Liverpool weather in January
January in Liverpool: cold, rainy, with clean air — a fair time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Liverpool · #1123 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 51/100 (tier D)
- Days
- 8°C
- Nights
- 4°C
- Wet days
- 17
- Sun
- 3.6 h
- Humidity
- 86%
- Daylight
- 8 h

Traveller notes on Liverpool in January
Liverpool forum threads describe January as grey, rainy and windy but rarely bitterly cold, with posters noting the city's coastal position keeps daytime temperatures above freezing on most days and tends to bring rain rather than snow, unlike inland parts of the country. Real snow was described as not normal for the city, even in the depths of winter. The consistent practical advice: standard walking shoes are fine for getting around the city center, with most posters saying boots aren't really necessary, though everyone agreed British winter weather here is genuinely changeable enough that checking the forecast close to your actual travel dates is worth doing regardless of the seasonal averages.
Other months in Liverpool
Regulars describe temperatures in the high 40s, 50s or low 60s Fahrenheit with showers likely most days, and specifically recommend checking a proper forecast the week before rather than trusting any seasonal generalization given how unpredictable UK weather can be. Our row backs the cool, damp read, 13C reading as 10C over 6.2C nights feeling 2C, with 61.6mm of rain across 11.6 days and a trace of leftover snow, 0.2cm, alongside a real 24.6 kph wind. Regulars are consistent on the standard packing list: waterproof shoes, a light jacket over real layers, and a fleece or jumper for the chillier stretches. The sea stays cold at 10.1C. The record: humidity 76 percent, 9.9 hours of sun and AQI 39.
May carries two bank holiday weekends, which regulars mention for the practical reason - the city is busier and the rooms are dearer on both. Their packing answer is the usual northern one and our row supports it: 16.6C reading as 14C in a 22.5 kph wind, nights at 9.5C, and 60.5mm of rain across 11.3 days, so a warm jumper under something waterproof and breathable. What May gives back is light, 15.9 hours of it with 11.4 of sun, the best ratio of the year so far. One local tip worth the effort: the walk out to Hilbre Island across the sands runs on the tide, so check the times before setting off. The record: humidity 76 percent and AQI 44.
The advice here is a t-shirt with a sweatshirt over it for evenings and cooler days, plus something waterproof and light - and a note that what rain comes in early summer is usually light and evaporates almost at once. One regular counted rain on five days out of twenty-eight. Our row says 15.4 rainy days, and both are right: 93.5mm across those days is about six millimetres each, so most of them are a shower that dries before you have found the cafe. Temperatures run 19.2C by day over 12.4C at night, feeling two degrees cooler because of a 23.1 kph wind off the Irish Sea. Daylight is the compensation at 16.9 hours. The record: humidity 76 percent, 11.6 hours of sun and a 19.1C sea.
Liverpool-forum threads on July weather are candid that it's impossible to predict: rain, sun, wind and cold are all in play, and one poster's four-year sample of the first week of July found temperatures ranging from 16C to 29C with light rain on just a few of those days. The standing advice is layers plus a proper waterproof rather than an umbrella, breathable fabrics for the warm stretches, and one smarter outfit saved for an evening out - and even on a genuinely warm day, more than one thread warns the breeze off the Mersey can catch you out. The record backs the unpredictable read: 20.2C days, 14.1C nights, 103mm of rain spread across a notably high 17.2 days, 10.9 hours of sun and an 18.1C sea - July here is real summer with plenty of it falling.
Add your own note from Liverpool's card on the map.
Liverpool climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Liverpool 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 crowdsFootball season, Christmas holidays in United Kingdom, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Liverpool'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 weatherLiverpool's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Liverpool in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Football season
10 Aug – 25 May · usuallyCrowdedTwo Premier League grounds a mile apart means a matchday most weekends from August to May, and European nights on top. Check the fixture list before booking a room near the centre. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Liverpool — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Liverpool?
Liverpool in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Liverpool?
- January in Liverpool: cold, rainy, with clean air — a fair time to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Liverpool on SeasonMap's comfort score (51/100).
- What is the weather like in Liverpool in January?
- In January, Liverpool averages a daily high of 7.8°C and a low of 3.6°C, with about 111 mm of rain over roughly 17.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Liverpool in January?
- Liverpool has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 31 in January.
- Does it snow in Liverpool in January?
- Liverpool sees roughly 2.8 cm of snowfall in January.
Within 300 km: Edinburgh's Christmas market around 15 Nov – 4 Jan, and Glasgow's Celtic Connections on 15 Jan – 1 Feb.