Boston is set to kick off 2026 with a weekend of freezing temperatures and mostly dry weather, according to National Weather Service forecasts.

“With the cold temperatures over the next couple nights, especially, just make sure you’re wearing layers,” said NWS meteorologist Emily McMinn. “Make sure you’re protecting yourself from the cold.”

The below-freezing temperature didn’t stop South Boston’s L Street Brownies polar bear club from taking part in their New Year’s Day tradition of plunging into the M Street Beach.

Through the weekend, Boston can expect sub-freezing highs and only a light chance for more snow heading into the next week, forecasts show.

The chilly temperatures follow a bout of snow across Massachusetts on New Year’s Eve night.

“The Cape did see four inches in some areas, four or four and a half inches in a couple of spots out there,” said McMinn. “Worcester County saw a good snowfall between three and four inches as well, and northeastern Connecticut did as well. For the Boston area, looks like three quarters of an inch to an inch is what we saw there for Boston. So quite the spread throughout southern New England.”

On Friday, skies are expected to start mostly cloudy before gradually turning sunny, NWS forecasts. The high is forecasted to be in the upper 20s, and the low is expected to drop to the upper teens Friday night.

“The Boston area should be relatively dry through most of the weekend as well, with high pressure moving in,” said McMinn. “Shouldn’t have to worry, maybe outside of a flurry later on Sunday, shouldn’t have any kind of impactful weather over the weekend.”

Saturday is forecasted to reach 30 degrees, with mostly sunny skies through the day, NWS states. The low Saturday night will likely reach down to the low 20s.

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Sunday is likewise expected to reach a high in the upper 20s and low in the low teens, with partly sunny skies. A slight chance of snow appears in the early hours of Sunday.

“There is a very, very small chance that Boston could see a stray flurry on Sunday,” McMinn said. “But confidence is very low right now, so it’s a very low chance at this point.”

The Snow Legion charges for the water as the L Street Brownies celebrate the new year with a polar plunge at M St Beach. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

A gaggle of women take the plunge as the L Street Brownies celebrate the new year with a polar plunge at M St Beach. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

The wolf man and Frankenstein’s monster take part in the plunge as the L Street Brownies celebrate the new year with a polar plunge at M St Beach. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

The L Street Brownies are led in by pipes and drums as they celebrate the new year with a polar plunge at M St Beach. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)