Chișinău (Kishinev) weather in January

January in Chișinău: freezing, a little rain, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Chișinău🇲🇩 Moldova · Balkans · City45
  1. 45Jan
  2. 57Feb
  3. 68Mar
  4. 80Apr
  5. 91May
  6. 86Jun
  7. 81Jul
  8. 84Aug
  9. 94Sep
  10. 75Oct
  11. 60Nov
  12. 49Dec

#12 of 12 months in Chișinău · #1221 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 45/100 (tier F)

Days
3°C
Nights
-3°C
Wet days
6
Sun
4.2 h
Humidity
81%
Daylight
9 h
Chișinău, Moldova
Photo: aethel_blanc · Pexels

Traveller notes on Chișinău in January

Other months in Chișinău

Detailed month-specific weather trip reports for Chișinău are sparse on the forum, with most discussion focused on itineraries and sightseeing - the Nativity Cathedral, Ciuflea Monastery and the city's historical museums come up often - rather than granular weather detail. Posters discussing the broader Moldova region in late winter note that areas farther north can still see heavy snow into early spring, making hiking difficult through snow and ice at that time. Given the thin destination-specific detail for Chișinău itself, this note leans on the well-established regional pattern for this part of Eastern Europe: March marks an early, still-cool transition toward spring, with lingering cold and a real chance of a late snow event, especially compared to the country's northern reaches.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters who've visited Moldova's capital in September describe the weather as beautiful and warm, with one visitor specifically calling out a clean, pleasant atmosphere with no unpleasant smells to contend with while exploring the city. Late summer into early autumn is repeatedly framed as a favorable stretch to visit, following on from what other posters describe as similarly good August conditions. As a smaller, less internationally-documented capital, Chisinau doesn't generate the volume of dedicated weather threads that bigger European cities do, but the visitor consensus across reports from this time of year is consistently positive - pleasant temperatures without the crowds of better-known regional capitals.
Tripadvisor community · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Chișinău's card on the map.

Chișinău climate normals — January

Daytime high3°C / 38°F🥶 freezing
Nighttime low-3°C / 27°F
Feels like (high)-1°C / 30°F
Rainfall30 mm / 1.2 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days6 days
Humidity81%💦 very humid
Dew point-3°C / 26°F
Sunshine4.2 h/day
Daylight9 h
Wind16 km/h / 10 mph
Snowfall15 cm / 5.9 in
Air quality (US AQI)30🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Chișinău in January

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyTwo Christmases, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Chișinău's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherChișinău's best weather comes in May, June and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Chișinău in January

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Festival

    Christmas market at PMAN

    1 Dec – 18 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New Year

    The Christmas tree goes up in the Great National Assembly Square in early December, surrounded by stalls with mulled wine and placinte, an ice rink and a Ferris wheel that stay into mid-January. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Two Christmases

    25 Dec – 14 JanChristmas & New YearClosures

    Moldova keeps both Christmases: 25 December and the Orthodox 7 and 8 January are public holidays. Carol singers make the rounds between the two, and the Old New Year is marked again on 13 and 14 January. Source ↗

What's on around the world in January →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Chișinău — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Chișinău?

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Chișinău in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Chișinău?
January in Chișinău: freezing, a little rain, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Chișinău on SeasonMap's comfort score (45/100).
What is the weather like in Chișinău in January?
In January, Chișinău averages a daily high of 3.2°C and a low of -2.8°C, with about 30.1 mm of rain over roughly 6.3 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Chișinău in January?
Chișinău has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 30 in January.
Does it snow in Chișinău in January?
Chișinău sees roughly 15 cm of snowfall in January.

Within 300 km: Brașov's Christmas market around 27 Nov – 3 Jan, and Odessa's Christmas and New Year on 24 Dec – 2 Jan.