Clearwater weather in January
January in Clearwater: nice, a little rain, with clean air — a great time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#12 of 12 months in Clearwater · #695 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 70/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 20°C
- Nights
- 12°C
- Wet days
- 6
- Sun
- 8.2 h
- Humidity
- 76%
- Daylight
- 11 h

Traveller notes on Clearwater in January
Other months in Clearwater
Regulars are specific this remains genuinely within hurricane season, a real tropical storm risk still capable of disrupting travel plans even this late in the year. Our row backs that hot, genuinely wet read, 29.4C reading as a scorching 32C, over 22.3C nights feeling 23C, with a substantial 96.6mm of rain across 6.3 days and humidity at 77 percent. Regulars are consistent daytime temperatures commonly land in the mid-to-upper 80s Fahrenheit, humidity noticeably lower than the peak of summer, the water itself cooled from its 85F high but still genuinely pleasant for swimming. The sea sits at a warm, swimmable 25.7C. The record: 9.7 hours of sun, a 25.7 kph wind and AQI 41.
One regular reports the gulf at 77F for the first week of May; our column gives 27.2C, which is 81F, so as usual the monthly figure describes the back half rather than the front. Either way it is swimming water. Air is 30.1C reading as 34C at 75 percent humidity over 22.1C nights, with a 24.4 kph sea breeze that is most of the reason the beach is bearable at midday. Rain has not yet turned on, 64.9mm across 4 days, with 11.8 hours of sun. The standing advice on this board has nothing to do with weather: check the red tide report before you travel, because a bloom brings sore throats and itchy eyes and moves week to week. The record: AQI 53.
April is the month Clearwater-forum regulars name as their favourite: warmed up but not yet the summer mugginess, highs in the low 80s F, lows in the mid 60s, and not usually a wet month. The water is the split decision - averaging about 73F, which visitors from further north find fine and locals still call chilly. The cost is company: snowbirds and spring families overlap, prices run high and hotels book early. Red tide is the wildcard nobody can promise on; it varies year to year, and when it is around the wave action puts toxins into the air, which matters most if you have a chronic respiratory condition. The record: 27.5C days feeling like 30C, 19.1C nights, 4.2 precipitation days, 11.1 hours of sun, a 25.4C Gulf and a 26.5 kph breeze.
Forum posters describe September as genuinely pleasant compared to the peak heat of June-August, with a typical day starting sunny, clouding over for an hour or two of afternoon rain, then clearing back up - a fully rained-out day is called rare. Warm, clear water is a consistent draw this time of year, conditions permitting. On hurricane season: posters are unbothered, saying the odds of a storm actually disrupting a given visit are firmly in the visitor's favor, though September/October is flagged as the stretch where a tropical storm (short of a full hurricane) is most plausible. Overall it's described as a genuinely favorable, popular time to visit despite technically being hurricane season.
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Clearwater climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Clearwater 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.
Peak crowdsSnowbird season, Christmas and New Year, Winter / Christmas break in United States(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Clearwater'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 weatherClearwater's weather peaks March–May, best around April.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Clearwater in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Snowbird season
5 Jan – 31 MarWinter-sun seasonCrowdedBook earlyLong-stay visitors from the northern states and Canada fill the condos and the early-evening restaurant tables from January. It is the driest, mildest stretch of the year and priced like it.
- Hazard
Red tide
1 Aug – 28 Feb · usuallyBlooms drift in most often from late summer into winter, killing fish and putting an irritant in the air that makes the beach unpleasant within minutes. It is patchy and moves with the wind, so the county posts beach-by-beach status daily. Source ↗
- Holiday
Christmas and New Year
24 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearClosuresCrowdedChristmas Day and New Year's Day are federal holidays: on 25 December most shops, museums and many restaurants close, and airports stay busy through the week between as families travel. New Year's Eve fills bars and restaurants, many at set-menu prices. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Clearwater — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Clearwater?
Clearwater in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Clearwater?
- January in Clearwater: nice, a little rain, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Clearwater on SeasonMap's comfort score (70/100).
- What is the weather like in Clearwater in January?
- In January, Clearwater averages a daily high of 20.4°C and a low of 12°C, with about 71.1 mm of rain over roughly 5.5 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Clearwater in January?
- Clearwater has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 43 in January.
Within 300 km: St. Augustine's Nights of Lights around 21 Nov – 31 Jan, and Naples, Florida's Stone crab season on 15 Oct – 1 May.