SeasonMapSt Ives weather in January
United Kingdom
January in St Ives: cold, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit.
#11 of 12 months in St Ives · #1278 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 37/100 (tier F)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on St Ives in January
Other months in St Ives
Forum posters describe February as genuinely unpredictable - snow is possible though unlikely, glorious sunny days do happen, and it's rarely bitterly cold, but wet weather is a real and common feature. Posters report a wide range of actual experiences: one visitor got soaked enough on their last day to change clothes entirely before the train home, while another had two days of heavy rain, three days of glorious sunshine warm enough for shirt sleeves around 16C, plus one storm and one overcast day within a single week. Posters note plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants stay open even though some of the more seasonal, touristy shops close for winter, and the town runs noticeably quieter and easier to get around than in mid-season - conditions permitting.
St Ives's forum is candid that August weather is genuinely a coin flip — some years dry, warm and sunny throughout, others rain for most of the month, with plenty in between. Regulars are consistent that August is also peak season locally, rammed with school-holiday visitors regardless of what the sky is doing, and point to September as a calmer alternative with comparably decent weather odds.
Add your own note from St Ives's card on the map.
St Ives climate normals — January
| Daytime high | 10°C / 49°F | 🧥 cold |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 5°C / 41°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 5°C / 41°F | |
| Sea temperature | 10°C / 51°F | 🥶 cold sea |
| Rainfall | 125 mm / 4.9 in | 🌧 rainy |
| Rainy days | 17 days | |
| Humidity | 81% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 5°C / 40°F | |
| Sunshine | 4 h/day | |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | |
| Wind | 34 km/h / 21 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 48 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in St Ives 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 Ives'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 Ives's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in St Ives in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Atlantic swell at Porthmeor
15 Sep – 31 Mar · usuallySurf seasonPorthmeor only really works when the autumn and winter groundswells come in, which is exactly when the town is empty. Wetsuits every month of the year.
- Closure
Out of season
1 Nov – 1 Mar · usuallyA good share of the restaurants and galleries close or drop to weekends from November, and the Tate keeps winter hours. The harbour and the coast path are the reason to come anyway. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of St Ives — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is St Ives?
St Ives in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit St Ives?
- January in St Ives: cold, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for St Ives on SeasonMap's comfort score (37/100).
- What is the weather like in St Ives in January?
- In January, St Ives averages a daily high of 9.7°C and a low of 5.2°C, with about 124.8 mm of rain over roughly 17 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in St Ives in January?
- St Ives has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 48 in January.
Other months in St Ives
Compare St Ives in January
Warmer or cooler than St Ives in January
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — January
Within 300 km: Bournemouth's Winter waders on Poole Harbour around 15 Oct – 10 Mar, and Newquay's Atlantic swell season around 15 Sep – 15 Apr.