Wilkes-Barre weather in January

In January, Wilkes-Barre sees average daytime highs of 33°F and overnight lows near 20°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 9.4 wet days and about 9.4 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 33°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 06 min at the start of January to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Wilkes-Barre's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wilkes-Barre's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
12th warmest
Overnight low
20°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
9.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
7:33 AM – 4:53 PM
Cloud cover
73%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.93 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Wilkes-Barre is city in and seat of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
2,154/km²
people per km²
Founded
1769

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 33°F through the month.

A typical January day in Wilkes-Barre reaches about 33°F in the afternoon and slips back to 20°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°F and 46°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)
13523
23523
33523
43522
53522
63422
73422
83421
93421
103421
113421
123320
133320
143320
153320
163319
173319
183319
193219
203219
213218
223218
233218
243218
253318
263318
273318
283318
293319
303319
313319

How January really feels in Wilkes-Barre

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
30 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Wilkes-Barre 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
Jan33° / 20°3.19.46.49.40.0
Feb36° / 21°2.695.610.30.0
Mar45° / 29°3.6114.611.71.0
Apr58° / 40°3.611.41.213.14.0
May68° / 49°3.512.5014.35.8
Jun76° / 58°3.911.8014.96.4
Jul81° / 63°3.010.6014.76.4
Aug79° / 62°3.39.7013.76.7
Sep72° / 54°3.99.1012.36.8
Oct60° / 44°3.69.30.310.94.8
Nov48° / 34°3.18.51.69.71.8
Dec38° / 26°3.310.159.10.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 73%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12872
22872
32773
42773
52773
62773
72773
82674
92674
102674
112674
122674
132674
142674
152476
162476
172674
182674
192674
202674
212575
222674
232773
242872
252872
262872
273070
283070
293070
303268
313367

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Wilkes-Barre gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 9.4 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 30% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13117
23117
33218
43219
53219
63320
73320
83321
93321
103221
113221
123222
133222
143122
153122
163122
173022
183022
192922
202922
212922
222922
232821
242821
252821
262821
272821
282820
292820
302820
312820

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 (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
171000
181000
191000
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 7 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
237light breeze
247light breeze
257light breeze
267light breeze
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 06 min at the start of January to 9 h 48 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 7:35 AM to 7:23 AM, and sunset from 4:39 PM to 5:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.17:354:39
29.17:354:40
39.17:354:40
49.17:354:41
59.17:354:42
69.17:354:43
79.27:354:44
89.27:354:45
99.27:354:46
109.27:344:47
119.27:344:48
129.27:344:49
139.37:344:50
149.37:334:51
159.37:334:52
169.37:334:53
179.47:324:54
189.47:324:55
199.47:324:56
209.47:314:57
219.57:304:58
229.57:305:00
239.57:295:01
249.67:295:02
259.67:285:03
269.67:275:04
279.67:275:05
289.77:265:07
299.77:255:08
309.77:245:09
319.87:235:10

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.93 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.59 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 1.93 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.7Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.7Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.8Dim
131.8Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Wilkes-Barre?

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
9th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Wilkes-Barre.

What to pack for Wilkes-Barre in January

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

In January, Wilkes-Barre sees daytime highs around 33°F and nights near 20°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre peaks around July 10 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Nov 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Good
May15Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Wilkes-Barre?

Wilkes-Barre sits at 41.2°N, 75.9°W, 535 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Back Mountain, 8.7 mi away.

Topography around Wilkes-Barre

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Wilkes-Barre has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 518 ft around an average of 614 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,647 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,526 ft.

The land around Wilkes-Barre is covered by artificial surfaces (52%) and trees (35%) within 2 miles, trees (77%) within 10 miles, and trees (79%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
518 ft
10 miles
1,647 ft
50 miles
2,526 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Back Mountain 8.7 mi · Scranton 16 mi · Hazleton 21 mi · Whitehall Township 45 mi · Allentown 48 mi · Bethlehem 50 mi · Easton 52 mi · Williamsport 58 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 Wilkes-Barre (41.2459°, -75.8813°, elevation 535 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).