It's Sunday, January 18, 2026, and if you're looking out the window in most of the Eastern U.S. right now, you already know things are getting a bit intense. But the real question is how is the weather for tomorrow, Monday, January 19? Well, tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and for a huge chunk of the country, it’s looking like a mix of "stay inside with a blanket" and "where did I put the ice scraper?"
Honestly, the atmosphere is acting like it has a point to prove.
The Arctic Hammer in the Midwest and Northeast
If you’re in the Upper Midwest—think Minnesota, the Dakotas, or Wisconsin—tomorrow morning is going to be brutal. We aren't just talking about "it's cold" cold. We are talking about wind chills that could drop below -10°F. The National Weather Service (NWS) has been tracking a clipper system moving in from Central Canada, and it’s basically a conveyor belt for frigid air.
By the time you wake up tomorrow, that system will have shifted into the Great Lakes. For people in Western New York, specifically downwind of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, the lake-effect snow is going to be the main event. We’re looking at several inches of accumulation throughout the day on Monday.
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Expect visibility to be absolute garbage at times.
Snow in the South? (Yes, Really)
The most surprising part of the forecast for tomorrow involves the Southeast. A low-pressure system is currently trekking across Florida and Georgia. By tomorrow morning, the tail end of this precipitation is expected to wrap up, but not before leaving behind some refrozen mess.
Tallahassee and parts of Georgia actually saw flakes today. While the ground is mostly too warm for it to turn into a winter wonderland, the real danger for Monday morning is the "flash freeze" effect. Anything that melted today is going to turn into a sheet of ice as temperatures hover near or below freezing overnight.
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If you're driving in Atlanta or North Florida tomorrow morning, please be careful. Black ice doesn't care how good your tires are.
The "Two-Fer" Storm System
Meteorologists at places like WXSPHERE have been calling this the January "Two-fer." We have one system exiting the East Coast and a second, reinforcing shot of Arctic air following right behind it.
- The Mid-Atlantic: Rain will likely transition to snow overnight Sunday into Monday morning.
- The Northeast: Expect a steady accumulation of 1 to 4 inches in states like Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts by the time Monday afternoon rolls around.
- The Ohio Valley: Cold and windy. It’s going to feel significantly colder than the actual thermometer reading.
The West Coast Exception
While the East is shivering, the West is... actually doing okay? A persistent ridge of high pressure is sitting over the West Coast. If you’re in San Francisco or Los Angeles, tomorrow is looking mostly cloudy but relatively mild compared to the rest of the country.
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Seattle and the Pacific Northwest are seeing some "snow drought" concerns lately, though there's some moisture predicted to move in later in the week. For Monday specifically, it’s mostly just a standard, damp January day out West.
International Snapshot: London and Tokyo
If you’re traveling or just curious about the global vibe:
- London: Typical January gloom. Expect temperatures to hover around 7°C to 9°C with broken clouds. It’s damp, but not "Arctic blast" damp.
- Tokyo: It’s actually quite beautiful there right now. They’ve got clear blue skies and crisp air, with highs around 9°C (about 48°F). It’s their dry season, so visibility is great—perfect if you're trying to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji from the city.
Why This Matters for Your Monday
Monday is a federal holiday, which means a lot of you might have travel plans. Between the lake-effect snow in the North and the potential for icy roads in the South, transit is going to be a headache.
The National Weather Service Prediction Center has highlighted that this amplified pattern—which basically means a deep "dip" in the jet stream—is staying put for a few days. This isn't a "one-day-and-done" storm.
Actionable Tips for Tomorrow
- Check the "RealFeel": The temperature might say 15°F, but with the wind chill in the Midwest, it'll feel like -5°F. Dress for the wind chill, not the thermometer.
- De-ice Tonight: If you're in the Mid-Atlantic or South, salt your walkway tonight. The refreeze on Monday morning is going to be the biggest safety hazard.
- Wiper Blades Up: If you're in the Northeast/Great Lakes, pull those wiper blades away from the windshield tonight so they don't freeze to the glass.
- Watch the Pipes: In parts of the Deep South where homes aren't always insulated for sub-freezing temps, it might be worth letting the faucets drip if you're in an older building.
Tomorrow’s weather is basically a reminder that January in a La Niña transition year (which 2026 is) can be incredibly unpredictable. Stay warm and stay safe out there.