Milwaukee is bracing for an intensely cold weekend, with the National Weather Service warning of potential wind chills dipping to around minus 40 degrees. While these temperatures are alarming and dangerous, they will not break the record for the coldest day in Wisconsin’s history.
The record for the lowest temperature in the state remains at minus 55 degrees, recorded in Couderay on February 4, 1996. Situated in Sawyer County near the northwestern part of Wisconsin, Couderay’s record has stood for decades, highlighting the extreme cold that can occasionally grip the region.
Though February typically claims the title for Wisconsin’s coldest temperatures, January often sees some of Milwaukee’s harshest weather. The city experienced a brutal winter in January 2014, characterized by 28 consecutive days of subzero temperatures. The coldest day that year recorded a chilling 14 below zero on January 7. Additionally, Milwaukee encountered another severe January in 2019, where temperatures plummeted to 23 below on January 31.
Milwaukee’s all-time coldest day occurred more than four decades ago, on January 10, 1982, when the temperature hit minus 25, tying for the city’s coldest temperature ever.
As residents prepare to face this upcoming frigid weekend, the historical context of Wisconsin’s cold extremes serves as a reminder of the region’s capacity for serious winter weather. Despite the challenges posed by harsh temperatures, communities often come together, demonstrating resilience and preparedness in the face of winter’s grip.