If you're planning a trip to Washington's favorite Bavarian-style village, you're probably picturing a snow-globe scene or a sun-drenched mountain valley. Honestly, though, the weather forecast for Leavenworth can be a bit of a trickster. It’s tucked right on the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains, which creates this weird, semi-arid microclimate that behaves nothing like the soggy, gray skies people expect in Seattle.
Right now, if you're looking at the immediate window for mid-January 2026, things are staying surprisingly crisp and relatively dry for a town known for massive snow dumps. Today, Saturday, January 17, we're seeing a current temperature of 29°F under partly sunny skies. It’s a bit of a "sweater and light puffer" kind of day. The wind is barely a whisper—just 2 mph coming from the southwest—so you won't get that biting chill that usually cuts through your layers.
The Immediate Outlook: Sun vs. Snow
Tomorrow looks even better for those who want to wander Front Street without getting dumped on. Sunday, January 18, is calling for full sun and a high of 37°F. That’s actually a few degrees warmer than today’s high of 30°F. If you’ve got plans for a late-night stroll to see the holiday lights (which often stay up through February), the low will dip back down to 23°F. It’ll be clear, so the stars over the Enchantments will be incredible, but you'll definitely want the thermal socks.
Basically, the next few days are a "dry cold" stretch.
Monday follows the trend with more sun and a high of 35°F.
But don't get too comfortable with the dry pavement.
Things start to shift as we head into the later part of the week.
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By Friday, January 23, the clouds really start to stack up. We're looking at a 35% chance of snow showers during the day, jumping to a 40% chance of light snow at night. The temperature isn't moving much—hovering around a high of 31°F and a low of 22°F—but the humidity is expected to spike to 92%. That’s when the air starts to feel "heavy," and the local passes like Stevens might start getting messy.
What’s Happening Later This Month?
If you’re tracking the weather forecast for Leavenworth into the final week of January, get your boots ready. Tuesday, January 27, looks like the main event for snow lovers. There's a 75% chance of snow during the day and a mix of rain and snow that night. The high will stay around 28°F, which is prime "sticking" temperature for the valley floor.
It’s worth noting that Leavenworth is one of the snowiest spots in the state. While the average high in January usually sits around 35°F, it's the nights that get you. The "cold season" here officially stretches from mid-November to late February. You’re looking at an average of 95 inches of snow per year. To put that in perspective, a single record-breaking day in 2022 dropped three feet of powder in 24 hours. While we aren't seeing signs of a "Snowpocalypse" in the 2026 forecast yet, the end-of-month moisture is definitely something to watch if you're driving over the passes.
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Living with the "Rain Shadow"
Most travelers don't realize that Leavenworth is basically in a rain shadow.
It’s much drier than the west side of the mountains.
You get more sun here.
You also get much colder winters.
Because the town is at an elevation of about 1,100 feet but surrounded by peaks that shoot up to 8,000 feet, the weather can change in a heartbeat. An "Air Stagnation Advisory" is actually in effect through January 20. This happens a lot in the winter when cold air gets trapped in the valley floor under a layer of warmer air, essentially "capping" the town and keeping things calm but a bit hazy.
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Actionable Travel Tips for the Current Forecast
If you are heading out this week, here is the "non-obvious" advice from someone who knows the area:
- Check the pass, not just the town. The weather in Leavenworth might be a sunny 37°F, but Stevens Pass (US-2) can be a whiteout. Always check the WSDOT mountain pass cameras before you leave.
- Dress for 10 degrees colder. Because of the valley's humidity (currently at 79%), 29°F feels significantly colder than a dry 29°F in the desert.
- Mind the "Black Ice" window. With highs of 37°F and lows of 23°F this Sunday and Monday, the daytime melt will freeze hard the second the sun goes behind the mountains (which happens early in this deep valley).
- Sunscreen is a thing. With sunny skies forecast for the next three days and snow on the ground, the UV reflection is real. Even a "1" on the UV index can give you a weird goggle tan if you're out all day.
The weather forecast for Leavenworth shows a transition from a beautiful, sunny winter "dry spell" into a much wetter, snowier pattern by the 23rd. If you want the views without the white-knuckle driving, this weekend is your best window. If you're coming for the fresh powder, aim for the following Tuesday.
Keep an eye on the Tuesday, January 27 system—that 75% precip chance is the strongest signal we've seen all month for a significant accumulation. Download the WSDOT app and make sure your tires have the "mountain snowflake" symbol or you’re carrying chains; the state patrol doesn't mess around on US-2 when the snow starts falling.