Daily briefing: New Year's Day forecast

2026 kicks off with California, Oregon and parts of the Southwest being gray and soggy. A few happy skiers will see fresh snow in the Rockies and Sierras while the Northeast and Midwest stay frigid. The daily briefing is published every weekday at 5 a.m. ET.

A big Pacific storm is rolling into California today, bringing heavy rain to much of the state as well as its northern neighbor, Oregon. The WeatherRadar shows the rain making its way into the rest of the Northwest, Great Basin and the Southwest as the day progresses, ruining a few outdoor plans too. Travelers over the central Rockies and the highest elevations of Sierras will contend with snow today.

The Midwest, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast remained locked in a frigid pattern to kick off the new year. The TemperatureRadar shows highs in the teens and low 20s across the northern Plains and the Midwest, while 20s and 30s will be the norm across the Mid-Atlantic and New England. A few bursts of snow will be possible this afternoon downwind of the Great Lakes and across northern New England.

It will be much milder across the western high and southern Plains, South and Southeast. The TemperatureRadar shows afternoon highs will be in the 70s across Texas, while Florida and the Southeast will see middle 60s.

Wanting to start off that New Year's resolution on the right foot and get outside for a walk? Want to know how the Weather & Radar app can help? You can see all of our features at a glance using the Discover the App feature.