Big Bear Lake is a bit of a trickster. You check the forecast from your couch in Los Angeles or San Diego, see a sunny icon, and think "perfect, T-shirt weather." Then you step out of the car at 6,750 feet and the mountain air hits you like a cold bag of bricks. Honestly, it’s the elevation that catches people off guard every single time.
Today, Friday, January 16, 2026, the current weather Big Bear Lake CA is showing us exactly why you can't just wing it up here. We are sitting at a crisp 39°F right now. But don't let that number fool you. With the wind coming in from the east at about 6 mph, it actually feels like 34°F. That’s the "real feel" that matters when you're standing in line for the chairlift or trying to find your cabin keys with frozen fingers.
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The sky is dead clear. It's that deep, high-altitude blue that makes for great photos but zero insulation. Humidity is sitting at 39%, which is basically desert-dry. If you aren't drinking twice as much water as usual, you’re going to have a headache by noon. Trust me on that one.
What to Expect for the Rest of Today
If you’re heading up the 330 right now, you’ve actually picked a pretty decent window, weather-wise. We just came off a high of 57°F yesterday, which was unseasonably warm. Today is staying in that "manageable winter" zone.
The sun is out in full force, and the UV index is at a 3. That might sound low, but at this altitude, the sun is aggressive. The snow acts like a giant mirror, bouncing those rays right back at your face. If you skip the sunscreen, you’ll end up with a "goggle tan" (which is really just a sunburn) faster than you can finish a run down Geronimo.
Tonight is going to be a different story. Once that sun drops behind the peaks, the temperature is going to plummet. We are looking at a low of 38°F, but again, that dry air makes it feel much sharper. It’s clear, it’s still, and it’s very, very cold.
The Snow Situation (The Truth)
Let's be real: we haven't had a massive dump of fresh powder in the last 48 hours. The precipitation chance is 0% today.
Most of the snow you’re seeing on the mountains right now is high-quality machine-made stuff. The resorts like Snow Summit and Bear Mountain have been running the guns hard because the overnight lows are just cold enough to make it stick.
- Surface: It's "machine groomed" or "frozen granular."
- Morning: Expect it to be "firm and fast"—that’s code for icy.
- Afternoon: As it hits those 50-degree highs, it’ll soften up into that "mashed potato" consistency.
It's classic California spring skiing in the middle of January. Is it waist-deep powder? No. Is it a "bluebird day" with perfect visibility? Absolutely.
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Road Conditions: The Highway 38 Headache
This is the part most people miss. Usually, Highway 38 is the "back way" that savvy locals take to avoid the traffic on the 330. Not today.
There is a full closure on SR-38 from Mill Creek Road to Hills Ranch Road. This is happening Monday through Thursday, but even on Fridays (like today), they have one-way flagging control in effect. Construction crews are still cleaning up the mess from Tropical Storm Mario’s damage.
Basically, if you try to take the 38 between 7 AM and 5 PM, you’re going to be sitting there watching a guy hold a "Slow" sign for a long time.
Stick to Highway 18 through Lucerne Valley if you hate mountain curves, or Highway 330 through Running Springs if you want the fastest route from the city. Just be prepared for the 330 to be a parking lot by Friday afternoon when everyone else has the same idea.
Expert Tips for a Big Bear Trip Right Now
If I were heading up there this weekend, here is exactly how I’d handle the current setup:
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- Layers are everything. You need a shell for the morning wind, but you’ll want to be able to strip down to a light mid-layer by 1 PM.
- Carry the chains. Even if it’s sunny and 57°F, Caltrans can be sticklers. It’s actually the law to carry them in your vehicle from November through April, regardless of what the sky looks like. They might not make you put them on, but if they ask to see them and you don't have them, they can turn you around.
- Check the wind. An east wind at 6-8 mph isn't a "wind hold" threat for the lifts, but it’s enough to make the ride up the mountain feel significantly colder than the base area.
- Hydrate or die. Okay, maybe not die, but the "Big Bear Headache" is a real thing caused by a mix of altitude and dehydration.
The weather is holding steady for now, with no major storms on the 7-day horizon. It’s a great week for beginners because the conditions are predictable and the visibility is 10/10. Just keep an eye on those overnight lows if you’re planning on staying in a cabin; pipes love to freeze when it hits that 30-degree mark.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Caltrans QuickMap before you leave the house to see if the Highway 38 closure is impacting the 330 traffic flow.
- Pack a high-SPF lip balm; the combination of 39% humidity and high UV will wreck your skin in a single afternoon.
- Download your lift tickets to your phone before you hit the mountains, as cell service gets spotty when the crowds arrive.