
They certainly weren’t kidding when they said this would be the coldest January in 13 years. In fact, it’s been quite a cold winter overall–NYC was colder than Alaska for most of the first week of December, temperatures dropped to near-freezing around mid-December amid unseasonably cold weather, and the Bryant Park fountain completely froze right around the holidays.
And, well, we haven’t even seen the worst of it yet, so if you think it’s been cold recently just wait until next week; particularly right around the time that the coldest day of the year occurs, according to this map. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson stated:
[A] cold outbreak will occur right smack in the middle of what is historically the coldest part of the winter.
Next week will bring with it temperatures that are five to ten degrees colder than anything we’ve experienced so far this year. Even more, NBC meteorologists say these temperatures will be colder than anything we’ve seen in almost two years. AccuWeather adds, “January 2022 brought an average of 3.4º below historical levels. So far this January, temperatures are averaging 1.8º below historical levels.”
A cold front is set to move in on Sunday, January 19th, bringing with it the chance of some light evening snow as well as a blast of arctic air that will send temperatures tumbling way down. Tuesday, January 21st, will only reach 18º, though it will only feel like 8° for most of the day. This is lower than the coldest temperature recorded at Central Park so far this year, which was 19º.
Beyond Tuesday, temperature highs all next week will be mainly in the 20s, with nighttime lows in the 10s. It is possible, though, that night temperatures could dip into the single digits. To put this into perspective, a high in the upper 30s and a low in the upper 20s is average for NYC in mid-January.
Temperatures haven’t dropped this low since February 2023. And this level of cold can be dangerous, especially when considering the wind chill. NBC is warning of “hazardous temperatures” between January 22nd and January 28th. Larson added:
Given that a widespread deep snow cover will not be present over much of the Central and Eastern states, few record-low temperatures may be set.
If you ask us, it’s certainly okay to stay bundled up and cozy in your apartment for all of next week–so long as your landlord is keeping your building at the legal minimum temperature! Though if you are one for venturing out in the cold, there are some incredible winter hikes, train rides, and even winter date ideas to embark on!
Oh, and if you’re looking for some fun (and totally random) NYC trivia, this is why NYC pigeons don’t migrate in the winter!