The first full moon of 2026 rises this weekend and it just so happens to be one of only three supermoons this year.
January’s full moon, called the ‘Wolf Moon’, will brighten the night sky throughout this weekend. It technically will peak at 5:03 a.m. ET Saturday morning, but the best time to see it will be after it rises above the horizon that evening.
The ‘Wolf Moon’ also happens to be a supermoon this year. This occurs when the moon is closer to earth (parigee) so it appears larger and brighter than normal. You’ll have to wait until November to see the next supermoon.
Visibility looks good across the Central U.S. Saturday evening, but clouds could be an issue on the opposite coasts.
Potential cloud coverage Saturday evening across the U.S. (weathermodels.com)
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the full moon gets its name due to it being a time you can hear the call of wolves. Though we know that happens year-round, the vocal calls of wolves can be haunting during the winter months.
Other names given by various Native American tribes include Cold Moon (Cree), Center Moon (Assiniboin), and Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin).
The next full moon will be the Full Snow Moon which will occur on Sunday, February 1st.
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Meteorologist Ian Cassette
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