So, you’re looking at the weather report Albany Oregon and seeing that same old "chance of rain" icon for the fifth day in a row. It’s a classic Willamette Valley vibe, right? But honestly, if you’ve lived here long enough, you know that the little icons on your phone barely tell half the story.
Right now, as of Sunday evening, January 18, 2026, things are actually looking pretty crisp. We’re sitting at 39°F under clear skies. It feels more like 35°F though, thanks to a light north wind. If you’re heading out, you definitely need the heavy coat tonight.
The January Reality Check
January in Albany is usually a bit of a slog. People think it’s just constant downpours, but the current setup is actually proving them wrong. We’re currently under an Air Stagnation Advisory that’s sticking around until Wednesday afternoon. Basically, the air is just sitting there. No wind to clear things out. This is a big deal for anyone with asthma or respiratory issues because pollutants just hover right at ground level.
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Local agencies are asking everyone to chill on the wood-burning stoves and avoid any outdoor burning until the air starts moving again.
What the Next Few Days Look Like
If you were hoping for a big snow day, I’ve got bad news. The forecast is looking pretty dry, which is kind of a relief if you hate driving in the slush.
- Monday (Jan 19): A high of 50°F. Pretty mild for January! It’ll be sunny during the day, but don't get too comfortable—it drops to 31°F at night.
- Tuesday (Jan 20): High of 46°F, low of 29°F. Expect some clouds to start rolling back in.
- Wednesday (Jan 21): This is where it gets gloomy again. High of 43°F and fully cloudy.
The humidity is hanging high, around 85%, which is why that 39-degree air feels like it’s biting at your face. It's that damp Oregon cold that sinks into your bones.
Why Albany Weather is Such a Weird Beast
Albany sits in this specific pocket of the Willamette Valley where we’re essentially a playground for two different mountain ranges. The Coast Range to our west tries to block the Pacific storms, and the Cascades to our east keep us tucked in.
Sometimes, we get "Arctic outflows." This is when cold air from the east side of the mountains pours through the Columbia Gorge and gets trapped in the valley. When that happens, the weather report Albany Oregon can go from "mild rain" to "ice skating rink" in about three hours.
Lessons from the Past
We can't talk about Albany weather without mentioning the floods. The Christmas Flood of 1964 is still the legendary benchmark for bad news here. It was a "rain-on-snow" event—heavy snow followed by a warm tropical surge. The Willamette River crested nearly 10 feet above flood stage.
Even the 1996 floods, which many locals still remember vividly, didn't quite hit those 1964 levels because of the upstream dams like Green Peter and Foster. Today, those dams are our biggest defense. Without them, the water at the Ellsworth Street Bridge would have been five feet higher back in '96.
How to Actually Prep for This Week
Since we’re dealing with stagnation and cold nights, here’s the game plan:
- Check your filters. With the air stagnation advisory, keep your indoor air as clean as possible.
- Watch the frost. We’re looking at lows in the high 20s and low 30s all week. Your windshield is going to be a sheet of ice every single morning. Give yourself an extra 10 minutes.
- Ignore the 10% rain chance. In Albany, a 10% chance of rain basically means "it might mist on you for four hours." Keep a shell or a light waterproof layer in the car.
- Hydrate your skin. High humidity doesn't mean your skin won't dry out. That north wind at 5 mph is surprisingly good at chapping your face.
Honestly, the best way to handle an Albany January is just to lean into the "gray." Grab a coffee at a local spot downtown, watch the river levels on the city’s alert page if it starts pouring, and wait for the February break when we usually get a "false spring" for a week.
Stay warm out there. The sun might be out tomorrow, but that 31-degree low isn't playing around.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the AlbanyAlerts system (part of the OR-Alert network) for any updates on the air quality advisory. If you have a wood-burning stove, try to switch to an alternative heat source until Thursday to help your neighbors breathe a bit easier. Finally, check your outdoor pipes; while we aren't in a deep freeze, these consistent 27°F to 29°F nights can still cause issues if you've left your garden hoses attached.