Weather in Griffith in January

A hard month. January asks something of you. Go in knowing what. Daytime highs average 35.5 °C and the afternoon is not negotiable — outdoor plans move to early morning or evening.

January ranks 12 of 12 — near the bottom of Griffith's year. April is the month that works, and the swing between the two is 44 points, which is a different holiday rather than a slightly better one.

Rain falls on only 5 days, so an itinerary with no wet-weather fallback is a reasonable risk. Pack for heat management rather than style: shade, water, and a schedule that gives up on the middle of the day.

What the averages hide

Averages flatten a month, and this one hides a few things: 17 days clear 35 °C, so a serious heatwave is normal rather than notable; the day swings 16.2 °C from low to high, which means one bag has to cover both. Across the twenty years measured, the hottest January day reached 47.7 °C and the coldest night fell to 9.3 °C, and the wettest single day dropped 30 mm — roughly 107% of the month's rain in one day.

January is moderately variable: 2 mm in the driest year against 77 mm in the wettest, around an average of 28 mm. Roughly two Januarys in three land near that average, and the third does something else entirely.

Wind is light at 12 km/h, so the temperature on the page is close to the temperature on your skin, and the air is dry at 36% humidity, which makes the heat far more bearable than the same figure somewhere humid — and dehydrates you faster than you expect.

How January sits in the year

This is a turning point in the year — December and February sit on opposite sides of it, so the month contains the change rather than following it.

Daylight in January

January is at or near the longest days of Griffith's year: 14.2 hours of daylight, losing 0.6 hours across the month. Evenings are the real gain — dinner outdoors still happens in full light.

An inland climate

With no coast nearby, the year swings a fair way — 31.3 °C between the warmest afternoons and the coldest nights, wider than any coastal city at this latitude would manage. Within January itself the daily swing is 16.2 °C, so mornings and afternoons need different clothes.

How busy it gets

Off season. The genuine off season: cheapest by a distance, with the caveat that some tours and restaurants close entirely.

Crowd levels are estimated from climate desirability and school-holiday calendars, not from visitor numbers.

January in Griffith versus nearby

If Griffith is one option among several, the nearby comparison is worth making. Wodonga is a better bet in January — 2.1 °C cooler, 1 day more rain. Canberra is a better bet in January — 5.1 °C cooler, 4 days more rain.

So: January is a compromise. April is 44 points better and is what Griffith is actually like at its best — worth moving the trip for if that is possible, and worth adjusting expectations for if it is not.

Every month in Griffith

See all twelve months in Griffith, or where else to go in January.