Winter in late January usually feels like a marathon you didn't sign up for. Honestly, by the time we hit the third week of the month, most of us are just over the scraping of ice and the relentless grey skies. But this coming Thursday, January 22, 2026, is shaping up to be a bit of a weird one depending on where you're standing.
The data from Google Weather paints a specific picture for the United States as a whole. We’re looking at a national average high of 36°F and a low that dips way down to 3°F. If you’re thinking that spread sounds like a recipe for a frozen windshield, you’re 100% right.
The Breakdown of What's the Weather on Thursday
Basically, the daytime vibe is "light snow." It’s not the kind of "shut down the city" blizzard that makes for good TV, but rather that annoying, persistent dusting. The chance of precipitation is sitting at a steady 20% for both the day and night.
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Wind is coming in from the west at about 8 mph. That’s enough to make 36 degrees feel a lot more like 28. Humidity is hovering around 42%, so it’s a dry cold, which is better for your hair but worse for your skin.
Why This Pattern Matters
Meteorologically speaking, we are seeing the effects of a negative Arctic Oscillation (-AO). Meteorologists like Brad Pugh from the Climate Prediction Center have been tracking this for weeks. When the AO goes negative, it basically acts like a broken fridge door, letting all that arctic air spill south into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
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This isn't just "winter being winter." It’s a specific interaction between the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and the jet stream. While parts of the Southeast, like Tallahassee, might see a stray flake that won't stick, the real story is in the Great Lakes and the Finger Lakes region. There, snow showers are becoming "constant companions," as local experts in upstate New York have noted.
Dealing With the 3-Degree Dip
The jump from a 36-degree afternoon to a 3-degree night is the real "gotcha" of this Thursday. That kind of swing is a massive stressor on home heating systems and car batteries. If your battery is more than three years old, Thursday night is when it's likely to give up the ghost.
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Honestly, the uv index is only a 2, so don’t worry about the sun. You won't see much of it anyway with the forecasted "snow showers" moving in after sunset.
Actionable Tips for Thursday
Don't just look at the high of 36 and think a light jacket will cut it. By the time the sun goes down, that 20% chance of snow combines with a plummeting temperature that will flash-freeze any slush on the roads.
- Check your tire pressure Wednesday night; cold air makes it drop, and you don't want a sensor light popping on during your commute.
- Drip your pipes if you’re in a region where 3°F is unusual; that’s the "burst pipe" danger zone.
- Layer up with moisture-wicking fabrics, because that 42% humidity means any sweat from walking will turn into a personal ice pack once you stop moving.
The "nickel-and-dime" snow pattern we’re seeing this year means we aren't getting one big storm, but rather a constant layering of light snow. Thursday is a perfect example of this. It's manageable, sure, but it's the kind of weather that rewards the people who actually bothered to put the ice scraper back in the car.