Honestly, if you've lived in the Triangle for more than a week, you know the drill. One day you’re wearing a light jacket to Pullen Park, and the next, you're panic-buying bread because a meteorologist mentioned the word "flurries." Right now, everyone is staring at the weather Raleigh NC 14 day forecast wondering if this current cold snap is just a teaser or the start of a real-deal winter.
It’s messy out there.
We’re currently sitting in a classic North Carolina "wedge" scenario. As of early January 18, 2026, the temperature in Raleigh is a damp 44°F. It feels colder. That’s thanks to the 73% humidity and a west wind that, while only moving at 2 mph, carries that bite only a Southern winter can manage. If you're looking at the sky today and seeing nothing but gray, you aren't alone—cloudy conditions are the name of the game for the immediate future.
The Sunday Slush and the 14-Day Outlook
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: today’s forecast.
Sunday, January 18, is bringing a weird cocktail of rain and snow. We’re looking at a high of 42°F, but the real story is the 75% chance of precipitation during the day. Most of that is going to be a wet snow or a rain-snow mix.
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Will it stick?
Probably not on the roads. The National Weather Service in Raleigh has been leaning toward "slushy accumulations" mainly on grassy surfaces and mailboxes. But here’s the kicker: once the sun goes down, we’re dropping to a low of 22°F. That means anything that melted is going to turn into a sheet of ice by Monday morning.
Breaking Down the Next Two Weeks
If you’re planning your life around the weather Raleigh NC 14 day forecast, here is how the upcoming stretch is actually shaping up:
- Monday, Jan 19: Bone-chilling but bright. High of 45°F, low of 21°F. It’ll be sunny, which helps, but that northwest wind won't be doing you any favors.
- Tuesday, Jan 20: Even colder. We’re looking at a high that struggles to hit 39°F. If you have outdoor pipes, keep them covered because the low is hitting 20°F.
- Mid-Week Transition: Wednesday stays cold with a high of 46°F, but by Thursday, January 22, we see a brief "warm" up to 53°F. Don't get used to it.
- The Following Weekend: Rain returns by Saturday, January 24 (65% chance), with highs near 56°F, followed by another potential snow shower threat on Sunday night, January 25.
Basically, it's a seesaw.
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What the "Experts" Get Wrong About Raleigh Snow
People love to complain that local weather stations get it wrong. The reality is that Raleigh sits in a geographic "dead zone" for predictable winter weather. We are too far east for the consistent mountain snow and too far west to get the buffering effect of the Gulf Stream.
In this 14-day window, we are dealing with a "negatively tilted" trough moving off the coast. That’s nerd-speak for "the storm is pulling in moisture at the exact same time the cold air is trying to leave." This is why you’ll see 75% snow chances in the morning and a clear sky by 8:00 PM.
The air is dry here, too. With humidity dropping to 34-36% by Tuesday, any moisture we do get has to fight through a layer of dry air before it even hits the ground. This "evaporative cooling" is why it sometimes starts as rain and then suddenly drops five degrees in ten minutes to become snow.
How to Actually Prepare (The Non-Panic Version)
Instead of clearing out the dairy aisle at Harris Teeter, focus on the stuff that actually matters for this specific 14-day trend.
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First, the black ice threat on Monday morning is real. When the temperature swings from 42°F to 22°F in six hours, bridge decks become skating rinks. If you don't have to be on I-40 at 6:00 AM, don't be.
Second, check your tires. Cold air makes tire pressure drop. That "low pressure" light on your dashboard isn't a ghost; it's physics.
Lastly, watch the wind. We’re expecting gusts up to 13 mph from the northwest later this month. In 20°F weather, that creates a wind chill that can lead to hypothermia faster than you’d think, especially if you’re just out walking the dog in a light hoodie.
Actionable Steps for the Next 14 Days:
- Drip those faucets: Tuesday night and Wednesday morning are the danger zones with lows of 20°F.
- Ice Melt vs. Salt: Grab a bag now. Once the Sunday rain turns to Monday ice, you’ll want your walkway clear.
- Check the UV Index: Strangely, even in the cold, Monday and Tuesday will have a UV index of 3. If you’re outside working, you can still get a winter burn.
- Schedule outdoor tasks for Thursday: January 22 looks like the only "comfortable" day in the near future with a high of 53°F and light winds.
This winter isn't over yet. The weather Raleigh NC 14 day forecast shows a pattern that is unseasonably cold, with temperatures hovering about 10 to 15 degrees below the normal January averages. Stay warm, stay off the roads when it freezes, and maybe keep that snow shovel handy just in case that late-month system decides to overachieve.