Month guide · Montreal · Canada
Montreal in January
What January is really like in Montreal: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: PtitLutin (photograph); Roger Taillibert (architect), CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of -5°C (23°F), lows of -14°C (7°F), about 12 rainy days and roughly 9.1 hours of daylight. Deep winter, often below -10°C with snow; the Underground City, museums and outdoor winter festivals keep the city going.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- -5°C (23°F) / -14°C (7°F)
- Rainy days
- About 12
- Daylight
- About 9.1 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in Montreal: days average -5°C (23°F) against a yearly average high of 12°C (54°F), and nights fall to about -14°C (7°F). Rain falls on roughly 12 of its 31 days. Compared with December (-1°C (30°F)), January is cooler; by February highs climb to around -3°C (27°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:30
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 16:36
- Daylight
- About 9.1 hours
Winter (December–February). Long and very cold, often below -10°C, with heavy snow; outdoor rinks, winter festivals and the Underground City keep the city active.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 2 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in June). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Igloofest — outdoor electronic music festival in the Old Port (usually mid-January to early February)
- Fête des neiges — winter festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau (usually weekends in January and February)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Religious site · Old Montreal
Notre-Dame Basilica
Visit by day for the detail or book AURA in the evening; it is an active church, so services can affect visiting times.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- After dark
Museum · Downtown
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Spread across five pavilions on Sherbrooke Street, the MMFA ranges from Old Masters and Impressionists to Quebec, Canadian and Indigenous art and decorative arts, and includes a 19th-century church converted into a concert hall.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
Museum · Old Montreal
Pointe-à-Callière
Start with the multimedia show on the city's history, then go below ground to the excavations.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Zoo · Olympic Park
Montreal Biodôme
Inside the velodrome built for the 1976 Olympics, the Biodôme recreates four ecosystems of the Americas that visitors walk through: a tropical rainforest, a Laurentian maple forest, the Gulf of St.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
What to pack
For highs near -5°C, lows near -14°C and 12 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Montreal?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, June–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Montreal in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Montreal?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Deep winter, often below -10°C with snow; the Underground City, museums and outdoor winter festivals keep the city going.
+How warm is Montreal in January?
Average highs are around -5°C (23°F) and lows around -14°C (7°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Montreal in January?
Expect rain on about 12 days of the month, so pack for wet weather.