Average high temperatures this time of year is approximately in the low 30s, while average lows are around 20. The rest of this week we expect to see lows in the single digits to teens! While these temps certainly are unseasonal, they are still not even close to the record daily low temperatures records, largely due to a historic cold snap that occurred in 1899.
The Great Arctic Outbreak of February 1899
February 1899 Maximum, Minimum, and Average Surface Temperatures Map
Over 115 years ago, a cold wave that would become known as the “Great Arctic Outbreak” took the United States by storm. People across the nation braced for the worst as temperatures plummeted throughout the first two weeks of February 1899. The western third of the country was the first to feel the bitter cold with temperatures dropping as low as 33°F in Los Angeles, California, 9°F in Portland, Oregon, and −9°F in Boise, Idaho, by February 4. And, by February 6, 30°F temperatures and below had made their way across the country and as far south as North Carolina.
However, the full force of the outbreak wasn’t felt until February 10, when some of the coldest winter weather conditions on record struck the eastern two-thirds of the United States. That day, temperatures across the Midwest and Ohio Valley were below −20°F, and even Washington, DC, recorded a low temperature of −8°F. By February 11, temperatures plummeted even further with Fort Logan, Montana, recording an astonishing low of −61°F. Even Florida couldn’t escape the bitter cold, and temperatures fell to the all-time state record low of −2°F in Tallahassee on February 13.
The Great Arctic Outbreak didn’t just bring cold to the nation. It also brought snow and ice and lots of it. By the time blizzard conditions ceased in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, Cape May, New Jersey, record over 30 inches of snow, as did Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland. On February 17, ice was even witnessed flowing down the Mississippi River, past New Orleans, and into the Gulf of Mexico. And, a one-inch thick layer of ice formed at the mouth of the Mississippi in East and Garden Island Bays in Louisiana.
Over 100 people were estimated to have lost their lives during the Great Arctic Outbreak. The outbreak damaged or destroyed numerous crops, and countless livestock perished. In Georgia, many orchards of young trees were killed outright, and farmers had to completely replant them. Ice in the Mississippi River and Great Lakes completely halted barge traffic. The cold, snow, and ice also heavily damaged buildings and infrastructure across much of the country.
Fortunately the new CPC shows cold and snow for weeks on end!
Snow, snow and more snow! Incredible!
https://www.instantweathermaps.com/GFS-php/conussfc.php?run=2021021018&time=PER&var=ASNOWI&hour=336
https://www.pivotalweather.com/model.php?m=gfs&p=snku_acc&rh=2021021018&fh=372&r=conus&dpdt=&mc=Here is another view!
Looks good!
0 or below 0 overnight wow . Turn the furnace up ….INDY
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! I love winter! Who wouldn’t want snow this time of year? We have perfect winter conditions and no change is in sight! Rock n roll will never die!!!
>>>>Breaking News>>>> we still have 38 days of winter left and it is going to wild! Get ready for tons of snow!
Great news, we have finally turned the corner – Below normal temps and above normal snowfall are here to stay! We are in a great stretch of cold and snow!
For those who do not like the cold/snow, March is only 19 days away. Hard to believe.
The beginning of March is actually deceptively colder than most people think. Average highs are still in the upper 30s. But definitely an improvement over the single digits expected this weekend! And averages approach the low 50s by the end of the month with over 12 hours of sunlight
Yes! March is typically 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s for us. Can’t believe it’s only a few weeks away.
We’ve turned the corner! Average temps are now rising and average daily snowfall is dropping. Get ready for the climb into spring!
Crazzy cold outside I have lost track of how many below Average days in a roll now and with all the snow on the ground back loaded Winter 2021 is a rocking baby we warned you it was snowing I mean coming lol ….INDY
Today will the the 6th below average mean in a row.
Slim
Here is a little more information on that cold. In Grand Rapids the cold started on January 27th low of -8,-3 were reported on January 29th and 30th then -20 on the 31st and -20 again on February 1st. There was a brief “warm up” on the 3rd and 4th when the temperature jumped to 23 for a high on both days. On February 9th the bottom fell out with highs of -3 and -6 there were lows 5 days in a row of -20 or more with the lowest being -24 on the 13th and 14th. At Grand Rapids… Read more »
Thanks for the information MV
Slim
We had a low of 5.7 just before midnight – the current temp is 11.1 with a few snowflakes falling.
It dropped to 9 here before midnight and then was around 11 most of the night. The current temperature here of 7 is the coldest so far today.
Slim
There is more on this subject here: https://michigan-weather-center.org/the-great-arctic-outbreak