SeasonMapKiruna weather in January
Sweden
January in Kiruna: freezing, a little rain, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing.
#11 of 12 months in Kiruna · #1356 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 25/100 (tier F)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Kiruna in January
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Kiruna climate normals — January
| Daytime high | -10°C / 14°F | 🥶 freezing |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | -15°C / 5°F | |
| Rainfall | 37 mm / 1.4 in | 🌦 some rain |
| Rainy days | 11 days | |
| Humidity | 83% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | -14°C / 7°F | |
| Sunshine | 0.7 h/day | |
| Daylight | 3.4 h | |
| Wind | 15 km/h / 9 mph | |
| Snowfall | 55.8 cm / 22 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 33 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Kiruna 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 Sweden, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Kiruna'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 weatherKiruna's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Kiruna in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Festival
Kiruna Snow Festival
20 Jan – 5 Feb · usuallyIce seasonSnow sculpting, reindeer racing and a dog-sled start in the last days of January, when the sun has only just come back over the horizon. A February market weekend follows it. Source ↗
- Nature
Aurora season
1 Sep – 5 Apr · usuallyInland and dry, which is the real advantage over the coast: fewer cloudy nights than Norway at the same latitude, and the Abisko rain shadow an hour west is better again.
- Opening
Icehotel season
1 Dec – 15 Apr · usuallyIce seasonBook earlyThe hotel at Jukkasjarvi is rebuilt each winter from Torne river ice, opens at the start of December and melts in spring; a year-round wing runs alongside it. Rooms go a season ahead. Source ↗
- Nature
Polar night
About 3.4 hours of daylight a day in January; the light is the story, not the sights.
from the climate normals
- Season
Snow season
Ski seasonAbout 56 cm of snow falls in the month.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Kiruna — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Kiruna?
Kiruna in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Kiruna?
- January in Kiruna: freezing, a little rain, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Kiruna on SeasonMap's comfort score (25/100).
- What is the weather like in Kiruna in January?
- In January, Kiruna averages a daily high of -9.9°C and a low of -15.2°C, with about 36.8 mm of rain over roughly 11 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Kiruna in January?
- Kiruna has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 33 in January.
- Does it snow in Kiruna in January?
- Kiruna sees roughly 55.8 cm of snowfall in January.
Other months in Kiruna
Compare Kiruna in January
Warmer or cooler than Kiruna in January
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — January
Within 300 km: Levi's Aurora season around 25 Aug – 10 Apr, and Tromsø's Tromso International Film Festival around 12–20 Jan.