National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

The very cold weather pattern the Northland experienced during December 2013 will continue into the first half of January 2014. The forecast calls for near-record low temperatures across the region through at least Wednesday.  

Tips for staying SAFE in the EXTREME COLD

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Listing of 24-hour Lows and Minimum Wind Chills
(Tuesday, January 7th)
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The graphics below are North American maps of the observed temperature. Notice the arctic air (shown in pink/purple) sitting over the Northwest Territories of Canada on Saturday made a push into the borderland by Sunday morning. This air mass will continue to sink across much of the upper midwest early this week.

Observed Morning Temps January 4th

Observed Morning Temps January 5th

 

The following are listings of various temperature records at Duluth, International Falls and Embarrass, MN. 

At Duluth, MN:

List of Daily Temperatures so far this month

Record Cold, Minimum Temperatures

Observed 2014

January 1st:  -30 F in 1974

  -19 F  

January 2nd: -41 F in 1885

  -21 F

January 3rd: -30 F in 1911

  -17 F

January 4th: -30 F in 1884

  -17 F

January 5th: -32 F in 1912

  -24 F

January 6th: -34 F in 1909

  -28 F

January 7th: -36 F in 1912

  -24 F

January 8th: -31 F in 1974

 -18 F

January 9th: -38 F in 1875

   -11 F

Record Cold, Maximum Temperatures

Observed 2014

January 5th: -22 F in 1912

 -9 F

January 6th: -20 F in 1968

 -15 F

January 7th: -17 F in 1912

 -5 F

January 8th:   -9 F in 1980

 0 F

Top 10 Coldest Min Temperatures
(1874-2013)

  • Rank  Value Date

       1          -41          1/2/1885 
                   -39          2/2/1996
                   -39        1/15/1972
       4          -38        1/17/1982
                   -38        1/14/1965
                   -38        1/23/1935
                   -38          1/9/1875 
       8          -37        1/28/1966
                   -37        1/24/1904 
      10         -36        1/10/1912

Top 10 Coldest Max Temperatures
(1874-2013)

  • Rank  Value   Date

        1          -22       1/9/1982
                    -22       1/5/1912     
        3          -21       2/2/1996
                    -21     1/18/1994
                    -21     1/14/1972     
        6          -20     1/19/1985
                    -20     1/16/1982
                    -20       1/6/1968
                    -20     1/22/1936
                    -20     1/24/1904
The period of record for the official temperature record at Duluth, MN began in 1874. The current observation site is located at the Duluth Airport (5 miles inland from Lake Superior and 600 ft higher than the Duluth Harbor). However, the site of the weather observation has been moved throughout the years and the climate data has been "threaded together. More information on Threaded Climate Data Here

Top 10 Coldest January
 (Average Temperature):

  • Rank  Value  Year
      1        -7.2      1912
      2        -3.2      1982
      3        -2.7      1875
      4        -2.6      1929
      5        -2.1      1994
      6        -1.9      1885
      7        -1.2      1966
      8        -0.1      1977
      9         0.2      1972

      10       0.5      1979

 

 

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At International Falls, MN:

List of Daily max/Min Temperatures so far this month

Record Low Temperatures

Observed 2014

January 1st: -39 F in 2014

  -39 F * New Record

January 2nd: -43 F in 2014

  -43 F * New Record

January 3rd: -37 F in 1984

  -14 F 

January 4th: -40 F in 1909

  -14 F 

January 5th: -40 F in 1909

  -31 F

January 6th: -55 F in 1909

  -30 F

January 7th: -54 F in 1909

  -26 F

January 8th: -31 F in 1974

  -28 F

January 9th: -38 F in 1875

  -23 F

Record Cold, Maximum Temperatures

Observed 2014

January 5th: -15 F in 1988

 -18 F

January 6th: -29 in 1909

 -19 F

January 7th: -17 F in 1968

 -7 F

January 8th: -18 F in 1977

 -2 F

Top 10 Coldest Min Temperatures      
(1897-2013)

