Honestly, if you've lived in Union County for more than a week, you know the drill. You check the app, see "sunny," and three hours later you're sprinting to the car through a random January squall. It's basically a rite of passage. But when it comes to Westfield NJ weather hourly updates, most people are looking at the wrong numbers—or at least, they aren't looking at them the right way.
Right now, as of Thursday night, January 15, 2026, the air in Westfield is sitting at a crisp 23°F. But that's a lie. Well, not a lie, but it’s definitely not the whole story. With a 12 mph wind coming straight out of the west, the "feels like" temperature is actually 12°F. That is a massive difference when you’re walking the dog down East Broad Street.
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Why the Hour-by-Hour Matters More Than the Daily High
We see "High of 40°F" on the forecast and think, "Hey, not too bad for mid-January." But that 40-degree peak usually happens for about twenty minutes around 2:00 PM. The rest of the day? It’s a slow slide back into the freezer.
Earlier today, we hit that 40°F mark under sunny skies, but the transition into the evening has been sharp. Humidity is currently at 43%, which is actually quite dry for this time of year. Dry air feels colder. It bites. It’s that specific New Jersey winter air that makes your knuckles crack if you forget the moisturizer for even one day.
If you're planning your morning commute for Friday, January 16, don't let today's "warmth" fool you. We’re heading toward a low of 20°F overnight. The ground is going to be cold. Any moisture from the 20% chance of snow we saw earlier today—even if it didn't stick—could create those lovely invisible patches of black ice on the backroads near Tamaques Park.
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The Mid-January "Switch-Up"
Historically, Westfield in January is a bit of a battleground. We’re currently in a "clear with periodic clouds" phase, but the wind is the real protagonist here. A 12 mph wind might sound like a breeze, but at 23 degrees, it’s a heat-thief.
Dr. Dave Robinson, the NJ State Climatologist, often points out how Jersey’s "Goldilocks" position between the ocean and the mountains creates these weird micro-climates. Westfield gets it weirdly specific. We aren't as buffered by the Atlantic as towns like Belmar, but we aren't quite in the "snow belt" of Sussex County either. We’re in that annoying middle ground where it’s often just cold enough to be miserable but not always snowy enough to be pretty.
What to Expect for the Next 24 Hours
Looking at the Westfield NJ weather hourly trajectory, the rest of tonight remains clear. That’s actually bad news for your heating bill. Clouds act like a blanket; clear skies let all that daytime heat escape straight into space.
- Midnight to 4:00 AM: Temperatures will bottom out near 20°F. The west wind stays steady around 12-15 mph.
- Sunrise (approx. 7:18 AM): It’ll feel like the coldest part of the day. Expect wind chills in the single digits.
- Friday Afternoon: We’re looking at a high of 34°F. Much cooler than today’s 40.
Interestingly, there’s a bit of a "weather ghost" haunting the forecast for Friday night. While tonight is dry, tomorrow night brings a 60% chance of snow showers. We’re talking less than an inch, but it’s enough to mess up Friday night dinner plans at Addams Tavern or any of the downtown spots if people get spooked by the flakes.
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The Misconception of "Average"
People love to say, "The average high in Westfield for January is 37°F." That's technically true, but averages are boring. What really happens is a week of 50-degree "January Thaw" followed by a week of 15-degree "Polar Vortex" nonsense.
Kinda like what we're seeing now—we just had a 40-degree day, and now we’re staring down a 20-degree night. It's the volatility that gets you. Most people get the weather wrong because they dress for the day instead of dressing for the hour.
If you're headed out, basically just over-prepare. Layers aren't just a suggestion; they're a survival strategy for Union County. The UV index is currently at 0, so you don't need the sunscreen, but you definitely need the scarf.
Actionable Winter Prep for Westfield Residents
Don't just look at the temp; look at the from_direction of the wind. A west wind in Westfield usually means dry, biting air coming off the land. An east wind? That’s when you worry about heavy, wet snow or "wintery mix" (the absolute worst phrase in the English language).
Next steps for tonight: Check your outdoor spigots. If you haven't disconnected your hoses yet, tonight's 20°F low is when things start to freeze and crack. Also, if you’re commuting via NJ Transit in the morning, give yourself an extra ten minutes. Even with "clear" conditions, the cold can cause signal issues or slow down the walk to the station. Stick to the hourly updates—the daily summary is just a headline, and you live in the details.