Monthly climate guide
Moscow weather in January
With highs near -8°C (18°F) and lows around -14°C (7°F), January feels freezing in Moscow. Rainfall averages about 51 mm (some rain) and the sky is often cloudy. Daytime highs are 3°C cooler than December and 3°C cooler than February.
What stands out in January
- Days and nights are close, only about 6°C apart.
- Nights often drop below freezing (average low -14°C), so expect frost and icy mornings.
- Seasonally, January counts as mid-winter in Moscow.
- Moscow is usually about 2°C warmer than Nizhny Novgorod, 400 km away, in January.
January is typically Moscow's coolest month.
Avg high
-8°C
18°F
Avg low
-14°C
7°F
Rainfall
51 mm
some rain
Humidity
96%
relative
Sky
81%
cloud · often cloudy
Moscow weather by month
Show the monthly averages as a table
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Humidity | Cloud cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -8°C / 18°F | -14°C / 7°F | 51 mm | 96% | 81% |
| February | -5°C / 23°F | -12°C / 10°F | 38 mm | 96% | 78% |
| March | 0°C / 31°F | -8°C / 17°F | 47 mm | 93% | 71% |
| April | 8°C / 47°F | -1°C / 31°F | 54 mm | 84% | 67% |
| May | 18°C / 64°F | 7°C / 45°F | 93 mm | 79% | 60% |
| June | 21°C / 69°F | 11°C / 52°F | 87 mm | 79% | 61% |
| July | 23°C / 73°F | 14°C / 57°F | 104 mm | 81% | 66% |
| August | 22°C / 71°F | 12°C / 54°F | 65 mm | 79% | 55% |
| September | 16°C / 61°F | 8°C / 46°F | 67 mm | 83% | 71% |
| October | 8°C / 46°F | 1°C / 34°F | 62 mm | 89% | 82% |
| November | 0°C / 32°F | -4°C / 24°F | 53 mm | 94% | 84% |
| December | -4°C / 24°F | -10°C / 15°F | 55 mm | 96% | 86% |
What to pack for January
- A proper insulated winter coat
- A hat, scarf and gloves
- Thermal base layers and warm, grippy boots for icy mornings
- A small travel umbrella, just in case
Is January a good time to visit Moscow?
Compare the months in the chart above to find your ideal window.
Best time to visit Moscow →Other Russia cities in January
Cite or embed this data
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Moscow weather in January. WeatherCompare, 2026 (NASA POWER / ERA5, 2011–2020 monthly averages). https://weathercompare.eu/weather/russia/moscow/january
<a href="https://weathercompare.eu/weather/russia/moscow/january">Moscow weather in January</a> (WeatherCompare)
<iframe src="https://weathercompare.eu/embed/russia/moscow" width="300" height="160" style="border:0;border-radius:12px" loading="lazy" title="Moscow weather in January"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px"><a href="https://weathercompare.eu/weather/russia/moscow/january">Moscow weather in January</a> – WeatherCompare</p>
Moscow in January: quick answers
Is January a good time to visit Moscow?
January is cool in Moscow, with highs around -8°C. Better for museums and city walks than the beach, and usually quieter.
How warm is Moscow in January?
Average highs are about -8°C (18°F) and average lows about -14°C (7°F), based on 10 years of daily data.
Does it rain a lot in Moscow in January?
Moscow typically gets around 51 mm of rain in January — some rain.
Figures are long-term averages for the area around Moscow (NASA POWER / ERA5, 2011–2020), not a forecast for a specific year. For upcoming days, see the live multi-source forecast.