US Yellowstone · Winter

Yellowstone weather
in January

Tough conditions in January. Consider July if possible.

Open-Meteo · 10 years · 12 months compared · 44.43°N 110.59°W
-6°CMax temperature
37%Rainy days
7.0hSunshine / day

Yellowstone weather in January

⚠️ Fair
🌡️ Temperature min / max
-12°C – -6°C
🌧 Rainy days
37% of days
☀️ Sunshine
7.0h per day on average
🌊 🌊 Season
Winter
⭐ ⭐ Weather score
4.0/10
📅 📅 Best month
July (8.5/10)

Should you visit Yellowstone in January?

⚠️ Fair

✅ Yes if: you enjoy winter atmosphere and the lowest prices of the year.

❌ No if: you're looking for sunshine or outdoor activities.

🌧 Rain : ████░░░░░░ 37%
🌡 Temperature : ░░░░░░░░░░░░ -6°C
☀️ Sunshine : █████░░░░░ 7.0h/d

Our take: January brings a challenging climate (4.0/10). July offers milder conditions if your dates are flexible.

Yellowstone in January by trip type

What to expect in January

🎯 Good hiking window — mild temperatures (-6°C) and uncrowded trails Winter in Yellowstone is cool (-6°C during the day). Days are short (7.0h of sunshine) but the city reveals a different side. Expect rain on 37% of days — a light raincoat in the bag is recommended.

All months for Yellowstone

Month-by-month comparison

MonthMin °CMax °CRain %Precip mmSun h/dScore
❄️ January-12°C-6°C37%1.67.0h4.0/10
❄️ February-12°C-6°C50%2.97.4h3.0/10
❄️ March-9°C-1°C45%2.110.0h4.1/10
🌨️ April-6°C3°C45%2.311.8h4.3/10
🌦️ May-2°C8°C40%1.813.3h5.5/10
⛅ June3°C15°C31%1.714.8h7.2/10
🌤️ July8°C22°C28%0.914.8h8.5/10
🌤️ August9°C21°C29%1.413.0h7.9/10
⛅ September5°C16°C30%2.011.7h7.1/10
🌦️ October-1°C6°C38%2.210.0h4.3/10
❄️ November-7°C-1°C39%1.88.0h4.0/10
❄️ December-12°C-5°C42%2.45.9h3.1/10
Ideal Fair Challenging climate ◀ Current month · Source Open-Meteo · 10 years
📊 Data source Data based on 10 years of ERA5 records via Open-Meteo, with ECMWF seasonal adjustment. In January, Yellowstone averages -6°C, 37% rainy days and 7.0h of sunshine per day. Overall weather score: 4.0/10. See methodology →

January vs July (best month)

The best month is July (score 8.5/10). Difference:

FAQ — Yellowstone in January

Is January a good time to visit Yellowstone?
January is not recommended for Yellowstone (score 4.0/10). With 37% rainy days and 7.0h of sunshine, consider July (8.5/10) instead.
What's the weather like in Yellowstone in January?
It's cool with -6°C daytime and -12°C at night. 7.0h of sunshine per day. Pack warm clothes and favour indoor visits.

Find a place to stay in Yellowstone

Find places to stay in Yellowstone in January Search on Hotels.com

Activities and tours in Yellowstone

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and local experiences. Browse activities on GetYourGuide

Find a flight to Yellowstone

Compare flights from all airlines. Search flights

Similar destinations in January

Other top destinations in January

Compare destinations by weather

Explore or compare

📅 Live forecast — next 12 months

Real-time data with ECMWF seasonal corrections · updated daily

Try the weather app