Chilled Sunshine: Baltimore Braces for a Freezing Thursday

Chilled Sunshine: Baltimore Braces for a Freezing Thursday

Baltimore residents waking up this Thursday, February 5, 2026, will find themselves in the heart of a mid-winter chill. While the skies are expected to remain predominantly clear and sunny throughout the daylight hours, the mercury is struggling to keep pace. After a brief period of milder temperatures earlier in the week, a cold front has firmly established itself over the Chesapeake region, bringing the city back to more traditional—and punishing—February averages. Today serves as a crisp, albeit freezing, bridge between the mid-week clipper systems and a much more intense blast of arctic air expected to arrive by the weekend.

Morning: A Frosty Start

Early morning commuters should be prepared for biting conditions. As of dawn, temperatures in the city are hovering in the low 20s, with outlying areas in Baltimore County seeing dips into the mid-teens. While the wind is relatively calm compared to the gusts predicted for later this week, the humidity is sitting near 47%, making the air feel particularly dry and sharp. There are no active precipitation warnings for the morning commute, but any residual moisture on side streets from earlier in the week may have refrozen into slick patches, necessitating caution on bridges and overpasses.

Afternoon: Peak Sunshine with a Freeze

The afternoon will offer the best visual weather of the day. Forecasters predict a bright but brittle afternoon with full sunshine through 3:00 PM. However, even with the strength of the February sun, the high temperature is only expected to reach a maximum of 31°F to 32°F. This keeps Baltimore at or just below the freezing mark for the entire day. It is a day for heavy coats, gloves, and scarves, especially for those planning a walk around the Inner Harbor or heading to the downtown business district for lunch.

Evening and Night: Increasing Clouds

As the sun sets, the clear conditions will begin to fade. Evening predictions show increasing cloud cover as a precursor to a more significant weather shift arriving on Friday. Temperatures will drop rapidly after 6:00 PM, falling back into the mid-20s by dinner time and reaching an overnight low between 16°F and 21°F. While the chance of precipitation remains low today, a few stray snow flurries cannot be ruled out late tonight as moisture levels begin to rise ahead of tomorrow's predicted snow showers.

Safety and Weekend Outlook

There are currently no active wind or rain warnings for Baltimore today, but local officials remind residents that cold weather precautions remain relevant given the sub-freezing overnight lows. Looking ahead, the First Alert weather teams are eyeing Friday and Saturday for much harsher conditions, including potential wind gusts of up to 45 mph and a return of snow showers. For today, the primary focus for Baltimoreans should be staying warm and enjoying the sunshine before the weekend's frigid blast takes hold.