Right now, if you’re standing in the middle of downtown, it’s a crisp 72°F.
Wait. Honestly, that sounds like a lie if you're actually in the San Fernando Valley or shivering down in Long Beach. That's the thing about this city. It’s never just one temperature. It’s a messy, beautiful patchwork of microclimates that’ll have you wearing a puffer jacket at 9:00 AM and wondering why you didn't bring shorts by noon.
The current vibe? We’re in the middle of a weirdly warm January "winter" heat wave. Today, Thursday, January 15, 2026, the high hit 83°F. That’s basically beach weather in the middle of what's supposed to be the coldest month. Tonight, it'll drop down to a clear 55°F.
The Current Reality of the LA Heat
We aren't just imagining it; it's objectively hot for January. The National Weather Service (NWS) is tracking an offshore flow that’s basically been acting like a giant hair dryer over the basin for the last eight days.
These are the Santa Ana winds. They’re the reason your skin feels like parchment and the humidity has cratered to 29%. Usually, people associate these winds with the devastating wildfires we saw in early 2025, but this time around, the experts are saying the fire risk is low. Why? Because we actually got a decent amount of rain earlier in the season, so the hills aren't as much of a tinderbox as they were last year.
What the Rest of Your Week Looks Like
If you're planning a trip or just trying to figure out if you should wash your car, here’s the breakdown. The "peak" of this mini-heat wave is largely behind us, and we're starting a slow, lazy slide back toward normal.
💡 You might also like: Finding the Best Adult Only Resort Cabo San Lucas Offers Without the Tourist Trap Vibes
- Friday, Jan 16: Sunny and 78°F. A tiny bit cooler, but still gorgeous. Low of 55°F.
- Saturday, Jan 17: Partly sunny, holding steady at 78°F.
- Sunday, Jan 18: We start to feel the shift. High of 76°F, with clouds starting to creep back in.
- The Long View: By next Wednesday, we’re looking at 71°F. That’s much closer to the "normal" January average of 68°F.
Basically, enjoy the "fake summer" while it lasts.
The Neighborhood Tax: Why Your App is Probably Wrong
You’ve probably noticed that your phone says 75°F but you’re sweating through your shirt. Or you’re at Santa Monica Pier and it feels ten degrees colder. You aren't crazy.
Los Angeles is a geographic nightmare for meteorologists. You have the ocean on one side and 10,000-foot mountains on the other. This creates a "marine layer"—that thick, grey soup of clouds—that can get trapped near the coast while the inland valleys bake.
In the summer, the temperature gap between Malibu and Woodland Hills can be a staggering 30 degrees. Right now, because of the offshore winds pushing the ocean air away, that gap has shrunk, but it’s still there. If you're moving between the Basin and the Valley, you’re basically traveling through three different climate zones.
Is This the "New Normal"?
Looking at the data from 2025, it’s hard not to notice the trend. Last year was the fourth-warmest on record for the U.S., and California felt every bit of it. Scientists from groups like Climate Central and Berkeley Earth have been pointing out that 2026 is shaping up to be just as intense.
We’re seeing more "cut-off lows" and "PV disruptions"—weather-speak for a wavy jet stream that causes these wild swings between record-dry heat and sudden, intense flooding. It’s why one January we’re fighting firestorms and the next we’re having a pleasant, albeit weirdly hot, afternoon in the 80s.
How to Actually Dress for This
If you're out and about in LA this weekend, the "expert" move is layers. It sounds cliché, but it’s the only way to survive.
- Morning (Before 10 AM): It’s in the 50s. You need a light jacket or a hoodie.
- Midday (12 PM - 4 PM): The sun is intense, even if the air is technically 78°F. T-shirts are mandatory.
- Evening (After 6 PM): The desert-like air doesn't hold heat. Once the sun dips, the temperature crashes. That hoodie you ditched at lunch? You’ll want it back.
Keep an eye on the wind alerts if you’re driving a high-profile vehicle through the canyons, especially near the 118 or the 14 freeway. The Santa Anas are "underperforming" right now according to the NWS, but gusts can still surprise you in the passes.
Check the local humidity levels if you have respiratory issues or just hate static electricity; we're sitting at a very dry 25-33% right now. Keep the moisturizer handy and stay hydrated. The "winter" sun in LA is deceptively strong.