Middletown weather in January

In January, Middletown sees average daytime highs of 41°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 8.8 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 41°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% 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 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Middletown's 8th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Middletown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
41°
12th warmest
Overnight low
29°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
8.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:27 AM – 4:57 PM
Cloud cover
60%
8th clearest
Wind
8 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
2.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Middletown is town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States.

Density
674/km²
people per km²
Founded
1861

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 41°F through the month.

A typical January day in Middletown reaches about 41°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 12°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°F and 54°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 5°F cooler than December and about 2°F cooler than February.

20°30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14331
24331
34231
44231
54231
64231
74230
84230
94230
104230
114130
124129
134129
144129
154129
164129
174028
184028
194028
204028
214028
224028
234028
244028
254028
264028
274028
284028
294028
304128
314128

How January really feels in Middletown

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.

Middletown weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan41° / 29°3.18.839.50.1
Feb43° / 30°2.98.9310.40.6
Mar52° / 38°4.010.31.811.72.7
Apr63° / 48°3.510.20.2135.5
May72° / 58°3.310.3014.16.6
Jun81° / 67°3.610.8014.76.1
Jul85° / 72°3.611.1014.55.2
Aug83° / 71°3.79.9013.55.9
Sep77° / 64°4.19.1012.37.0
Oct66° / 52°3.57.90116.3
Nov55° / 42°2.97.90.29.83.6
Dec46° / 34°3.78.91.69.31.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
24951
34951
44852
54753
64753
74753
84654
94654
104654
114654
124654
134555
144654
154555
164555
174456
184456
194555
204555
214555
224555
234654
244654
254654
264654
274753
284654
294654
304654
314753

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Middletown gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 8.8 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 29% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1287
2287
3287
4297
5298
6298
7308
8308
9309
10319
11319
12319
133110
143110
153110
163010
173010
183011
193011
202911
212911
222811
232811
242711
252711
262711
272711
282711
292711
302710
312710

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 (%)
11000
21000
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 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.

051015151015202531
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 18 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 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:28 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 4:44 PM to 5:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:284:44
29.37:284:45
39.37:284:45
49.37:294:46
59.37:294:47
69.37:294:48
79.37:294:49
89.47:294:50
99.47:284:50
109.47:284:51
119.47:284:52
129.47:284:53
139.47:284:54
149.57:284:55
159.57:274:56
169.57:274:57
179.57:274:58
189.67:264:59
199.67:265:00
209.67:255:01
219.67:255:03
229.77:245:04
239.77:245:05
249.77:235:06
259.77:235:07
269.87:225:08
279.87:225:09
289.87:215:10
299.97:205:11
309.97:195:13
319.97:195:14

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.23 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.88 kWh/m² to a high of 6.11 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.23 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.0Dim
22.0Dim
32.0Dim
42.0Dim
52.0Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.6Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Middletown

In seasonPeak

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

Middletown 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 Middletown?

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

0.1
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 Middletown.

What to pack for Middletown in January

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

In January, Middletown sees daytime highs around 41°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Middletown in January

The nearest coast averages about 39°F in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 29 mi away) is warmest in August at about 76°F and coldest in February near 37°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 19 to Oct 3 — about 3.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan39Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar41Bracing
Apr49Bracing
May58Bracing
Jun67Cool
Jul74Refreshing
Aug76Warm
Sep73Refreshing
Oct64Cool
Nov53Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Middletown 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 Middletown peaks around July 11 at about 8 (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 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 11UV 8Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Middletown 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 Middletown is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Nov 128 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Middletown?

Middletown sits at 39.4°N, 75.7°W, 69 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Elkton, 12 mi away.

Topography around Middletown

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Middletown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 151 ft around an average of 59 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 190 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,385 ft.

The land around Middletown is covered by grassland (38%) and trees (22%) within 2 miles, trees (36%) and cropland (28%) within 10 miles, and trees (44%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
151 ft
10 miles
190 ft
50 miles
1,385 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
January weather nearby: Elkton 12 mi · Bear 13 mi · Newark 16 mi · Wilmington 22 mi · Dover 22 mi · Aberdeen 24 mi · Bridgeton 25 mi · Edgewood 31 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 Middletown (39.4496°, -75.7163°, elevation 69 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). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).