National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Warnings for the North Carolina Outer Banks; Heat Building in the West

Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions are expected in the Outer Banks beginning late Wednesday. Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Warnings are in effect. Tropical storm conditions are possible along the eastern shore of Virginia Thursday. Hurricane Erin will continue to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along much of the east coast of the U.S. this week. Read More >

Two decades ago from January 30th to February 4th, 1996, record breaking cold temperatures hit the Northland. Numerous cold records fell, including the all time state record lows for Minnesota and Wisconsin. The temperature at the town of Tower, MN plummeted to -60 °F on the morning of February 2nd. This broke the previous Minnesota record low of -59 °F set on February 9th, 1899 at Leech Lake Dam. On February 4th the town of Couderay, WI saw the temperature plunge to -55 °F. This broke previously existing all time Wisconsin record low of -54 °F set on January 24th, 1922 at Danbury.

It was a a frigid stretch of days across the entire Northland as an arctic high pressure system pulled extremely cold air into the region. However, less than a week later temperatures warmed into the mid to upper 40s above zero, a temperature change of over 80 degrees in some locations.