Wednesday PM Forecast: chill eases early into 2026, minor rain chance ahead
If you are heading out to ring in the new year tonight, you’ll definitely want to grab a heavy coat. However, if you don’t like the cold, the first days of 2026 will be more your style.
New Year’s Day: warming
Friday & Saturday: mild, passing showers and an isolated thunderstorm
Sunday into early next week: mainly dry, above average temperatures
Tonight & Tomorrow: While most will not reach freezing like recent nights, lows will still be below average, tumbling into the upper 30s. Skies will stay clear, and winds will be light, meaning what you see on the thermometer is what you will feel. The chill will start to lose its grip as we move into New Year’s Day. Thursday will feature plenty of sunshine with afternoon highs stretching into the upper 60s—about 10 degrees warmer than Wednesday.

Trending News
Up Next: As we head into the end of the week, the weather pattern will shift a bit. On Friday, you’ll notice the wind picking up and a tinge of humidity in the air as moisture moves in from the Gulf. This breezy Friday will be our warmest day of the week, with highs in the mid 70s, but it will also bring our next chance for rain. Isolated to scattered showers are expected with measurable rain coverage around 30%, so some may not even get any, and there is no reason to cancel outdoor plans. Just have an indoor option nearby in case of a passing shower. We can’t rule out a few rumbles of thunder late Friday night into early Saturday morning as a weak storm system passes to our north.

By Saturday afternoon, the rain chances will taper off quickly, leaving us with a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the low 70s. If you’re planning any outdoor activities for the first weekend of the new year, Sunday looks like the best bet. We will see total sunshine with a crisp morning start in the mid 40s and a very pleasant afternoon high in the upper 60s.
Looking ahead to early next week, the dry and mild trend will continue. Keep the sunglasses handy as skies will remain mainly clear and afternoon highs will get into the low 70s.
Get the latest 7-day forecast and real-time weather updates HERE.
Watch live news HERE.
– Josh
The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and X for even more weather updates while you are on the go.