January checklist
- Look over bare deciduous trees for cracks, dead limbs and tight forks
- Mark limbs over the roof, drive or walk for an arborist
- Book late-winter pruning for deciduous shade trees
- Prune backyard fruit trees from late January, taking no more than 15 to 20 percent of live wood
- Water only on thawed, snow-free ground above 40 F, about every 3 to 4 weeks
- Check the Washoe County burn code before you light a stove
- Keep woodpiles out of the first 5 feet around the house
January is the coldest month at the valley stations. Minden's January mean is 32.8 F with an average low of 19.0 F, while the Reno airport runs a few degrees warmer. With the leaves gone, structure shows.
January weather at five stations
Reno's airport station averages 5.2 inches of snow in January, more than Carson City's 3.6 inches even though Carson City sits about 350 feet higher. Minden's 5.6 inches is the largest snowfall of the four stations that publish one, and Glenbrook has the wettest January by far at 3.18 inches of precipitation.
| Station (elevation, ft) | Mean temp (F) | Precip (in.) | Snow (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno airport (4,410) | 36.9 | 1.25 | 5.2 |
| Carson City (4,761) | 34.8 | 1.72 | 3.6 |
| Minden (4,709) | 32.8 | 1.70 | 5.6 |
| Glenbrook (Tahoe) (6,350) | 32.7 | 3.18 | no normal |
| Fallon (3,965) | 33.0 | 0.63 | 1.8 |
Station normals, not town averages. NOAA flags Glenbrook's temperature normals as reduced completeness and publishes no snowfall normal there.
What the trees are doing
Deciduous trees are dormant and bare, so cracks, included bark in tight forks, dead limbs and rubbing branches are easy to see. Evergreens keep their needles and still lose water. University of Nevada, Reno Extension's winter guidance: water about every 3 to 4 weeks when daytime temperatures are above 40 F and there is no snow or ice on the soil.
At Glenbrook the average January high is only 40.6 F, so a watering day on the lake side is the exception.
Jobs that fit January
Walk the property and note anything that worries you. Hazards and dead wood can be pruned any time, while most live pruning of deciduous trees is best in late winter, before the spring growth flush. That makes January the month to get on a calendar. Fruit trees are the early exception: University of Nevada, Reno Extension recommends dormant pruning in late January and February. For a limb over a roof or a fork that looks wrong, ask a certified arborist. See the best time to prune in Northern Nevada.
Snow, stoves and firewood
Heavy wet snow can bend limbs past the point of recovery. Stay out from under bowed limbs, leave ice-covered branches alone, and call for anything large or high. Washoe County's burn code runs November 1 to the end of February, so check the day's status before you burn. The woodpile belongs away from the house: Living With Fire asks that Zone 0, the first 5 feet around a building, hold no woodpiles. See what to do the morning after heavy snow.
What Battle Born does in January
This is a month for trimming and pruning assessments, dead wooding, arborist consultations, cabling and bracing proposals, snow and ice removal and firewood. Battle Born Tree Service answers the phone seven days a week at 775.232.8243 and offers free estimates. A certified arborist assesses every job before work begins.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (Reno airport USW00023185, Carson City USC00261485, Minden USC00265191, Glenbrook USC00263205, Fallon Exp Stn USC00262780) (pulled October 17, 2026)
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Should I Water my Trees in the Winter? (Jensen, 2026) (read October 17, 2026)
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Getting Started with Backyard Fruit Trees in Northern Nevada (read October 17, 2026)
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Pruning Your Trees (read October 17, 2026)
- University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Living With Fire (SP-23-07) (read October 17, 2026)
- University of Missouri Extension: Caring for Snow-Damaged Trees (read October 17, 2026)
- Northern Nevada Public Health: Wood-Burning Devices (read October 17, 2026)