Extended Forecast for Springfield Missouri: What Most People Get Wrong About Ozark Winters

Extended Forecast for Springfield Missouri: What Most People Get Wrong About Ozark Winters

Springfield weather is basically a mood ring. One minute you’re scraping frost off a windshield at 9:00 AM, and by lunchtime, you’ve ditched the heavy parka because the sun decided to show up. If you've lived here long enough, you know the drill: keep an ice scraper in the trunk and a pair of sunglasses on the dash, probably right next to a stray receipt from Cashew Station.

Honestly, looking at the extended forecast for Springfield Missouri right now, we’re staring down a classic Ozarks roller coaster. We are currently sitting in a bit of a deep freeze. As of mid-January 2026, the current temperature is hovering around 26°F, but with that northwest wind kicking at 14 mph, it actually feels more like 13°F. It's that biting cold that sneaks through the seams of your jacket.

The Immediate Outlook: Shivering Through the Weekend

Saturday is staying pretty stingy with the heat. We’re looking at a high of only 29°F. There’s a 25% chance of snow showers today, mostly cloudy, and the wind is just relentless. If you're heading out to the Battlefield Mall or just grabbing coffee, expect those gusts to hit around 16 mph.

Tonight gets even realer. The low is dropping to a bone-chilling 9°F.

Tomorrow, Sunday, January 18, gives us a tiny bit of mercy. It’ll be partly sunny with a high of 40°F. Still, the low is going back down to 11°F at night. It’s that dry, crisp cold where the air feels thin. Monday stays in the mid-20s, but then things start to pivot.

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Why the Extended Forecast for Springfield Missouri is Full of Surprises

By Tuesday and Wednesday, we’re actually bouncing back into the 40s. Specifically, January 20 and 21 are looking at twin highs of 46°F. It’s not exactly tropical, but compared to 9 degrees, it feels like a heatwave.

The National Weather Service in Springfield has been tracking a pretty amplified pattern aloft. Basically, there’s a massive "trough"—think of it like a giant dip in the atmosphere—sitting over the central and eastern U.S. This is what's funneling that cold air down from Canada. But because we’re in the Ozarks, we sit right on the edge of where that cold air fights the slightly warmer moisture coming up from the Gulf.

Late January: The "Wintry Mix" Threat

If you’re planning anything for the weekend of January 24, keep an eye on the sky. The models are hinting at a system that could bring a mess. Saturday, Jan 24, has a 35% chance of snow showers with a high of 38°F.

The tricky part about Springfield is that 38 degrees. It’s just warm enough to melt on the roads but cold enough to freeze back into a "black ice" sheet the second the sun goes down. AccuWeather and other local trackers are keeping a close watch on the potential for ice or a rain-snow mix during this window.

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The 8-14 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center actually leans toward "above normal" precipitation for our neck of the woods. In plain English? It’s probably going to be wet, and depending on a three-degree difference, that means either a cold rain or a localized snow event that shuts down schools for two days.

Breaking Down the Climatology

Let’s talk numbers for a second.

January is historically our coldest month. The average high is usually around 44.3°F, with lows near 24.2°F. Right now, we are running a bit colder than those averages. February usually starts to "thaw" just a tiny bit, with average highs creeping up to 49.5°F.

Interestingly, 2026 is seeing a transition from La Niña to "ENSO-neutral" conditions. Usually, La Niña winters in Missouri are a bit of a wildcard—they can be drier, but lately, we’ve seen them trend wetter. This explains why the extended forecast for Springfield Missouri is looking so unsettled as we head toward February.

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Survival Tips for the Next Two Weeks

Since the weather is going to be all over the place, here’s how to actually handle it:

  • The Layering Rule: Don't just wear one giant coat. Wear a base layer, a fleece, and then a windbreaker. The wind is the real enemy here, especially with those 15 mph gusts from the southwest and northwest.
  • Watch the "Feels Like": Ignore the big number on your phone. If it says 30°F but the "Feels Like" is 15°F, dress for the 15. Your skin doesn't care about the official thermometer; it cares about the wind chill.
  • Check the Pipes: With lows hitting 9°F tonight and staying in the teens for several nights, make sure your cabinets are open if your plumbing is on an exterior wall.
  • Driving Prep: If that January 24/25 snow/ice mix happens, remember that Highway 65 and I-44 get slick fast. The bridges freeze before the roads do. Always.

Basically, the next two weeks are going to be a test of patience. We'll have a few beautiful sunny days in the 40s followed by some pretty harsh, frigid nights. It's classic Missouri. Just when you think winter is over, it reminds you who's boss. Stay warm out there.

Grab a kit for your car that includes a blanket and some jumper cables, because these sub-teens temperatures are notorious for killing older car batteries overnight.