Honestly, if you’ve spent more than a week in Central New York, you know the local joke: if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes. But when you’re staring down a syracuse weather forecast 7 day stretch in the dead of January, it’s not really a joke. It's a survival strategy.
Right now, Syracuse is coming off a wild 24-hour period. As of tonight, Saturday, January 17, 2026, we’re sitting at a steady 32°F. It sounds mild for mid-winter, but with that south wind at 7 mph, the "feels like" is a much punchier 25°F. We’ve had some snow showers earlier today, but things are settling into a mostly cloudy, nighttime rhythm.
The Week Ahead: A Deep Freeze is Coming
Don't let today's high of 37°F fool you. We are about to slide down a temperature staircase that ends in a basement of single digits.
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Tomorrow, Sunday, January 18, the mercury starts its retreat. Expect a high of only 26°F and a low of 17°F. It’ll be gray—classic Syracuse "perma-cloud" style—with about a 20% chance of some stray flakes during the day.
Monday, January 19, things get interesting. A cold front is pushing through, bringing a 35% chance of snow showers. Highs will stay around 26°F, but the wind is the real story here. We’re looking at 16 mph winds from the southwest. That’s going to make the evening low of 10°F feel significantly more brutal.
Then comes Tuesday.
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Tuesday, January 20, is likely going to be the coldest day of the winter so far. We’re struggling to reach a high of 15°F. The overnight low? A bone-chilling 7°F. If you’re commuting, make sure the scraper is in the car and the hat is on your head.
Why Syracuse Weather is a Different Beast
Most people see "snow showers" on a forecast and think of a light dusting. In Syracuse, that’s not how it works. We’ve got Lake Ontario sitting right there, acting like a giant moisture engine.
Lake-effect snow doesn't care about your plans. Even when the "synoptic" or big-picture weather looks clear, a shift in the wind to the west-northwest can dump four inches on the Northside while the Valley stays bone dry.
Take a look at Wednesday, January 21. The temperature "rebounds" to 29°F, but the moisture comes with it. We have a 25% chance of snow showers both day and night. This pattern holds through Thursday and Friday, with highs hovering in the low-to-mid 20s and constant, nagging snow showers.
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- Saturday, Jan 17: High 37°F / Low 24°F (Snow showers)
- Sunday, Jan 18: High 26°F / Low 17°F (Cloudy)
- Monday, Jan 19: High 26°F / Low 10°F (Snow showers, Windy)
- Tuesday, Jan 20: High 15°F / Low 7°F (Frigid, Mostly cloudy)
- Wednesday, Jan 21: High 29°F / Low 7°F (Snow showers)
- Thursday, Jan 22: High 27°F / Low 12°F (Snow showers)
- Friday, Jan 23: High 22°F / Low 13°F (Light snow)
The Record-Breaking Context
We can't talk about this week without mentioning that Syracuse recently hit a 76-year record for snowfall in a single day earlier this month. The ground is already saturated, and the salt trucks are basically running on a loop.
Meteorologists like Drew Montreuil have been tracking a "dry slot" that occasionally moves through the region, providing brief reprieves, but for the most part, the moisture from Lake Ontario is locked and loaded. The water temperature off Rochester is currently about 36°F. That’s relatively warm compared to the air moving over it, which is the perfect recipe for those heavy, localized bands of lake-effect.
Surviving the Next 7 Days
If you're new here, or just forgetful, Tuesday is the day to stay inside if you can. Wind chills will likely be well below zero.
By the time we hit next weekend, Saturday, January 24, we’re looking at another drop. High of 21°F and a low of 5°F. It’s a relentless cycle.
Basically, keep your gas tank at least half full to prevent line freeze, and maybe check on your neighbors when that Tuesday low hits. Syracuse is built for this, but 7°F is still 7°F.
Check your tire pressure tonight. These 20-degree temperature swings usually trigger those annoying dashboard sensors. Ensure your furnace filters are clean before the Monday wind picks up, as your heating system is about to work double-time.