Top 10 Winter/Spring daily temp records

[beavis1729]

Here is my Top 10 list for most impressive Winter/Spring (Dec-May) daily temperature records at RFD.  I am talking about record high, record low, record high min, record low max. 

 

Of course long-duration heat waves or cold snaps can be noteworthy too...but I'm just focusing on daily temps for now.

 

Feel free to create your own list for other towns...or add anything I missed for RFD!

 

I was going to do this for Chicago, but it's hard to discern true official records due to the differing locations of the official thermometer over time, i.e., closer to Lake Michigan vs. further away.

 

I believe Rockford has had the same (or similar) observation site since the late 1800s.

 

Rockford, IL (RFD)

(1) 4/7/1982:  low temp 5...by far the coldest so late in the season.  There are only two other April days in history with a low temp colder than 15.  30 degrees below normal.

 

(2) 4/24/1910:  high temp 28...wow.  36 degrees below normal, which is incredible for late April (much less any date).

 

(3) 2/2/1996:  high temp -12.  This is among the 5 coldest high temps on record, and it occurred in Feb. 43 degrees below normal.

 

(4) 3/24/1974:  high/low temp 17/1...a few days after the start of meteorological Spring.  Normals on this date are 51/30.

 

(5) 1/10/1982:  low temp -27.  While you'd expect the all-time low to be set during the coldest time of year, I included this on the list because -27 is still very cold no matter when it occurs.  39 degrees below normal.

 

(6) 1/1/1897:  low temp 47.  Happy New Year!  Strangely enough, RFD's highest min temp on record in all of January occurred on New Year's Day 116 years ago.  35 degrees above normal.

 

(7) 2/24/1967:  high temp 1.  Given the higher sun angle in late Feb, a high temp of 1 is noteworthy.  37 degrees below normal.

 

(8) 1/18/1994:  high temp -14.  This ties 1/6/1924 for the all-time coldest high temp...and I was at NIU in DeKalb on this day.  Just a bit chilly walking to class.  43 degrees below normal.

 

(9) 4/10/1930:  high temp 93.  This is the all-time April high...and it occurred on the 10th of the month.  34 degrees above normal.

 

(10) 5/31/1934:  high temp 106.  This is hotter than Chicago's all-time hottest temp...and it occurred in May.  29 degrees above normal.

 

 

Honorable mentions:  

(11) high temp of 66 on 12/28/1984

(12) high/low of 66/54 on 12/4/1998

(13) low temp of 30 on 5/27/1992...thank you Mount Pinatubo

[beavis1729]

International Falls, MN (INL)

(1) 2/20/1966:  low temp -44.  Incredibly cold for the time of year.  45 degrees below normal.

 

(2) 3/24/1974:  low temp -29.  A bit chilly for Spring.  46 degrees below normal.

 

(3) 3/10/1948:  low temp -34.  Hard to believe...34 below zero well into in March!  44 degrees below normal.

 

(4) 12/12/1995:  low temp -39.  This is the 4th coldest temp on record in Dec, and it occurred fairly early in the month.  41 degrees below normal.  

 

(5) 3/18/2012:  high temp 79.  This is the all-time March high, and it occurred mid-month.  43 degrees above normal.

 

(6) 2/2/1991:  high temp 55.  This is the 2nd highest temp on record in Feb, and it occurred on the 2nd of the month.  37 degrees above normal. 

 

(7) 12/7/1939:  high temp 57.  This is the highest temp on record in Dec.  35 degrees above normal.  

 

(8) 1/6/1968:  low temp -46...the all-time record low.  40 degrees below normal.  

 

(9) 4/6/1982:  low temp -11.  34 degrees below normal.  

 

(10) 3/5/2000:  high temp 67.  38 degrees above normal.  

[michsnowfreak]

Neat thread idea

[nzucker]

The cold after the April 1982 nor'easter is exceptional. NYC Central Park had 10" snowfall on 4/6/82 and -30C 850s made a brief appearance in upstate NY.

[beavis1729]

The cold after the April 1982 nor'easter is exceptional. NYC Central Park had 10" snowfall on 4/6/82 and -30C 850s made a brief appearance in upstate NY.

 

I would agree.  For the northern tier of the U.S., early April 1982 has to be the most significant anomalous temperature period in recorded history.  Sure, there are mid-winter cold waves with larger departures from normal...but I think 1982 takes the cake from a standard deviation perspective.  

[beavis1729]

A bit out of our sub-forum...but let's try Glasgow, MT.  They have some slightly changeable weather.

 

Glasgow, MT

(1) 2/15/1936:  low temp -59.  Remarkable...especially in mid-Feb.  70 degrees below normal!!  I believe it's the largest daily departure ever recorded anywhere in the lower 48.

 

(2) 12/8/1927:  low temp -45.  This is by far the coldest temp so early in the season.  In fact, there have only been two days colder than this in all of December.  54 degrees below normal.

 

(3) 12/8/1939:  high temp 69.  Exactly 12 years earlier, it was 114 degrees colder.  This daily record high sticks out like a sore thumb.  41 degrees above normal.  

 

(4) 1/17/1919:  high temp 62.  Not bad for the heart of winter.  39 degrees above normal.

 

(5) 2/12/1905:  low temp -55.  63 degrees below normal. 

 

(6) 1/12/1916:  low temp -56.  60 degrees below normal.

 

(7) 2/27/1932:  high temp 74...by far the warmest so early in the season.  The next earliest temp of 74 or higher is a 77 on 3/12, back in 2007.  40 degrees above normal.  

 

(8) 4/1/1899:  low temp -19.  That is crazy for April.  46 degrees below normal.

 

(9) 3/22/1928:  high temp 81...the only 80+ temp in all of March, and it occurred with 9 days left in the month.  35 degrees above normal.  

 

(10) 4/11/1940:  low temp -2.  A sub-zero temp on April 11...enough said.  33 degrees below normal.

[michsnowfreak]

Really no rhyme or reason to these rankings, and I didnt use normals to see which were the greatest departures, I just listed the most eye popping of the temps in my personal opinion.

 

Detroit, MI

 

December 22, 1872: Low of -24F

 

January 25, 1950: High of 67F

 

January 19, 1994: High of -4F. While the low of -20F is impressive, I think the high being only -4F is quite impressive

 

April 18, 1875: Low of 8F

 

February 11, 1999: High of 70F. I can still remember the dripping snowbanks

 

March 20, 1885: High of 11F. I almost picked the low of -2F, but a high of 11F on the first day of spring! wow

 

December 31, 1875: High of 65F. The irony of BY FAR the coldest year on record ending with record warmth

 

December 8, 1966: the low temp was only 57F. A muggy day mixed in a snowy Nov/Dec

 

April 13, 1950: The high was only 24F

 

January 21, 1984: Low of -21F