Pontiac weather in January

In January, Pontiac sees average daytime highs of 31°F and overnight lows near 18°F, with 2.3 in of precipitation across 9.6 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 54 min at the start of January to 9 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Pontiac's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pontiac's year-round climate.

Daytime high
31°
12th warmest
Overnight low
18°
1st coldest
Precipitation
2.3 in
9.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
8:07 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
79%
12th clearest
Wind
9 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Pontiac is city and county seat of Oakland County, Michigan, United States.

Density
1,140/km²
people per km²
Founded
1818

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 31°F through the month.

A typical January day in Pontiac reaches about 31°F in the afternoon and slips back to 18°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°F and 45°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 5°F cooler than December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13221
23221
33220
43220
53220
63220
73120
83119
93119
103119
113119
123118
133018
143018
153017
163017
173017
183017
193017
203017
213017
223017
233017
243017
253017
263017
273017
283017
293117
303117
313117

How January really feels in Pontiac

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
31 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Pontiac 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
Jan31° / 18°2.39.679.20.0
Feb33° / 19°2.07.96.710.30.0
Mar44° / 27°2.49.94.211.60.8
Apr56° / 38°3.612.11.913.13.6
May67° / 49°3.912.70.114.45.8
Jun77° / 59°3.911.2015.16.5
Jul81° / 63°3.311.5014.86.3
Aug79° / 61°3.210.6013.76.6
Sep72° / 54°3.09.5012.36.8
Oct59° / 43°3.0100.210.84.6
Nov46° / 33°2.69.32.29.61.2
Dec35° / 24°2.29.35.68.90.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 79%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
21981
31981
41981
51981
61981
71981
81882
91882
101981
111981
122080
132179
142179
152179
162179
172179
182179
192377
202377
212377
222476
232476
242377
252377
262476
272476
282476
292476
302476
312575

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Pontiac gets around 2.3 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 34% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13219
23219
33320
43320
53321
63422
73422
83423
93423
103423
113324
123324
133324
143224
153224
163124
173123
183023
193023
202923
212923
222823
232823
242823
252823
262823
272823
282823
292723
302723
312723

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 9 mph in January, the windiest month of the year.

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 8 h 54 min at the start of January to 9 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 8:09 AM to 7:57 AM, and sunset from 5:04 PM to 5:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.98:095:04
28.98:095:05
38.98:095:05
49.08:095:06
59.08:095:07
69.08:095:08
79.08:095:09
89.08:095:10
99.08:095:11
109.18:085:12
119.18:085:13
129.18:085:14
139.18:085:15
149.18:075:16
159.28:075:17
169.28:075:18
179.28:065:19
189.28:065:21
199.38:055:22
209.38:055:23
219.38:045:24
229.48:045:25
239.48:035:26
249.48:025:28
259.58:015:29
269.58:015:30
279.58:005:31
289.67:595:33
299.67:585:34
309.67:575:35
319.77:575:36

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.73 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.39 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 1.73 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.5Dim
41.5Dim
51.5Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.6Dim
141.7Dim
151.7Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.8Dim
191.8Dim
201.8Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
252.0Dim
262.0Moderate
272.0Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Pontiac?

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 Pontiac.

What to pack for Pontiac in January

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

In January, Pontiac sees daytime highs around 31°F and nights near 18°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Pontiac in January

The nearest coast averages about 34°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 21 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 2 to Sep 15 — about 2.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan34Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr41Bracing
May52Bracing
Jun64Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct57Bracing
Nov47Bracing
Dec39Bracing

UV index in Pontiac 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 Pontiac peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Pontiac 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 Pontiac is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1415 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Pontiac?

Pontiac sits at 42.6°N, 83.3°W, 922 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Auburn Hills, 4.3 mi away.

Topography around Pontiac

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Pontiac has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft around an average of 951 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 614 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 ft.

The land around Pontiac is covered by artificial surfaces (40%), trees (35%) and grassland (20%) within 2 miles, trees (59%) within 10 miles, and trees (38%) and cropland (29%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
194 ft
10 miles
614 ft
50 miles
915 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
January weather nearby: Auburn Hills 4.3 mi · West Bloomfield Township 6.8 mi · Waterford 7.5 mi · Rochester Hills 7.5 mi · Troy 7.5 mi · Birmingham 7.5 mi · Berkley 11 mi · Farmington Hills 11 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 Pontiac (42.6389°, -83.291°, elevation 922 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. 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).