Cold weekend ahead in Maryland, January thaw around the corner

The first weekend of 2026 looks quiet and cold across Maryland. Two storms will pass by to our north and to our south and will have little to no impact on our area.

A significant warm-up kicks into gear next week and will likely last through the middle of the month before colder and stormier weather returns. 

Cold and quiet weather this weekend in Baltimore 

The first weekend of 2026 features seasonably cold weather you would expect in January across Maryland. High temperatures Friday through Sunday will be in the 30s to around 40°.

Friday's weather will start with plenty of cloud cover, but as the day plays out, clouds will give way to sunshine. Calm winds during the morning will give way to a gusty breeze this afternoon at 15 to 25 mph. Expect highs in the upper 30s to near 40°. When you factor in the gusty afternoon breeze, wind-chills will stay near 30°.

Central and northern Maryland will be squeezed in-between two storm systems on Saturday. One storm system will pass by to our north and the other to our south. They don't interact with each other until they are well out in the Atlantic Ocean. This means Saturday will feature plenty of clouds, but good travel weather across our region. Winds will also be light, so wind-chills won't be a factor despite the cold.

There will be scattered snow flurries and snow showers Saturday evening and night across Pennsylvania, but most of them should remain north of our area. 

A gusty northwest wind kicks into gear Sunday with a blustery and bright afternoon with highs near 40°.

January thaw begins next week across Maryland 

Seasonably cold weather will kickoff the first work and school week of the new year. Expect plenty of cloud cover Monday with seasonably cold high temperatures in the middle to upper 30s. 

A gradual warm-up begins Tuesday as milder air filters into the area. Despite plenty of cloud cover, highs will top out in the upper 40s. 

The real warm-up arrives Wednesday into Thursday as high temperatures return into the 50s. The mild air is likely to continue beyond that into next weekend. 

The weather next week should remain dry until Thursday when our next area of low pressure approaches from the west. This will likely bring a round of showers or a periods of rain late Thursday into Friday. 

The January thaw should continue until the middle of this month before a colder and stormier pattern returns to the Mid Atlantic. We have 77 days left of winter, so enjoy the mild breaks when you get them! 

Have a great weekend.

Plan on a mixture of clouds and sunshine during this stretch. Temperatures will peak in the mid to upper 30s both weekend afternoons. 

There will be a storm system passing through the eastern United States this weekend. At this time, the storm system appears to remain just to our south, keeping our forecast dry. However, the First Alert Weather Team is keeping a close eye on it. Even a small shift to the northwest could bring wintry weather into the weekend forecast. Some light snow is possible light Saturday, into early Sunday... especially south of Route 50.