Your January weather guide
CoolWeather in Copenhagen in January
Copenhagen in January suits a winter city break with short outdoor spells, not a trip built around being outside all day. Average daytime highs are 3°C, nights sit around -0.4°C, and there are only about 7.4 hours of daylight. Go if you are happy dressing for the cold and keeping plans flexible around rain. If comfortable walking weather is your priority, January is a poor fit: it is Copenhagen's coldest month.
Long-term climate averages for Copenhagen, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Copenhagen, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Copenhagen.
- Average daytime high
- 3.0°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 8°C
- Average night-time low
- -0.4°C
- coldest 10% of nights: -6°C or lower
- Compared with London
- -4.4°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 1.8h
- 24% of 7.4 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 12
- 50 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 86%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 11.2°C
- 2007-01-09
- Record low 1991-2020
- -18.0°C
- 1996-01-04
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h
- 982 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How January compares
January is the 12th warmest month of the year in Copenhagen. Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Copenhagen is 4.4°C cooler by day and 2.6°C cooler at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Copenhagen peaks at 3.0°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 7.6°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average -0.4°C; one night in ten drops to -5.5°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day here reached 11.2°C (2007-01-09) and the coldest night -18.0°C (1996-01-04).
Rain in January
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 12 days with 1 mm or more, 50 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 2007 with 113 mm, the driest 1997 with 2 mm. Humidity averages 86%.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 1.8 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 7.4 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:30 and sets about 16:07 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 75%.
Is January a good time to visit Copenhagen?
January is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Copenhagen on our scoring are July, August, June.
Dress for colder weather than London
The main adjustment for a UK traveller is the cold: Copenhagen's average daytime high is 4.4°C below London's in January. A warm coat, gloves, a hat and layers you can remove indoors make more sense than relying on a light jacket. The milder end of the weather can reach 7.6°C or more, but that is not a dependable basis for packing. At the colder end, nights can fall to -5.5°C or below, so allow for a much sharper chill after dark. Plan longer walks for the warmer part of the day and give yourself the option of heading indoors rather than committing to an entirely outdoor itinerary.
Keep wet-weather plans flexible
Rain is a practical catch, with about 12 rainy days during January. Waterproof footwear and a coat that handles rain will be useful, particularly if you expect to spend much of your time walking. Sunshine averages only about 1.8 hours a day, so do not expect bright skies simply because it stays dry. Put the outdoor parts of your trip into the available daylight and keep indoor alternatives flexible enough to swap around the forecast. This is a better month for travellers content with brief walks between warm stops than for anyone wanting long, leisurely days outside. The combination of cold, wet weather and limited light matters more than the rainfall total alone.
A little perspective
Copenhagen through the year
January is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuarySelected | 3.0°C | -0.4°C | 1.8 | 50 | 12 | 0% |
| February | 3.3°C | -0.6°C | 2.4 | 42 | 10 | 0% |
| March | 6.0°C | 0.6°C | 3.8 | 43 | 10 | 0% |
| April | 10.7°C | 3.8°C | 5.7 | 41 | 10 | 0% |
| May | 15.3°C | 8.0°C | 6.9 | 52 | 10 | 0% |
| Junebest | 18.4°C | 11.8°C | 7.1 | 73 | 12 | 3% |
| Julybest | 20.9°C | 14.3°C | 7.0 | 72 | 12 | 12% |
| Augustbest | 20.5°C | 14.6°C | 5.9 | 76 | 13 | 9% |
| September | 16.7°C | 11.7°C | 4.5 | 58 | 11 | 0% |
| October | 11.8°C | 7.8°C | 3.1 | 61 | 12 | 0% |
| November | 7.2°C | 4.1°C | 1.9 | 50 | 11 | 0% |
| December | 4.2°C | 1.0°C | 1.5 | 54 | 12 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in January
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Copenhagen in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Copenhagen hot in January?
Copenhagen is cool in January: the average daytime high is 3.0°C and nights average -0.4°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
How much does it rain in Copenhagen in January?
Copenhagen sees about 12 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 50 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 2007 (113 mm) and the driest was 1997 (2 mm).
How sunny is Copenhagen in January?
Copenhagen gets around 1.8 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 7.4 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Copenhagen compare with the UK in January?
Copenhagen is on average 4.4°C cooler than London by day in January (3.0°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Copenhagen?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Copenhagen reached 11.2°C on 2007-01-09, and the coldest night dropped to -18.0°C on 1996-01-04.
Is January warm enough to spend the day walking?
Walking is possible with proper winter clothing, but an average high of 3°C makes a full day outside a cold proposition. Shorter walks with indoor breaks are a more comfortable plan, especially when rain coincides with the low temperatures.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London takes about 2 hours, making Copenhagen a short-haul option. That suits a brief break, but the easy flight does not change the weather trade-off: pack for cold conditions and plan outdoor time around the limited daylight.
When should I go instead for better weather?
July, August and June are the strongest alternatives for weather. If January's cold and wet conditions sound like a compromise you would rather avoid, those months are better starting points when choosing the timing of your trip.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Copenhagen. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C