Month guide · St. Louis · United States
St. Louis in January
What January is really like in St. Louis: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 4°C (39°F), lows of -5°C (23°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 9.7 hours of daylight. Cold with occasional snow or ice; a good time for the free indoor museums.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 4°C (39°F) / -5°C (23°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 9.7 hours
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in St. Louis: days average 4°C (39°F) against a yearly average high of 19°C (66°F), and nights fall to about -5°C (23°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 31 days. Compared with December (6°C (43°F)), January is cooler; by February highs climb to around 7°C (45°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:17
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 17:03
- Daylight
- About 9.7 hours
Winter (December–February). Cold with occasional snow or ice, Garden Glow lights, Soulard Mardi Gras and the year's lowest hotel rates.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 1 for crowds (the peak is June at 4) and 1 for hotel prices (highest in June). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Soulard Mardi Gras season begins (usually January)
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.
Museum · Forest Park
Saint Louis Art Museum
Visit the German Expressionist galleries for the Beckmanns, then walk down Art Hill to the Grand Basin.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Forest Park
Missouri History Museum
In the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park, the free history museum covers St.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Forest Park
Saint Louis Science Center
Head to the bridge over Interstate 64 for the radar guns, then catch a planetarium show.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
Experience · Downtown
City Museum
Artist Bob Cassilly turned the former International Shoe Company warehouse into a giant playground of salvaged materials: caves, tunnels, a 10-storey spiral slide, an outdoor climbing structure of steel and aircraft fuselages called MonstroCity, and a school bus hanging over the roof's edge.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Active
- Art
What to pack
For highs near 4°C, lows near -5°C and 9 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit St. Louis?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–May and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
St. Louis in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit St. Louis?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold with occasional snow or ice; a good time for the free indoor museums.
+How warm is St. Louis in January?
Average highs are around 4°C (39°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F).
+Does it rain a lot in St. Louis in January?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.