If you’re checking the fort lauderdale weather 10 day forecast right now, you might see a bunch of little cloud icons with lightning bolts and think your vacation is doomed. Honestly? Take a breath. South Florida weather is famously finicky, especially in January. You can’t just look at a generic app and assume it’s going to be a washout. I’ve lived through enough "atmospheric rivers" and "cold snaps" here to tell you that the numbers on the screen only tell half the story.
Right now, we are sitting in the middle of January 2026. While the rest of the country is digging out of snowdrifts, Fort Lauderdale is currently hovering around 74°F at the airport (KFLL). But there's a front moving in. If you're planning your next ten days, you need to understand that we’re entering a bit of a transition period.
Breaking down the fort lauderdale weather 10 day forecast
The current outlook for the next week and a half is a classic Florida mix. We’re coming off a fairly mild start to the month, but the National Weather Service is tracking some shifts. Today, Tuesday, January 13, it’s mostly overcast with a dewpoint around 67°F. That’s comfortable, but you can feel the moisture in the air.
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Here is the vibe for the coming days. Tomorrow, Wednesday, we’re looking at a high near 80°F. It’s going to feel like a proper beach day until the afternoon. Then, things get a little spicy. A system is moving through that will likely bring scattered showers and maybe a stray thunderstorm late Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
By Friday, the wind is going to shift. We're expecting those winds to kick up to 20 or 25 knots from the West/Northwest. For you, that means the "feels like" temperature is going to drop. We aren't talking North Dakota cold, but a 65°F morning with a 20 mph wind feels surprisingly biting when you’re used to 80°F.
Looking further out into the weekend of January 17-18, the forecast suggests a clearing trend. Highs will likely settle back into the mid-70s. This is basically the "Goldilocks Zone" for Florida—not too humid, not too cold. The overnight lows will dip into the low 60s or high 50s, which is perfect for sleeping with the windows open if you aren't right next to the noisy traffic on A1A.
The humidity factor and "Florida Cold"
People laugh at us when we put on parkas at 60 degrees. It’s a meme for a reason. But there is a logic to it! When the humidity is high, the cold air feels "wet." It clings to you. In the 10-day outlook, we see humidity fluctuating between 50% and 80%.
On those days where the humidity drops—usually after a cold front passes—the sky becomes an impossibly deep blue. It’s that crisp, high-pressure air that makes Fort Lauderdale the place to be in the winter. If your forecast shows "sunny" with a high of 72°F, that is your cue to hit the Everglades or walk the Riverwalk. It’s peak season for a reason.
Is the water actually warm enough to swim?
This is the big question. You see the fort lauderdale weather 10 day forecast and wonder if you should pack the bikini or the hoodie. The answer is both.
As of this week, the sea surface temperature at Fort Lauderdale Beach is holding steady around 74°F to 76°F. For a lot of folks from the Northeast, that’s warmer than the Jersey Shore ever gets in July. It’s definitely swimmable. However, the wind is the real factor. If the forecast says it’s 75°F but the wind is ripping at 20 mph from the North, you’re going to be shivering the second you step out of the Atlantic.
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Check the marine forecast if you're planning to boat or swim. The "Wave Detail" for the next few days shows seas building from 2 feet up to 6 or 8 feet by the weekend as that front pushes through. If you’re prone to seasickness, maybe skip the drift fishing trip this Friday.
What the averages don't tell you
Statistically, January is one of our driest months. We usually only see about 2 or 3 inches of rain the whole month. But Florida doesn't care about averages. Sometimes we get a "stalled front" where it just drizzles for three days straight.
- Average High: 75°F
- Average Low: 61°F
- Rainy Days: Usually only about 7 days in the month have measurable precip.
- Sunshine: Roughly 7 hours of "bright" sun per day.
Don't let a "30% chance of rain" scare you off. In South Florida, that often means it will pour for ten minutes, the sun will come out, and everything will be dry in twenty minutes. It’s localized. It might be raining in Plantation but bone-dry at Las Olas.
Survival tips for the next 10 days
If you're heading out, you've got to be smart about the layers.
- The Hoodie is Mandatory. Even if it's 80°F during the day, the air conditioning in Florida restaurants is set to "Arctic Tundra." You will freeze at dinner without a light jacket.
- Watch the UV Index. Even in January, the UV index hits a 5 or 6 (Moderate). You can still get a nasty sunburn in two hours while you're eating lunch outside.
- The Wind Shift. Pay attention to when the wind moves from the South (warm/humid) to the North (cool/dry). This usually happens behind a rain band.
- Early Sunsets. We're looking at sunset around 5:50 PM right now. The temperature drops fast once the sun goes behind the condos.
Basically, the fort lauderdale weather 10 day forecast is looking like a typical mid-January rollercoaster. A bit of heat, a quick splash of rain, and then some gorgeous, cool, dry air to finish off the week. It beats shoveling snow.
Actionable Insight: If you are planning outdoor activities, aim for the window between Saturday the 17th and Monday the 19th. The data suggests the post-front high pressure will settle in then, offering the clearest skies and most stable temperatures for the entire 10-day period. Keep an eye on the wind speeds if you're hitting the water, as the surf will likely remain choppy through Sunday morning.