Phoenix weather in January

January in Phoenix: nice, dry — a great time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Phoenix🇺🇸 United States · Desert Southwest · City78
  1. 78Jan
  2. 88Feb
  3. 95Mar
  4. 84Apr
  5. 67May
  6. 37Jun
  7. 29Jul
  8. 34Aug
  9. 49Sep
  10. 74Oct
  11. 92Nov
  12. 81Dec

#6 of 12 months in Phoenix · #526 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 78/100 (tier B)

Days
20°C
Nights
8°C
Wet days
3
Sun
8.5 h
Humidity
54%
Daylight
10 h
Phoenix, United States
Photo: Quintin Gellar · Pexels

Traveller notes on Phoenix in January

Phoenix forum threads consistently rate January as one of the best months in the country weather-wise, with typical highs in the mid-60s Fahrenheit and lows in the low-40s, though posters noted a warm stretch pushing into the 70s or even near-record 80s isn't unheard of. Despite technically being part of the winter rainy season, actual rain was described as rare - usually under an inch total for the whole month, maybe 3-4 days with any measurable rain at all. The consistent advice was a light layer for cool mornings that peels off as temperatures climb fast through the day, with posters citing hiking conditions as close to ideal and a full calendar of January events including the Fiesta Bowl and various car shows.
CamelbackRegular · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Phoenix

Regulars describe typically dry, sunny days in the 60s-70s Fahrenheit with genuinely chilly evenings, and note that resorts specifically run heated pools this time of year to make swimming a real option despite the season. Our row backs the mild-but-cool read, 20.5C reading as 18C over 8.5C nights feeling 5C, with rain minimal at 19mm across 2.7 days, and humidity down to a dry 52 percent. Regulars are candid that occasional cold spells can drop daytime highs into the 50s Fahrenheit with colder nights, and one long-time Scottsdale resident even reports snow showers three times in ten years around Christmas week - rare, but real. This remains genuinely one of the more popular months here, people specifically traveling in for the mild winter climate. The record: 8.2 hours of sun, an 11.6 kph wind and AQI 54.
HeatedPoolsMakeWinterSwimmingWork · December · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
April is the month regulars here call their favourite: cool mornings, warm days, and the spring-training crowd gone home, because that fills March and takes the hotel rates with it. Their figures are the mid-eighties by day and mid-fifties at night; ours run a little warmer at 31.4C over 17C, and the number that matters more is 21 percent humidity with a dew point of minus 1.6C - which is why a 31.4C afternoon reads as 29C and why the mornings are genuinely cold. Their day plan follows from it: hike at dawn, pool in the afternoon. Rain is 2.8mm in the whole month. The record: 12 hours of sun, a 15.9 kph wind and AQI 53.
SameWeatherCheaperMonth · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Regulars call February here perfect hiking weather and give highs in the low seventies with overnight lows in the upper forties. Our row agrees almost exactly: 22C by day and 9.3C by night, with 19.2mm of rain across 2.9 days and 9.5 hours of sun. The gap between those two figures is the point - nearly thirteen degrees, on 44 percent humidity and a dew point below zero - so a trail that is pleasant at eight in the morning is cold, and the same trail at two is warm. The other reason to prefer February is the calendar: baseball spring training fills the valley through March, so this is the same weather with fewer people in it. The record: a 13.5 kph wind and AQI 50.
PerfectHikingBeforeTheBaseball · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
November is the month Phoenix becomes walkable again, and the forum's advice is nonetheless to hike early or late. Even in November the midday sun is hot enough to matter - some days still reach 80F - and the trails people name are up mountains, Camelback, South Mountain and the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, where there is no shade to speak of. North Mountain is the one they hand to anybody wanting easy or mid-range. The other half of the month is the evening: early November is very pleasant but a jacket comes out after dark, and the later in the month you go the chillier it gets. Our row's 26C day against a 12.9C night is that spread. The record: 1.4 precipitation days carrying 10.4mm, humidity 37 percent and 9.2 hours of sun.
StillHotAtMidday · November · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Phoenix climate normals — January

Daytime high20°C / 68°F😎 nice
Nighttime low8°C / 46°F
Feels like (high)17°C / 63°F
Rainfall16 mm / 0.6 in☀️ dry
Rainy days3 days
Humidity54%🍃 comfortable
Dew point0°C / 31°F
Sunshine8.5 h/day
Daylight10.2 h
Wind12 km/h / 8 mph
Air quality (US AQI)59🙂 moderate

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

Crowds in Phoenix 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 crowdsBarrett-Jackson collector car week, Christmas and New Year, Winter / Christmas break in United States(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Phoenix'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).

Fair weatherPhoenix's best weather comes in February, March and November — separate windows, not one continuous season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Phoenix in January

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

  • Festival

    Barrett-Jackson collector car week

    17–26 Jan · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

    A week of collector-car auctions at WestWorld in Scottsdale in late January, drawing a crowd in the hundreds of thousands. Scottsdale rooms are priced accordingly. Source ↗

  • Season

    Desert hiking season

    15 Oct – 15 Apr · usuallyTrail season

    Camelback, South Mountain and the Superstitions are only sensible between mid-October and mid-April, which is also when the resorts charge the most. Half the country's snowbirds are here for it.

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year

    24 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearClosuresCrowded

    Christmas 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 ↗

  • Festival

    Fiesta Bowl week

    26 Dec – 2 Jan · usuallySporting eventCrowdedBook early

    College football brings two bowl games and their travelling fans to Glendale between Christmas and New Year, on top of the winter residents already here. Resort rates spike for the fortnight. Source ↗

What's on around the world in January →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Phoenix?

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Phoenix in January — FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Phoenix?
January in Phoenix: nice, dry — a great time to visit. It ranks #6 of 12 months for Phoenix on SeasonMap's comfort score (78/100).
What is the weather like in Phoenix in January?
In January, Phoenix averages a daily high of 19.8°C and a low of 7.6°C, with about 15.8 mm of rain over roughly 2.5 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Phoenix in January?
Phoenix has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 59 in January.

Within 300 km: Sedona's Trailhead shuttle only on 1 Jan – 31 Dec, and Grand Canyon National Park's Winter on the South Rim on 1 Dec – 28 Feb.