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The severe cold that affected the United States during the last days of January and the first days of February 1996 was of historic proportions in the Upper Midwest. Many daily low temperature records and some all-time low temperature records were set at various locations in this region. Most remarkably, in four states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin) this appears to be one of, if not the, coldest weather events of the 20th Century. The Midwestern Climate Center analyzed daily temperature records back to 1896 for the Midwest. (The data for 1996 are as yet incomplete and the results may change slightly as data from the entire network of weather observers is received.) We averaged temperatures for 4-day periods (the approximate length of the severest cold in most areas during 1996). All 4-day periods were compared and ranked. The table below shows the average temperature for the ten coldest 4-day periods on record by state for the Upper Midwest. In Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, the only cold event (from 1896-present) that was more severe occurred in the second week of February of 1899. In Michigan, a severe cold outbreak in mid-January 1994 was slighly more intense than the recent cold wave, making 1996 the third coldest in that state. These are remarkable records that reflect the historic dimensions of the recent cold wave. However, the duration of the recent cold has been relatively short and does not yet compare with the extended cold of some past severe winters.
Statewide Four-day Cold Outbreaks
(Based on All Available Station Data)
MINNESOTA WISCONSIN
RANK DATE OF AVG Temp RANK DATE OF AVG Temp
COLD OUTBREAK F COLD OUTBREAK F
1 Feb 08-Feb 11, 1899 -24.0 1 Feb 08-Feb 11, 1899 -18.6
2 Jan 31-Feb 03, 1996 -23.6 2 Feb 01-Feb 04, 1996 -18.3
3 Jan 09-Jan 12, 1912 -21.7 3 Jan 04-Jan 07, 1912 -17.8
4 Jan 04-Jan 07, 1912 -21.1 4 Jan 16-Jan 19, 1994 -16.2
5 Jan 24-Jan 27, 1904 -20.6 5 Jan 10-Jan 13, 1912 -15.8
6 Jan 22-Jan 25, 1936 -20.3 6 Jan 24-Jan 27, 1904 -14.8
7 Jan 18-Jan 21, 1970 -19.8 7 Jan 22-Jan 25, 1936 -14.0
8 Jan 15-Jan 18, 1994 -19.1 8 Jan 20-Jan 23, 1963 -12.6
9 Dec 17-Dec 20, 1983 -19.0 9 Jan 04-Jan 07, 1942 -12.3
10 Feb 14-Feb 17, 1936 -18.8 10 Jan 29-Feb 01, 1951 -12.0
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Longterm Average Feb 1-4 8.5 Longterm Average Feb 1-4 13.8
ILLINOIS IOWA
RANK DATE OF AVG Temp RANK DATE OF AVG Temp
COLD OUTBREAK F COLD OUTBREAK F
1 Feb 09-Feb 12, 1899 -7.2 1 Feb 08-Feb 11, 1899 -14.6
2 Feb 02-Feb 05, 1996 -5.9 2 Jan 31-Feb 03, 1996 -13.5
3 Dec 21-Dec 24, 1989 -5.7 3 Dec 22-Dec 25, 1983 -12.5
4 Dec 23-Dec 26, 1983 -5.7 4 Jan 04-Jan 07, 1912 -12.0
5 Jan 16-Jan 19, 1994 -3.5 5 Jan 18-Jan 21, 1970 -11.2
6 Jan 05-Jan 08, 1912 -3.3 6 Jan 10-Jan 13, 1912 -11.2
7 Jan 24-Jan 27, 1897 -2.0 7 Dec 20-Dec 23, 1989 -10.8
8 Jan 16-Jan 19, 1977 -1.9 8 Jan 23-Jan 26, 1936 -10.1
9 Jan 23-Jan 26, 1936 -1.6 9 Jan 24-Jan 27, 1904 -9.4
10 Jan 10-Jan 13, 1912 0.2 10 Feb 01-Feb 04, 1905 -9.3
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Longterm Average Feb 1-4 26.1 Longterm Average Feb 1-4 18.8
MICHIGAN INDIANA
RANK DATE OF AVG Temp RANK DATE OF AVG Temp
COLD OUTBREAK F COLD OUTBREAK F
1 Feb 09-Feb 12, 1899 -11.0 1 Feb 09-Feb 12, 1899 -6.1
2 Jan 16-Jan 19, 1994 -5.1 2 Jan 18-Jan 21, 1994 -5.4
3 Feb 02-Feb 05, 1996 -4.8 3 Dec 21-Dec 24, 1989 -4.7
4 Jan 10-Jan 13, 1912 -3.3 4 Dec 23-Dec 26, 1983 -3.8
5 Feb 09-Feb 12, 1917 -3.2 5 Jan 16-Jan 19, 1977 -3.0
6 Jan 05-Jan 08, 1912 -2.1 6 Jan 25-Jan 28, 1897 -1.4
7 Jan 29-Feb 01, 1918 -1.6 7 Jan 19-Jan 22, 1984 -1.0
8 Jan 21-Jan 24, 1963 -1.6 8 Feb 02-Feb 05, 1996 -0.1
9 Jan 19-Jan 22, 1984 -1.4 9 Jan 07-Jan 10, 1970 0.0
10 Feb 09-Feb 12, 1912 -1.0 10 Dec 09-Dec 12, 1917 1.2
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Longterm Average Feb 1-4 18.2 Longterm Average Feb 1-4 27.0
OHIO
RANK DATE OF AVG Temp
COLD OUTBREAK F
1 Feb 09-Feb 12, 1899 -6.6
2 Jan 18-Jan 21, 1994 -4.8
3 Dec 21-Dec 24, 1989 -0.8
4 Jan 16-Jan 19, 1977 -0.2
5 Jan 25-Jan 28, 1897 -0.1
6 Jan 19-Jan 22, 1984 -0.1
7 Dec 24-Dec 27, 1983 0.9
8 Jan 23-Jan 26, 1936 1.1
9 Feb 02-Feb 05, 1996 2.4
10 Jan 19-Jan 22, 1985 3.2
-------------------------------
Longterm Average Feb 1-4 26.4
Michael Palecki, Ph.D. Last Modified Feb 7, 1996 |
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