State-by-State Cold Records: Lowest Temperatures Ever Recorded in Every U.S. State

Overview: This article lists the coldest verified temperature recorded in each U.S. state, compiled from NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee. Alaska holds the national low at -80°F (Prospect Creek Camp, Jan 23, 1971), while Hawaii remains the only state that has never recorded a subzero Fahrenheit temperature, with a low of 12°F at the Mauna Kea Observatory (May 17, 1979). Although global average temperatures are rising, powerful Arctic outbreaks continue to produce extreme local lows.

Alabama: -27°F at New Market, Jan 30, 1966. The reading, taken by local postmaster and volunteer observer Lucille Hereford, was later corrected in official records.

Alaska: -80°F at Prospect Creek Camp, Jan 23, 1971. This verified reading is the lowest temperature ever recorded in the United States.

Arizona: -40°F at Hawley Lake, Jan 7, 1971. The remote Hawley Lake station logged this state low during an intense cold event.

Arkansas: -29°F at Brook Farm Pond near Gravette, Feb 13, 1905.

California: -45°F in Boca, Jan 20, 1937. The deep freeze caused widespread disruptions at the time.

Colorado: -61°F in Maybell, Feb 1, 1985.

Connecticut: -32°F (recorded twice) — Falls Village, Feb 16, 1943, and Coventry, Jan 22, 1961.

Delaware: -17°F in Millsboro, Jan 17, 1893.

Florida: -2°F in Tallahassee, Feb 13, 1899 — part of the widely reported Great Blizzard of 1899.

Georgia: -17°F at CCC Fire Camp F-16 near Beatum, Jan 27, 1940.

Hawaii: 12°F at Mauna Kea Observatory, May 17, 1979. Some sensor reports suggested lower readings in 2019 but they remain unverified.

Idaho: -60°F at Island Park Dam, Jan 18, 1943.

Illinois: -38°F in Mount Carroll, Jan 31, 2019. This recent reading was validated after review by the state committee.

Indiana: -36°F in New Whiteland, Jan 19, 1994.

Iowa: -47°F in Elkader, Feb 3, 1996 (previous record from Washta, 1912).

Kansas: -40°F in Lebanon, Feb 13, 1905.

Kentucky: -37°F in Shelbyville, Jan 19, 1994.

Louisiana: -16°F in Minden, Feb 13, 1899 — part of the major Arctic outbreak of that year.

Maine: -50°F in Big Black River, Jan 16, 2009. The reading was confirmed after careful review.

Maryland: -40°F in Oakland, Jan 13, 1912.

Massachusetts: -35°F (three occurrences): Chester, Jan 12, 1981; Coldbrook, Feb 15, 1943; Taunton, Jan 5, 1904.

Michigan: -51°F in Vanderbilt, Feb 9, 1934.

Minnesota: -60°F in Tower, Feb 2, 1996.

Mississippi: -19°F in Corinth, Jan 30, 1966.

Missouri: -40°F in Warsaw, Feb 13, 1905.

Montana: -70°F in Rogers Pass, Jan 20, 1954 — one of the coldest days recorded in the contiguous U.S.

Nebraska: -47°F in Oshkosh, Dec 22, 1989.

Nevada: -50°F in San Jacinto, Jan 8, 1937.

New Hampshire: -50°F on Mount Washington, Jan 22, 1885. Mount Washington has also produced extreme wind-chill records.

New Jersey: -34°F in River Vale, Jan 5, 1904. Local terrain and fresh snow amplified radiational cooling.

New Mexico: -50°F in Gavilan, Feb 1, 1951.

New York: -52°F in Old Forge, Feb 18, 1979.

North Carolina: -34°F on Mount Mitchell, Jan 21, 1985. A severe Arctic outbreak from Jan 18–22, 1985 affected much of the region.

North Dakota: -60°F in Parshall, Feb 15, 1936.

Ohio: -39°F in Milligan, Feb 10, 1899.

Oklahoma: -31°F in Nowata, Feb 10, 2011.

Oregon: -54°F in Ukiah (Feb 9, 1933) and Seneca (Feb 10, 1933). Some unverified local reports claim lower lows but have not been confirmed.

Pennsylvania: -42°F in Smethport, Jan 5, 1904.

Rhode Island: -28°F in Wood River Junction, Jan 11, 1942. A reported -25°F reading from 1996 could not be validated.

South Carolina: -19°F at Caesar's Head, Jan 21, 1985.

South Dakota: -58°F in McIntosh, Feb 17, 1936.

Tennessee: -32°F in Mountain City, Dec 30, 1917.

Texas: -23°F in Seminole, Feb 8, 1933 (also recorded at Tulia 6NE on Feb 12, 1899). Unofficial 1899 reports claim even lower temperatures in some locations.

Utah: -50°F at Strawberry Tunnel (East), Jan 5, 1913.

Vermont: -50°F in Bloomfield, Dec 30, 1933.

Virginia: -30°F at Mountain Lake Biological Station, Jan 21, 1985. The site lies in the Allegheny Mountains.

Washington: -48°F in Mazama and Winthrop, Dec 30, 1968.

West Virginia: -37°F in Lewisburg, Dec 30, 1917.

Wisconsin: -55°F in Couderay, Feb 4, 1996. That reading ranks among the coldest in the nation.

Wyoming: -66°F at Riverside Ranger Station in Yellowstone National Park, Feb 9, 1933. Yellowstone's high elevation contributes to its highly variable weather.

Data source: NOAA State Climate Extremes Committee. Contributor: Melissa Wells. Correction note: an earlier version of this story included a misidentified photo of Minden, Louisiana; the image has been corrected.