Basically, if you woke up in Central New York this morning and didn't immediately lose a toe to frostbite, you've probably realized today is a bit of a win. We aren't exactly talking beach weather. Honestly, the temperature in Syracuse today is hovering at a crisp 17°F right now, which, in the grand scheme of a Salt City January, is kind of a relief.
The wind is barely a whisper. Southwest at 3 mph. It’s the kind of quiet winter night where you can actually hear your own breath.
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The Real Numbers for Today
The high for this Sunday, January 18, 2026, topped out at 26°F. If you’re a lifelong Syracusan, you know that 26°F is practically "light jacket" territory when the sun is out. Speaking of the sun, we actually got some today. The morning was sunny, a rare treat for a city that usually looks like it’s filmed in a grayscale filter from November to March.
As we head deeper into the night, we’re looking at a low of 14°F. It’s going to get cloudy, and there’s a tiny 10% chance we might see a few stray flakes of snow. But nothing that’s going to require the heavy-duty shovel.
Syracuse Weather vs. The Rest of the World
People from outside the 315 area code always ask how we do it. They see "17°F" on their phone and assume we’re all huddled for warmth around a burning garbage can. But the temperature in Syracuse today is actually sitting right near the historical average. Typically, our January highs struggle to hit 30°F, and lows often dip into the single digits or even negative territory if the wind decides to be particularly nasty coming off Lake Ontario.
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Kinda crazy to think that just a few years ago, we were hitting record lows that would make a polar bear reconsider its life choices. Today is just... normal. It's cold, but it’s a dry, clear cold. The humidity is at 69% right now, and the UV index is a big fat zero, because, well, it’s night.
What This Means for Your Monday
If you’re planning your morning commute or just trying to figure out if you need to remote-start the car for twenty minutes, here’s the deal.
The southwest wind is supposed to pick up slightly to about 6 mph. It’s not a gale, but at 14°F, you’ll feel it. The clouds are moving in, and that 20% chance of snow we saw earlier today is tapering off. Honestly, the roads should stay mostly clear, provided the lake-effect machine stays dormant over the water.
Why the Temperature in Syracuse Today Matters for Your Health
When the air gets this cold, it’s not just about shivering. Your skin basically turns into parchment paper if you aren't careful. With humidity at 69%, it’s better than the bone-dry air we get when the temp hits zero, but you’re still going to want the heavy-duty moisturizer.
Also, it’s worth noting that even though it’s "clear" out, the lack of sun at night means that "real feel" is going to stay locked in the low teens. If you’re walking the dog, keep it quick. Paws can handle 17°F for a bit, but salt on the sidewalks is the real enemy.
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Actionable Next Steps for Staying Warm
- Seal the leaks: If you feel a draft, grab some weather stripping. At 14°F tonight, your heating bill is already sweating.
- Layer up: It sounds cliché, but a base layer of wool beats a single heavy coat every single time.
- Check the tires: Cold air shrinks. If your "low tire pressure" light came on this morning, it’s not a glitch—it’s just the physics of the temperature in Syracuse today.
Stay warm, Syracuse. We've got a long way to go until April.