Honestly, if you just moved here, you’re probably confused. You’ve got the heater on at 4:00 AM and you’re reaching for the SPF 30 by noon. Welcome to January in Southern California.
Right now, the los angeles weather 15 day forecast is doing that classic thing where it teases us with a "winter" that feels a lot more like a mild Midwest spring. Today, Saturday, January 17, we're sitting at a comfortable 78°F. It’s cloudy, sure, but that’s just the marine layer doing its morning rounds. We’ve got a tiny 10% chance of rain, which in LA speak basically means "don't bother washing your car."
The Immediate Outlook: Sunny Days and Chilly Nights
If you’re planning your week, Sunday is looking like a carbon copy of today. Expect a high of 79°F and a low of 52°F. It’s that massive 20-degree swing that gets people. You’ll see locals in parkas at the grocery store while tourists are hitting Santa Monica beach in board shorts.
By Monday and Tuesday, the mercury dips just a hair. We’re looking at 75°F under clear, sunny skies. The humidity is hanging out around 37%, which is high enough to keep your skin from cracking but low enough that the air feels crisp.
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Mid-Week Reality Check
Around Wednesday, January 21, the vibe shifts. We’ll drop to 72°F, and by Thursday, the clouds move back in. This is when the los angeles weather 15 day forecast starts to look a bit more like "actual" winter. Temperatures will slide into the high 60s.
- Thursday, Jan 22: High of 67°F, cloudy.
- Friday, Jan 23: High of 64°F, with a 20% chance of rain overnight.
- Saturday, Jan 24: High of 63°F, partly sunny.
It’s not exactly a polar vortex, but for a city built on sunshine, a 63°F day feels significant. If you're heading to a Rams game or just grabbing dinner in Silver Lake, you’re going to want that extra layer.
What’s Actually Happening with the Rain?
Everyone asks if the "Big One" is coming—the atmospheric river that turns the 405 into a lake. Looking at the data for late January 2026, it seems we’re in a bit of a dry spell compared to the historical averages. While the Old Farmer's Almanac suggested some "rainy periods" for mid-January, the current 10-day trend shows nothing more than a 20% chance of rain on the 24th and 25th.
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The National Weather Service notes that we're currently in a transition toward ENSO-neutral conditions. Basically, the La Niña that’s been lingering is losing its grip. This usually means our weather becomes a bit more unpredictable.
The 15-Day Trajectory: Toward February
As we push toward the end of the month, things start to warm back up. By Tuesday, January 27, we should be back at 71°F.
It’s worth noting that February is statistically our wettest month. While the los angeles weather 15 day forecast looks mostly dry for now, don't let the 79-degree Sundays fool you. History shows that LA can go from "dust bowl" to "flood watch" in about 48 hours once those Pacific storms line up.
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If you’re visiting or just trying to live your life, the move is layers. Always layers. A light jacket for the 50-degree mornings and a tee for the 75-degree afternoons. And maybe keep that umbrella in the trunk, just in case that 20% chance decides to overachieve.
Check your local microclimate if you're inland. While Santa Monica might stay a cool 65, the Valley is likely to push 80. That's just the tax we pay for living in a Mediterranean paradise.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep a "car kit" with a medium-weight hoodie and an umbrella. The temperature swings between 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM are going to be aggressive this week. If you have outdoor plans for next weekend (Jan 24-25), have a backup indoor option ready, as that's our highest probability for a damp day.