North Macedonia in January

Cold with smoggy inversions in Skopje; Orthodox Christmas on 7 January; skiing at Mavrovo.

January is rated mixed. These months rate higher:

• MayGreatOne of the best months: warm days, blossom, hiking starts, Ohrid restaurants reopening.
• JuneGreatLake swimming begins mid-month; long evenings on the Ohrid promenade.
• SeptemberGreatWarm lake, grape harvest in Tikveš, fewer crowds — the best all-round month.
• AprilGoodSpring green, mild in Skopje; Orthodox Easter often falls here and fills family homes and churches.

• Skopje and the Vardar valley · Skopje, Veles, Tikveš, Gevgelijacool

  Continental with a Mediterranean touch: 38 °C (100 °F) summer peaks, frosty winters with smog in Skopje; the Vardar valley south of Veles is the hottest part of the country.Continental with a Mediterranean touch: 100 °F (38 °C) summer peaks, frosty winters with smog in Skopje; the Vardar valley south of Veles is the hottest part of the country.

• Lakes Ohrid and Prespa · Ohrid, Struga, Sveti Naum, Prespacool

  At about 700 m the lake is milder in summer than Skopje; swimming roughly mid-June to mid-September. Winter is cold, damp and quiet.

• Mountains · Mavrovo, Šar, Pelister, Galičicacool

  Snow from December to March (skiing at Mavrovo and Popova Šapka); hiking June to September.

• Eastern North Macedonia: Strumica / Gevgelija (south) · Vardar and Strumica valleyscool

  The warmest part of the country; July–August afternoons pass 35 °C (95 °F). Spring and September–October are the comfortable windows.The warmest part of the country; July–August afternoons pass 95 °F (35 °C). Spring and September–October are the comfortable windows.

• Eastern North Macedonia: Kratovo / Berovo (hills) · Osogovo and Plačkovica foothillscold

  Cooler than the valleys, with snow and ice on the roads from December to February.

• Povardarie: Vardar valley · Skopje to Demir Kapijacold

  Continental valley: July and August often pass 35 °C (95 °F), and the wind that gives Veles its name blows hardest in winter and spring. May, June, September and October are the comfortable months.Continental valley: July and August often pass 95 °F (35 °C), and the wind that gives Veles its name blows hardest in winter and spring. May, June, September and October are the comfortable months.

• Western North Macedonia: Ohrid and Struga · Lake Ohrid shore, about 700 mcool

  check — the lake moderates summer heat and swimming is a warm-month activity; exact temperatures and swim dates need confirming locally.

• Western North Macedonia: Bitola and Pelister · Pelagonia plain and the mountaincold

  check — Bitola sits higher than Ohrid and Pelister holds snow late; verify conditions before a spring hike.

• Western North Macedonia: Mavrovo and the western mountains · Mavrovo, Kičevo highlandscold

  check — ski season and high-pass openings vary by year; confirm before booking a winter night.

• Skopje5 °C (41 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 27 °F (-3 °C), 8 rain days
• Berovo5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Bitola4 °C (39 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 8 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 27 °F (-3 °C), 8 rain days
• Bogdanci6 °C (43 °F) / -1 °C (30 °F), 7 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 30 °F (-1 °C), 7 rain days
• Bosilovo6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 6 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 6 rain days
• Brajčino4 °C (39 °F) / -4 °C (25 °F), 10 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 25 °F (-4 °C), 10 rain days
• Brvenica5 °C (41 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 27 °F (-3 °C), 8 rain days
• Čaška4 °C (39 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Debar2 °C (36 °F) / -4 °C (25 °F), 7 rain days36 °F (2 °C) / 25 °F (-4 °C), 7 rain days
• Delčevo5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 7 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 7 rain days
• Demir Hisar5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Demir Kapija5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Dojran6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 7 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 7 rain days
• Elšani5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Gevgelija5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Gostivar5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 7 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 7 rain days
• Kavadarci5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 9 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 9 rain days
• Kičevo4 °C (39 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 6 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 6 rain days
• Kočani4 °C (39 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Kratovo4 °C (39 °F) / -4 °C (25 °F), 9 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 25 °F (-4 °C), 9 rain days
• Kriva Palanka2 °C (36 °F) / -5 °C (23 °F), 6 rain days36 °F (2 °C) / 23 °F (-5 °C), 6 rain days
• Kruševo2 °C (36 °F) / -5 °C (23 °F), 9 rain days36 °F (2 °C) / 23 °F (-5 °C), 9 rain days
• Kumanovo5 °C (41 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 9 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 27 °F (-3 °C), 9 rain days
• Makedonski Brod5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Negotino4 °C (39 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 7 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 7 rain days
• Novo Selo5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Ohrid6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 10 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 10 rain days
• Prespa4 °C (39 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 10 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 27 °F (-3 °C), 10 rain days
• Prilep4 °C (39 °F) / -4 °C (25 °F), 9 rain days39 °F (4 °C) / 25 °F (-4 °C), 9 rain days
• Probištip6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 6 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 6 rain days
• Radoviš6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 6 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 6 rain days
• Resen5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Staro Nagoričane5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 7 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 7 rain days
• Štip5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Stobi6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 9 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 9 rain days
• Struga6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 11 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 11 rain days
• Strumica6 °C (43 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days43 °F (6 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Sveti Nikole5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 8 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 8 rain days
• Tearce‑Jegunovce2 °C (36 °F) / -4 °C (25 °F), 12 rain days36 °F (2 °C) / 25 °F (-4 °C), 12 rain days
• Tetovo5 °C (41 °F) / -3 °C (27 °F), 9 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 27 °F (-3 °C), 9 rain days
• Valandovo7 °C (45 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 7 rain days45 °F (7 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 7 rain days
• Veles5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 7 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 7 rain days
• Vevčani2 °C (36 °F) / -4 °C (25 °F), 8 rain days36 °F (2 °C) / 25 °F (-4 °C), 8 rain days
• Vinica5 °C (41 °F) / -2 °C (28 °F), 12 rain days41 °F (5 °C) / 28 °F (-2 °C), 12 rain days

Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.

• New Year

  1 Jan

  Two-day public holiday; concerts in Skopje on New Year's Eve.

• Orthodox Christmas big impact

  7 Jan

  Family holiday; bonfires (badnik) on Christmas Eve, 6 January; shops shut.

Crowds · North Macedonia

Low

Prices · North Macedonia

Low

Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in North Macedonia, side by side.

• Layers: a fleece or light jacket

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Rated best or good this month

• Kruševo

  Best months: Jun–Sep for walking; Jan–Feb for snow