Happy New Year's Eve, weather blog readers!
It’s been a pretty warm stretch around the area over the past week or so, and that trend is sticking around as we roll into the start of 2026. But it won't show up immediately.
This evening, temperatures are hovering close to 50 degrees in many spots, including much of the Kansas City metro and surrounding communities. The sky was clear at sunset (5:05 p.m.), but clouds will gradually increase later tonight.
By around midnight, temperatures will be in the upper 30s with a wind chill near freezing.
The good news is the wind stays fairly light through the first half of the night, so it shouldn’t feel all that bad if you’re out late.
As we get closer to morning, clouds thicken, and the wind picks up just a bit, allowing temperatures to dip into the upper 20s for most of the metro. Farther north, it’ll be colder, with low 20s possible in northern Missouri.
Thursday’s high temperatures will really depend on how much sunshine we see in the afternoon. Northern areas may struggle to get out of the 30s, while spots near and south of Kansas City could push into the mid-40s.
If clouds win out, many of us may end up closer to 40 degrees, which is actually pretty typical for early January.
This cold front passing is bringing snow and travel issues to parts of the Midwest, including Chicago and Detroit, so if you’re flying through those cities, delays are possible through Thursday at least.
Looking ahead, temperatures stay mild with highs near 40 on both Thursday and Friday.
The weekend looks nice for January standards, with highs around 45 on Saturday and a return to the 50s by Sunday as another mild stretch settles in.
It won’t be record-breaking warmth, but for early January, it’s hard to complain.
With increasing moisture later next week, some foggy mornings could develop, but there’s no snow in sight anytime soon.
But rain, that's a different story. Models have been consistently hinting at rain for the second half of this week.
Any precipitation at this point would be welcomed!
Stay safe as you ring in the New Year. See you next year!
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