‘Arctic snap’ to bring near-freezing temperatures to Sacramento. How long will cold last?

If you haven’t taken your puffy jacket out of storage yet, it might be time.

Sacramento is at the edge of an “arctic snap” from Canada that is spreading cold air across the United States, bringing near-freezing temperatures to the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures in the capital city were expected to plunge as low as the mid-30s, with a low of 37 degrees forecast for Wednesday, the weather service said.

Weather forecast website AccuWeather called for even colder overnight temperatures, with a low of 33 degrees expected Wednesday night.

However, National Weather Service forecaster Bill Rasch said it’s very unlikely temperatures will reach the freezing point in coming days.

“The probabilities of hitting 32 degrees are less than 20%,” he said.

Here’s what to expect:

What’s in the forecast for Sacramento?

Sacramento was expected to be sunny on Wednesday with a high temperature near 61 degrees and a low temperature around 37 degrees, according to the National Weather Service’s latest seven-day forecast.

The Sacramento area could see patchy fog and frost before 8 a.m. Thursday, the weather service said.

Otherwise, the day will be sunny, with a high near 61 and an overnight low around 38.

Friday will see sunny skies with a high near 58 and a low around 37.

More patchy frost was expected Saturday, which will have a high near 57 and an overnight low around 37.

Sunday was forecast to be sunny and a high near 56 and a low around 37.

Sacramento residents can anticipate areas of frost after 5 a.m. on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The federal holiday will be sunny with a high near 56 and a low around 35.

The forecast calls for widespread frost on Tuesday, which should be mostly sunny with a high near 55.

How long will cold weather last?

The Sacramento area was expected to remain cool, dry and breezy into the middle of next week, according to National Weather Service forecaster Bill Rasch.

Rasch said there’s no rain in sight for at least the next seven to 10 days.

You can monitor the local forecast at weather.gov/sto, Rasch said.

How to stay safe in cold weather

During cold weather, it’s important to stay safe and protect vulnerable populations, the weather service said.

The agency shared these tips on its website:

• Dress in layers
• Limit time spent outside
• Don’t forget pets, plants, pipes and sensitive groups

To protect pets from cold, the weather service recommends pet owners:

• Bring pets indoors
• Provide sufficient food and water
• Ensure pets have a warm place to sleep, off the floor

This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 12:21 PM.

Camila Pedrosa

The Sacramento Bee

Camila Pedrosa is the California Diversions Reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked on The Bee’s service journalism team and was a summer reporting intern for The Bee in 2024. She graduated from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in mass communication.