Freiburg weather in January

January in Freiburg: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a fair time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Freiburg🇩🇪 Germany · Central Europe · City52
  1. 52Jan
  2. 64Feb
  3. 71Mar
  4. 79Apr
  5. 83May
  6. 88Jun
  7. 91Jul
  8. 86Aug
  9. 90Sep
  10. 75Oct
  11. 61Nov
  12. 55Dec

#12 of 12 months in Freiburg · #1105 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 52/100 (tier D)

Days
7°C
Nights
-1°C
Wet days
12
Sun
4.6 h
Humidity
85%
Daylight
9 h
Freiburg, Germany
Photo: Denise Cusack · Pexels

Traveller notes on Freiburg in January

Notes from nearby Strasbourg (66 km away)

Freiburg doesn't have its own notes for January yet — these are about Strasbourg, close enough to share the season.

Strasbourg forum threads describe January as genuinely cold and often gloomy, with posters citing a typical range up to around 12C on a mild day but warning an unusual cold snap could in theory push toward -20C, though that extreme was called rare. Grey skies, bare trees and wet conditions were described as the norm rather than the exception, with real feel temperatures running noticeably colder than the official number once wind is factored in. Streets can turn icy and slushy enough to be genuinely hazardous underfoot, and while snow settling in the city itself was called unlikely, posters noted it can be disruptive on the occasions it does happen. The consistent upside: most attractions stay open through January, and the city is notably less crowded than during the December Christmas market rush.
PetiteFranceRegular · January · 1 month ago · about Strasbourg · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Freiburg

Regulars are specific this counts as Germany's warmest and sunniest city, genuinely good odds of good weather though rainy, cool days remain possible at any point in the year regardless of reputation. Our row backs that warm, genuinely wet read, 25.5C over 13.3C nights feeling 13C, with a substantial 99.2mm of rain across 11.9 days and humidity at 73 percent. Regulars are consistent storms here run genuinely localised, one spot getting thunder, heavy rain and hail while another just a few kilometres away stays basically dry under the same system, typical of how hilly country channels weather. Checking conditions specifically for wherever you're headed in the Black Forest remains worthwhile regardless of the Freiburg forecast. The record: 12.1 hours of sun, an 11.9 kph wind and AQI 49.
WarmestCityButStormsGenuinelyLocal · June · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Freiburg is usually Germany's warmest and sunniest city, sitting on the Upper Rhine plain, and the forum's regulars say your odds of good July weather here are as good as the country offers - while adding the German caveat that any month can turn wet and cool. The Black Forest behind the city is its own climate and swings widely across a summer day, which is the argument for basing yourself in the city and going up for the day: Triberg, the Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum, Gengenbach and Offenburg are all within reach, with Strasbourg and Baden-Baden not much further. The record: 26.7C days, 14.2C nights, 9 precipitation days, 12.3 hours of sun inside a 15.6-hour day, AQI 40.
WarmestCityInGermany · July · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe March here as genuinely bimodal - it can be mild and sunny, or it can drop to -10C with snow, and there's no reliable way to know which until close to the travel date. Posters do note Freiburg is generally considered Germany's warmest and sunniest city, so along a route through several German-speaking cities, it offers better odds of good weather than most alternatives - and going later in March specifically improves the chances that spring has properly arrived by the time of a visit. The consistent bottom-line advice: pack for both scenarios (a warm layer plus something genuinely winter-capable) rather than betting on either outcome.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Freiburg's forum calls it Germany's warmest and sunniest city, so odds of good September weather are better than most of the country, though the region is genuinely capable of a rainy, cool spell any time of year. Regulars note September is a pleasant month in the surrounding wine country as the grapes ripen, and recommend layers since daytime highs can swing widely from one week to the next.
Tripadvisor community · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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

Freiburg climate normals — January

Daytime high7°C / 44°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low-1°C / 31°F
Feels like (high)3°C / 37°F
Rainfall70 mm / 2.7 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days12 days
Humidity85%💦 very humid
Dew point0°C / 32°F
Sunshine4.6 h/day
Daylight8.9 h
Wind14 km/h / 8 mph
Snowfall22.5 cm / 8.9 in
Air quality (US AQI)31🍃 good

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

Crowds in Freiburg 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.

BusyChristmas holidays in Germany, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Freiburg'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 weatherFreiburg's best weather comes in June, July and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Freiburg?

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Freiburg in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Freiburg?
January in Freiburg: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a fair time to visit. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Freiburg on SeasonMap's comfort score (52/100).
What is the weather like in Freiburg in January?
In January, Freiburg averages a daily high of 6.6°C and a low of -0.7°C, with about 69.8 mm of rain over roughly 11.8 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Freiburg in January?
Freiburg has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 31 in January.
Does it snow in Freiburg in January?
Freiburg sees roughly 22.5 cm of snowfall in January.

Within 300 km: Bern's Munsterplatz bell-ringing on 31 Dec – 1 Jan, and Interlaken's Harder Potschete on 2 Jan.