SeasonMapSt Andrews weather in January
United Kingdom
January in St Andrews: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a fair time to visit.
#11 of 12 months in St Andrews · #1057 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 53/100 (tier D)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on St Andrews in January
Notes from nearby Glasgow (105 km away)
St Andrews doesn't have its own notes for January yet — these are about Glasgow, close enough to share the season.
Glaswegians describe January honestly and in both directions. The bad version: "it can seem like you have spent the whole day encased in a flotation tank, it is so dark and dismal." The good version, from the same thread: "it can be really nice, although cold, some days with bright crisp days." The constraint either way is light — "it will not get light until after 8am and dark before 5pm," with one poster putting it at "more or less dark by 4pm" and about "6–7 hours of usable daylight." Snow and ice are possible but the city centre usually stays clear, because traffic volume keeps the streets from icing. Two upsides regulars offer: "there will be no midges," and bare trees give better views of the lochs from the road. Our record: 7.7 daylight hours, 3.1 hours of sun, 14 rain days.
Add your own note from St Andrews's card on the map.
St Andrews climate normals — January
| Daytime high | 7°C / 44°F | 🧥 cold |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 3°C / 37°F | |
| Sea temperature | 6°C / 42°F | 🥶 cold sea |
| Rainfall | 43 mm / 1.7 in | 🌦 some rain |
| Rainy days | 11 days | |
| Humidity | 82% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 3°C / 37°F | |
| Sunshine | 3.8 h/day | |
| Daylight | 7.6 h | |
| Wind | 30 km/h / 18 mph | |
| Snowfall | 1.4 cm / 0.6 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 27 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in St Andrews 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 United Kingdom, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for St Andrews'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 weatherSt Andrews's weather peaks June–August.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in St Andrews in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Rule
Old Course closed on Sundays
1 Jan – 31 DecClosuresNo golf is played on the Old Course on Sundays; it rests, and the town walks over it instead. If you only have a weekend, that is the day to do the beach and the ruins, not the tee sheet. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of St Andrews — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is St Andrews?
St Andrews in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit St Andrews?
- January in St Andrews: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a fair time to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for St Andrews on SeasonMap's comfort score (53/100).
- What is the weather like in St Andrews in January?
- In January, St Andrews averages a daily high of 6.7°C and a low of 2.8°C, with about 42.8 mm of rain over roughly 10.6 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in St Andrews in January?
- St Andrews has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 27 in January.
- Does it snow in St Andrews in January?
- St Andrews sees roughly 1.4 cm of snowfall in January.
Other months in St Andrews
Compare St Andrews in January
Warmer or cooler than St Andrews in January
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — January
Within 300 km: Edinburgh's Christmas market around 15 Nov – 4 Jan, and Glasgow's Celtic Connections on 15 Jan – 1 Feb.