 10Dec 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Memphis 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 Memphis is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1419 µg/m³Dec 197 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr10Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Memphis?

Memphis sits at 35.1°N, 90.0°W, 256 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is New South Memphis, 4.3 mi away.

Topography around Memphis

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Memphis has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 154 ft around an average of 243 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 253 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 682 ft.

The land around Memphis is covered by artificial surfaces (44%), trees (21%) and water (20%) within 2 miles, trees (50%) within 10 miles, and trees (44%) and cropland (43%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
154 ft
10 miles
253 ft
50 miles
682 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: New South Memphis 4.3 mi · West Memphis 7.5 mi · Bartlett 11 mi · Southaven 11 mi · Horn Lake 14 mi · Ellendale 14 mi · Germantown 14 mi · Cordova 16 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 Memphis (35.1495°, -90.049°, elevation 256 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).