  • Rank   Value       Date
         1          -55.0        1/6/1909
         2          -54.0        1/7/1909  
         3          -50.0      1/11/1909
         4          -48.0       2/8/1909  
         5          -46.0      1/21/2011
                                     1/6/1968

         7          -45.0       2/2/1996
                                   1/17/1982
                                   1/15/1972
                                   1/15/1909

Top 10 Coldest Max Temperatures
(1897-2013)

  • Rank   Value   Date
        1         -29.0      1/6/1909

        2         -28.0    1/19/1985
                               1/14/1972 
       
    4         -26.0    1/27/1966 
       
    5         -25.0      2/1/1996
                               1/16/1982
       
    7         -24.0      1/9/1982
                               1/28/1966 
       
    9         -22.0      2/2/1996
                              12/31/1967

The period of record for the official temperature record at International Falls, MN began in 1897. The current observation site is located at the International Falls, Airport. However, the site of the weather observation has been moved throughout the years and the climate data has been "threaded together. More information on Threaded Climate Data Here     

Top Coldest Januarys
 (Average Temperature):

  • Rank  Value  Year
    1     -10.5      1982     
    2     -10.4      1966     
    3      -8.7       1979     
    4      -8.0       1950     
    5      -7.8       1994     
    6      -7.1       1971     
    7      -6.5       1924     
    8      -5.9       1909     
    9      -5.8       1977    
    10    -5.7       1972

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At Embarrass, MN:

 

Record Low Temperatures

Observed 2014

January 1st: -43 F in 2014

 -43 F * New Record

January 2nd: -46 F in 2014 

 -46 F * New Record 

January 3rd: -46 F in 2014 

 -46 F * New Record  

January 4th: -34 F in 2010

  -7 F

January 5th: -43 F in 2005

 -40 F

January 6th: -44 F in 2005

 -37 F

January 7th: -42 F in 1996 

 -31 F

January 8th: -29 F in 1997

                -34 F

January 9th: -37 F in 1999

                  -35 F

Record Cold, Maximum Temperatures

Observed 2014

January 5th: -5 F in 1996

 -15 F

January 6th: -7 in 1996

 -19 F

January 7th:  0 F in 1999

        -10 F

January 8th: -2 F in 2004

           0 F

Top 10 Coldest Min Temperatures
(1994-2013)

  • Rank   Value   Date
        1     -57.0     1/20/1996     
        2     -56.0     2/ 4/1996     
        3     -55.0     1/31/1996    
        4     -54.0     1/17/2005
                            2/ 1/1996     

        6     -53.0     2/ 2/1996     
        7     -50.0     1/26/1997
                            1/23/1996     

        9     -49.0     1/25/1996    
      10     -48.0     1/16/2005

Top 10 Coldest Max Temperatures
(1994-2013)

  • Rank   Value    Date
        1     -29.0     2/2/1996     
        2     -25.0     2/1/1996     
        3     -21.0     2/3/2007     
        4     -18.0     12/23/2004
                            12/11/1995     

        6     -17.0     2/3/1996     
        7     -15.0     1/22/2013
                             1/29/2004     

         9     -12.0     1/16/2005
                             12/24/2004

The official NWS weather observer at Embarrass, MN (northern Saint Louis County) has been taking daily weather observations since 1994.

Top Coldest January
 (Average Temperature):

  • Rank  Value  Year
        1    -3.0    2005     
        2    -1.1    2011     
        3     3.4    2007    
        4     3.6    2010     
        5    11.7    2012

 

 
Below are listings of observed temperatures and wind chills values across the Northland this January.  
Note: These values are not necessarily the lowest values for the date.
 

January 1st, 2014

 January 5th, 2014

 January 6, 2014

 

 

Take a look back at the prolonged period of cold in the Northland December 2013