Honestly, if you've lived in the Saint John River valley for any length of time, you know the drill. You wake up, check the thermometer, and decide if today is a "light jacket" day or a "I might actually freeze to the sidewalk" day. Right now, in mid-January 2026, Fredericton is leaning hard into that classic Atlantic Canadian unpredictability.
It’s currently 11°F outside. But don't let that number fool you. With the wind coming out of the west at 7 mph, it actually feels like -0°F. It's that biting, "stings your nostrils" kind of cold that defines a New Brunswick winter.
What is going on with the sky right now?
We're looking at a partly cloudy night. Humidity is sitting at 68%, and while there's only an 8% chance of snow right this second, the forecast for the rest of the week is basically a game of meteorological Tetris.
Yesterday, Friday, January 16, we saw a high of 37°F. That's actually pretty warm for this time of year, but the temperature plummeted to a low of 10°F overnight. That kind of swing is exactly why the new brunswick fredericton weather is so famous for being a mood swinger. You get that "light snow" during the day, and then the clouds settle in for the night.
The Week Ahead: Snow, Snow, and More Snow
If you were hoping for a break from the shovel, I've got some bad news. Today, Saturday, January 17, is looking pretty white. We're expecting snow throughout the day and into the night, with a 45% chance during the day jumping up to 65% tonight.
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The high today is only hitting 28°F, and we're bottoming out at 11°F. It's not the coldest we've seen, but the 4 mph wind from the southeast is going to keep things feeling damp.
Sunday isn't much better. We’re looking at a high of 34°F and a low of 21°F. It’ll be cloudy during the day, but those snow showers are coming back at night. Both day and night have a 35% chance of precipitation. Basically, keep the salt bag by the front door.
Why does it get so weird here?
Fredericton has a humid continental climate. That's the fancy way of saying we get "severe" winters and "comfortable" summers. Because we’re inland, we don't get the tempering effect of the ocean quite like Saint John or Moncton.
Our summers get hotter and our winters get much, much colder. Think of us as a little micro-climate bubble.
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- July is usually our hottest month, averaging around 77°F.
- January is the deep freeze, with an average low of 9°F.
- October is actually our wettest month, which might surprise some people.
We also get a ton of sun compared to places like southern Ontario—about 2,000 hours a year. But in February? Forget it. It's the cloudiest month of the year, overcast about 63% of the time.
Looking into next week (The Deep Freeze)
If you think today is cold, just wait until we hit the end of the month. Monday, January 19, stays cloudy with a high of 28°F. But then Tuesday hits.
Tuesday, January 20, is going to be sunny—which is the classic "clear sky, freezing air" trap. The high is only 18°F, and the low is dropping down to a brutal 3°F. By next Sunday, January 25, we're looking at a high of only 3°F and a low of -12°F.
That is legit dangerous cold. If you haven't winterized your car yet, you're running out of time.
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How to actually survive a Fredericton winter
Look, the City of Fredericton has been dealing with this since the 1600s. We've seen it all—ice jams, floods, and blizzards that bury houses.
- The 72-Hour Rule: You need an emergency kit. Not just a "maybe I'll have a flashlight" kit, but a real one. Food, water, and a phone that doesn't need power to work. Cordless phones are useless when the grid goes down.
- Car Prep: Keep your gas tank at least half-full. Colder temps make your tire pressure drop, so check those sensors. And for the love of everything, put your winter tires on.
- The Silent Killer: If you're using a generator or a BBQ because the power is out, keep that thing outside. At least 20 feet (6 meters) from the house. Carbon monoxide doesn't care how cold you are.
- The "Buddy" System: When the wind chill hits those -20°F or -30°F levels, don't go out alone if you can help it. Frostbite happens fast.
The new brunswick fredericton weather is a beast, but it’s a beast we know. We’ve seen record-breaking floods, like the one in 1936 that destroyed the C.N.R. bridge, and we’ve seen winters where the snow depth stays over 1 cm for 105 days straight.
It’s about being smart and respecting the climate. Dress in layers, keep your vents clear of snow buildup so the CO doesn't back up into your house, and maybe buy an extra bag of rock salt while you still can.
Your Winter Action Plan
- Check your carbon monoxide detector batteries tonight.
- Fill up your gas tank before the Saturday snow hits.
- Clear any snow away from your pellet stove or furnace vents.
- Ensure your vehicle emergency kit has blankets and jumper cables ready to go.