Ohio is bracing for severe cold, sub-zero wind chills and heavy snowfall as the massive winter storm Fern (as named by The Weather Channel) sweeps across the state. Low temperatures could reach single digits by the evening of Friday, Jan. 23, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
The National Weather Service says temperatures will plunge across Ohio this weekend, but will Fern set records as the temperatures drop? Here’s a look at the coldest temperature Ohio has ever seen.
What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Ohio?
Ohio’s coldest recorded temperature was 39 degrees below zero in Milligan, Ohio, according to NOAA’s State Climate Extremes Committee. This minus 39 temperature remains the coldest day ever officially recorded in the state.
Nationally, the low temperature record goes to Prospect Creek Camp in Alaska, where on January 23, 1971, temperatures reached negative 80 degrees.
When was Ohio’s coldest day on record?
The minimum temperature was recorded on Feb. 10, 1899, in Milligan.
Only six other states have low temperature records dating back to the 1800s.
Where was Ohio’s coldest temperature recorded?
Milligan, once known as “Ohio’s Icebox,” holds the state’s cold‑temperature record. The Historical Marker Database notes that Milligan no longer appears on maps and is now part of McLuney, about an hour southeast of Columbus in Perry County.
Why was Milligan colder than anywhere else in Ohio?
According to a historical plaque, “Milligan’s location in the flat valley of the Moxahala Creek made it susceptible to cold air masses drained from the surrounding elevations.” The area was under a severe cold spell from Feb. 8 to Feb. 15, 1899, giving way to the state’s coldest temperature on Feb. 10 of that year.
What’s the most amount of snow ever recorded in Ohio?
Chardon, Ohio, holds the state record for most snowfall in a single season with 161.5 inches (more than 13 feet) during the winter of 1959–60, according to the Mansfield News Journal. The same city also recorded 69.5 inches of snow from one storm in 1996, the most from any single event in Ohio.
How to prepare for winter storms, severe cold
The National Weather Service says that preparation is key when expecting a winter storm. This includes having emergency supplies such as a safety kit and non-perishable foods ready ahead of time in case of a power outage and monitoring your local weather forecast.
Track winter storm Fern with radar over Cincinnati, Columbus, Northern Kentucky
Akron, Canton, Cleveland live radar
Radar imaging courtesy of the National Weather Service.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is this Ohio’s coldest weather ever? Not even close. See low-temp records
Reporting by Alex Perry, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
