You know that specific kind of Nebraska cold where the thermometer says one thing, but your face tells a completely different, much more painful story? That's basically Lincoln right now. If you just glanced at the weather report Lincoln Nebraska and saw 16°F, you might think, "Eh, I've seen worse." But honestly, the northwest wind is currently ripping through at 20 mph, making it feel like -0°F.
Zero.
It's the kind of night where the air feels less like weather and more like a personal insult. We're sitting under a mostly cloudy sky, and while the chance of snow is technically low at 10%, anyone who’s lived here long enough knows that a "dusting" in Lincoln usually means just enough to make the O Street intersections feel like an ice rink.
What's Actually Happening Outside
Friday has been a bit of a rollercoaster. We hit a high of 38°F earlier, which felt almost tropical compared to what’s coming. But as we head into the overnight hours, the temperature is bottoming out at 13°F.
The wind is the real protagonist of this story. It's coming from the northwest at 21 mph.
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If you're planning on being out, the humidity is sitting at 55%, so it's that damp, biting cold that finds the gaps in your scarf. There was a 35% chance of snow throughout the day and into the night, though things have mostly transitioned to a "mostly cloudy" situation.
Tomorrow—Saturday, January 17—isn't offering much of a reprieve. We're looking at a high of only 17°F and a low of 7°F. Expect a lot of clouds and maybe some stray snow showers (about a 20% chance) during the day.
The Breakdown: Lincoln's Next Few Days
It's kinda wild how much the numbers swing here. Sunday actually jumps back up to 38°F, but don't get too excited. The wind is projected to kick up to 24 mph. It’s that classic Nebraska tease—the sun comes out, the temp goes up, and the wind tries to blow your car into the next lane.
- Monday (MLK Day): Sunny but cold. High of 24°F, low of 6°F.
- Tuesday: This is the outlier. We might actually hit 45°F. It’ll feel like a heatwave until you realize the low is still 16°F.
- Late Week: Wednesday and Thursday settle into the low 30s. Pretty standard for mid-January in the 402.
Why "Wind Chill" Isn't Just Hype
Most people look at a weather report and ignore the "feels like" section. Big mistake. In Lincoln, the geography is basically a flat board, which allows those northwest winds to gain speed without anything to stop them. When the actual air is 16°F but it feels like -0°F, your skin can start to freeze way faster than you’d think.
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The Lincoln Police Department has actually been running their Winter Traffic Safety Project since early December, and for good reason. They're specifically looking for people driving too fast for these conditions. Even if the road looks "just wet," at these temperatures, it's almost certainly black ice.
Honestly, the best move right now is to keep a survival kit in the trunk. I know, it sounds like something your grandma would nag you about, but a blanket and a bag of kitty litter (for traction) can literally be the difference between a 20-minute delay and a three-hour nightmare if you slide into a ditch near the 27th Street exit.
Navigating the 2026 Winter Slump
January 2026 has been fairly dry so far compared to some of the heavy-hitters we saw back in the early 2010s. According to historical data from the Nebraska State Climate Office, we haven't seen a monthly average below 20°F in quite a while, but these individual cold snaps—like the one we're in right now—still pack a punch.
If you're heading out to Haymarket or just commuting to UNL, the UV index is currently at 0, so you don't need the sunscreen, but you absolutely need the layers. Think moisture-wicking base layers, not just a big coat.
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Actionable Steps for the Next 24 Hours
Check your tire pressure immediately. Cold air makes the pressure drop, and driving on underinflated tires on slick Lincoln streets is a recipe for a bad Saturday. Also, if you’re using a space heater tonight, keep it three feet away from everything. It sounds basic, but local fire marshals see a spike in calls every time the "feels like" temp drops below zero.
Keep an eye on the 511 Nebraska app if you have to head toward Omaha or Kearney. The wind is going to stay high through Sunday, and that’s when the "mostly cloudy" skies can suddenly turn into a localized whiteout if any of that 20% snow chance actually materializes.
Basically, stay warm, stay slow on the roads, and maybe just stay inside with some Runza.