Winchester weather in January

In January, Winchester sees average daytime highs of 40°F and overnight lows near 25°F, with 2.9 in of precipitation across 8.3 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 40°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% 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 Winchester's 10th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Winchester's year-round climate.

Daytime high
40°
12th warmest
Overnight low
25°
1st coldest
Precipitation
2.9 in
8.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:36 AM – 5:08 PM
Cloud cover
63%
10th clearest
Wind
7 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Winchester is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
1,138/km²
people per km²
Founded
1752

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 40°F through the month.

A typical January day in Winchester reaches about 40°F in the afternoon and slips back to 25°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°F and 55°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 4°F cooler than December and about 3°F cooler than February.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14227
24227
34227
44127
54127
64127
74127
84126
94126
104126
114026
124026
134026
144026
154025
164025
174025
183925
193924
203924
213924
223924
233924
243924
254024
264024
274024
284024
294024
304024
314124

How January really feels in Winchester

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.

Winchester 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
Jan40° / 25°2.98.33.59.60.0
Feb44° / 27°2.68.33.610.50.6
Mar52° / 34°3.710.42.811.72.8
Apr64° / 44°3.6110.2135.5
May72° / 53°4.112.4014.16.3
Jun81° / 62°3.611.8014.75.9
Jul85° / 67°3.511.3014.55.0
Aug84° / 65°2.910.1013.55.6
Sep77° / 58°4.29.2012.36.9
Oct65° / 46°3.28.10.1116.2
Nov54° / 36°2.97.60.69.93.4
Dec44° / 29°3.28.82.69.30.8

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% 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 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34357
44258
54258
64357
74258
84258
94258
104258
114258
124159
134159
144258
154258
164159
174060
184060
194060
204159
214159
224159
234159
244258
254258
264258
274357
284357
294357
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Winchester gets around 2.9 in of rain and snow over 8.3 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 27% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1269
2279
3279
4289
52810
62910
72910
82910
92910
102910
112911
122911
132811
142811
152811
162711
172712
182712
192712
202612
212612
222613
232613
242613
252613
262613
272613
282713
292713
302713
312713

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
31000
41000
51000
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 7 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 7:37 AM to 7:28 AM, and sunset from 4:54 PM to 5:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:374:54
29.37:374:55
39.37:374:56
49.37:384:57
59.37:384:58
69.37:384:58
79.47:384:59
89.47:385:00
99.47:375:01
109.47:375:02
119.47:375:03
129.47:375:04
139.57:375:05
149.57:375:06
159.57:365:07
169.57:365:08
179.67:365:09
189.67:355:10
199.67:355:11
209.67:355:12
219.67:345:13
229.77:345:14
239.77:335:15
249.77:335:16
259.87:325:17
269.87:315:19
279.87:315:20
289.87:305:21
299.97:295:22
309.97:295:23
319.97:285:24

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.19 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.89 kWh/m² to a high of 6.13 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 2.19 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
32.0Dim
42.0Dim
52.0Dim
62.0Dim
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.0Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.3Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.4Moderate
262.5Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit Winchester?

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

0.0
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 Winchester.

What to pack for Winchester in January

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

In January, Winchester sees daytime highs around 40°F and nights near 25°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Winchester 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 Winchester peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 23UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Winchester 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 Winchester is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Nov 138 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Winchester?

Winchester sits at 39.2°N, 78.2°W, 709 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Front Royal, 19 mi away.

Topography around Winchester

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Winchester has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 358 ft around an average of 748 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,814 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,183 ft.

The land around Winchester is covered by trees (45%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, trees (51%) and grassland (37%) within 10 miles, and trees (70%) and grassland (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
358 ft
10 miles
1,814 ft
50 miles
4,183 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
January weather nearby: Front Royal 19 mi · Martinsburg 22 mi · Leesburg 32 mi · Ashburn 37 mi · Hagerstown 39 mi · South Riding 40 mi · Ballenger Creek 41 mi · Sterling 41 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 Winchester (39.1857°, -78.1633°, elevation 709 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).