Honestly, if you looked out the window this morning in Lakewood and thought, "Maybe I can skip the heavy coat," you might want to rethink that. New Jersey winters are famous for being indecisive, but today is leaning hard into the "wet and freezing" category.
Basically, we are looking at a messy Sunday. The sky is holding onto a lot of moisture, and with the temperature hovering right at that annoying freezing mark, everything is a bit of a gamble.
What’s Actually Happening with Weather Lakewood NJ Today
The current situation is, well, damp. Right now, it's about 31°F outside. It feels exactly like that because the wind is barely moving—just a 1 mph breeze coming from the west. But don't let the calm fool you. The humidity is sitting at a thick 90%, which is why the air feels so heavy and biting.
As we move through the rest of Sunday, January 18, 2026, the high is only going to hit 35°F. That is a very slim margin for error when it comes to precipitation.
✨ Don't miss: How to Sign Someone Up for Scientology: What Actually Happens and What You Need to Know
The Snow Situation
If you have plans to be out and about, keep an eye on the sky. There is a 64% chance of snow during the daytime. We aren't talking about a massive blizzard that shuts down Route 9, but it's enough to make the roads slick and the sidewalks annoying.
Later tonight, the temperature is going to drop down to a low of 20°F. The chance of snow stickiness continues at about 45% into the evening. Because the humidity is projected to reach 98% today, anything that falls is going to feel very "wet."
Driving and Safety in This Mess
When the high is 35°F and the low is 20°F, you get the classic New Jersey freeze-thaw-freeze cycle. Whatever melts or stays wet during the day is going to turn into a sheet of ice the second the sun goes down (which is around 4:59 PM today, by the way).
🔗 Read more: Wire brush for cleaning: What most people get wrong about choosing the right bristles
- Watch the North Wind: Wind speeds will pick up slightly to about 7 mph from the north. It’s not a gale, but it’s enough to drop the wind chill and make that 35°F feel more like 28°F.
- Precipitation Types: While the forecast says "snow," at these temperatures, it often starts as a wintry mix or "slush" before turning into actual flakes.
- Visibility: Between the high humidity and the cloud cover, visibility won't be great.
Beyond the Thermometer
What most people get wrong about Lakewood weather in January is assuming that if it isn't "snowing hard," it isn't dangerous. Statistically, most slip-and-fall accidents and minor fender benders happen in this exact kind of weather—where it's just cold enough to be icy but just warm enough for people to be overconfident.
The UV index is a flat 0 today. No surprise there given the heavy cloud cover. You won't need sunglasses, but you’ll definitely need some decent tread on your boots.
Preparing for the Evening Drop
Once we hit that 20°F low tonight, the "mostly cloudy" conditions will persist. If you’re heading out to dinner or a late-night grocery run, be aware that any moisture on the ground from the 64% daytime snow chance will be solid ice by then.
💡 You might also like: Images of Thanksgiving Holiday: What Most People Get Wrong
Your Action Plan for Today
Don't just stay inside and scroll. If you have to be out, do these three things to make your life easier:
- Check your tire pressure. Cold snaps like this drop your PSI faster than you'd think.
- Salt your walkways now. It’s much easier to prevent ice than to chip it away once it’s 20°F at midnight.
- Layer up. Since the day stays near 35°F, a heavy moisture-wicking layer is better than one giant puffer jacket that might get soaked if the snow turns to sleet.
The bottom line is that Lakewood is in for a classic, gray, soggy, and eventually frozen Jersey Sunday. Stay warm and keep those headlights on if you're hitting the road.