Winston-Salem is weird. If you’ve lived here long enough, you know the "Camel City" weather isn’t just a forecast—it’s a personality trait. Right now, the current temperature in Winston Salem NC is sitting at 34°F, but that number is a bit of a lie. With a stiff northwest wind cutting through the Piedmont at 11 mph, it actually feels closer to 25°F. It’s that biting, dry cold that catches you right in the chest when you walk out of a coffee shop on Fourth Street.
Seriously.
We just came off a Wednesday that hit 52°F, which felt almost reasonable for a North Carolina January. But the atmosphere decided to flip the script. Overnight, the mercury plummeted, leaving us with clear skies but a radical drop in comfort. Most people look at the thermometer and think a light jacket will suffice. Don’t do that. You’ll regret it by the time you reach your car.
The current temperature in Winston Salem NC and the "January Squeeze"
Why does it feel so much colder than the numbers suggest? It’s basically the geography. We’re tucked into the rolling hills of the Piedmont, caught in a perpetual tug-of-war between the Appalachian Mountains to our west and the Atlantic moisture to our east. When a high-pressure system slides in from the northwest, like it has today, it brings "clean" air. That’s code for air that has zero insulation.
The humidity is hovering around 46%. That's low for us. In the summer, Winston-Salem is a swamp, but in January, the air gets thin and sharp.
Honestly, the current temperature in Winston Salem NC is just the starting point of a very cold 24-hour cycle. We are looking at a high of only 36°F for Thursday. If you’re planning on being out near Old Salem or walking around the Wake Forest campus, you're going to want layers. We're talking thermal-under-the-jeans kind of weather.
Why the forecast is trickier than you think
Weather apps are great, but they often miss the micro-climates of Forsyth County. Smith Reynolds Airport might report one thing, but if you’re down in a valley near Muddy Creek, it’s usually three to five degrees colder.
- The "Heat Island" effect: Downtown near the Innovation Quarter stays slightly warmer because of the concrete and brick.
- The Valley Sink: Neighborhoods with more elevation changes trap the cold air as it settles at night.
- Wind Tunneling: Between the taller buildings downtown, that 11 mph wind can gust much higher, making the "feels like" temp even more brutal.
What’s coming next for Forsyth County?
If you hate the cold, I have bad news. It’s not going away. Tomorrow, Friday, January 16, we’re looking at a high of 42°F, but the low is going to bottom out at a bone-chilling 19°F. That is a hard freeze.
You’ve gotta think about your pipes. Most houses in the Triad are built for heat, not sustained sub-20 temperatures. If you haven’t covered your outdoor spigots yet, tonight is the night. This isn't just a "chilly" spell; it's a legitimate deep freeze that can cause real damage if you're complacent.
Looking further out toward the weekend, things get messy. Saturday is showing a 35% chance of rain, but with temperatures hovering near the freezing mark, we’re entering that classic North Carolina "will it or won't it" snow scenario.
Breaking down the 48-hour outlook
By Saturday night, the low hits 32°F exactly. Sunday brings a mix of rain and snow. This is the nightmare scenario for local drivers. We don't really do "snow" here as much as we do "slush that turns into a sheet of glass by 6:00 AM."
I remember back in 2021 when we had a similar January pattern. Everyone ignored the "mix" forecast because the current temperature in Winston Salem NC seemed too high for ice. Two hours later, Business 40 (now Salem Parkway) was a parking lot.
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Actionable steps for the current cold snap
Don't just check the temperature and move on.
First, check your tire pressure. Cold air is dense, and every 10-degree drop can cost you a pound of pressure. If your "low tire" light came on this morning, it’s not a glitch; it’s physics.
Second, adjust your thermostat now. Don't wait until 11:00 PM to realize your heat pump is struggling to keep up with a 20-degree night.
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Third, protect your pets. If the "feels like" is 25°F, it's too cold for most dogs to be outside for more than a quick bathroom break. Salt on the sidewalks can also irritate their paws, so wipe them down when they come back inside.
Finally, keep an eye on the Saturday/Sunday transition. The bridge between the current temperature in Winston Salem NC and the weekend precipitation is where the risk lives. If you have errands to run, get them done by Friday afternoon.
Stay warm, keep the coffee flowing, and don't trust a sunny sky to mean it's actually warm out there. It’s a trap.