Oak Ridge weather in January

In January, Oak Ridge sees average daytime highs of 47°F and overnight lows near 31°F, with 4.6 in of precipitation across 10.7 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 47°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of January to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Oak Ridge's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Oak Ridge's year-round climate.

Daytime high
47°
12th warmest
Overnight low
31°
1st coldest
Precipitation
4.6 in
10.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
7:52 AM – 5:41 PM
Cloud cover
63%
10th clearest
Wind
6 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.5
out of 10

Oak Ridge is city in Tennessee, United States.

Density
126/km²
people per km²
Founded
1942

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 47°F through the month.

A typical January day in Oak Ridge reaches about 47°F in the afternoon and slips back to 31°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°F and 60°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)
14833
24733
34733
44733
54733
64732
74732
84732
94732
104732
114732
124732
134731
144731
154631
164631
174631
184631
194631
204631
214631
224731
234731
244731
254731
264731
274731
284731
294831
304831
314831

How January really feels in Oak Ridge

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.

Oak Ridge weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan47° / 31°4.610.71.79.81.5
Feb51° / 34°4.7111.810.62.4
Mar60° / 41°5.211.80.711.74.5
Apr69° / 49°4.711.2012.96.1
May76° / 58°4.012.6013.96.4
Jun83° / 66°4.013.9014.45.3
Jul85° / 70°5.215.3014.24.6
Aug85° / 68°3.612.2013.45.1
Sep80° / 62°3.98.8012.26.8
Oct69° / 50°3.17.9011.16.9
Nov58° / 40°4.09.20.210.14.6
Dec50° / 35°5.110.70.99.62.1

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33763
43862
53862
63862
73862
83862
93862
103862
113862
123862
133862
143862
153862
163961
173961
184159
194159
204159
214258
224258
234258
244258
254258
264258
274258
284357
294357
304258
314159

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Oak Ridge gets around 4.6 in of rain and snow over 10.7 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 35% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1335
2335
3345
4345
5355
6356
7366
8366
9376
10376
11376
12376
13376
14376
15376
16376
17365
18365
19355
20355
21345
22345
23345
24335
25335
26335
27346
28346
29346
30346
31346

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19631
29631
39730
49730
59730
69730
79730
89730
99730
109730
119820
129820
139820
149820
159820
169820
179820
189910
199910
209910
219910
229910
239910
249910
259910
269910
279910
289910
299910
309910
319910

Wind in January

Winds average 6 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 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 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:52 AM to 7:45 AM, and sunset from 5:28 PM to 5:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:525:28
29.67:535:29
39.67:535:29
49.67:535:30
59.67:535:31
69.67:535:32
79.77:535:33
89.77:535:33
99.77:535:34
109.77:535:35
119.77:535:36
129.77:535:37
139.77:535:38
149.87:535:39
159.87:525:40
169.87:525:41
179.87:525:41
189.87:525:42
199.97:515:43
209.97:515:44
219.97:515:45
229.97:505:46
2310.07:505:47
2410.07:495:48
2510.07:495:49
2610.07:485:50
2710.17:485:51
2810.17:475:52
2910.17:475:53
3010.17:465:54
3110.27:455:55

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.36 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.06 kWh/m² to a high of 6.05 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.36 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.6Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.6Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.7Moderate
312.7Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Oak Ridge?

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

1.5
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Oak Ridge.

What to pack for Oak Ridge in January

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

In January, Oak Ridge sees daytime highs around 47°F and nights near 31°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1518 µg/m³Dec 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Oak Ridge?

Oak Ridge sits at 36.0°N, 84.3°W, 850 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Farragut, 11 mi away.

Topography around Oak Ridge

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Oak Ridge has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 525 ft around an average of 961 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,756 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,879 ft.

The land around Oak Ridge is covered by trees (67%) within 2 miles, trees (80%) within 10 miles, and trees (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
525 ft
10 miles
2,756 ft
50 miles
4,879 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Farragut 11 mi · Knoxville 20 mi · Maryville 24 mi · Sevierville 41 mi · Gatlinburg 47 mi · Morristown 56 mi · Cleveland 68 mi · Cookeville 70 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 Oak Ridge (36.0104°, -84.2696°, elevation 850 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).