Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018

Name: Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018
Start: 2017-12-23
End: 2018-01-08
Location: United States, Mexico

Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018: 8,263 records at 2,186 stations, peak on 2 January 2018. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-17. Last revised 17 October 2026 (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018 set or tied 8,263 station records at 2,186 stations.
It ran from 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018 (17 days) and its peak day was 2 January 2018.
Status: closed.
Alexandria set an all-time record low maximum temperature of -30.0 C (-22.0 F) on 1 January 2018.
The busiest day was 2 January 2018 with 1,511 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 144 years.

Footprint

23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018

The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018 is outlined, with 19 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Alexandria	Record low maximum temperature	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	2018-01-01
Milesville 5 NE	Record low minimum temperature	-40.6 C (-41.1 F)	2018-01-01
Lancaster	Record low maximum temperature	-20.0 C (-4.0 F)	2017-12-29
Batavia	Record low maximum temperature	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	2018-01-06
Robinson	Record low maximum temperature	-10.6 C (12.9 F)	2017-12-27
Garnett 1 E	Record low maximum temperature	-10.6 C (12.9 F)	2017-12-27
Ann Arbor U of Mich	Record low minimum temperature	-27.2 C (-17.0 F)	2017-12-28
Stamford 1	Record low minimum temperature	-13.3 C (8.1 F)	2018-01-02
Beaver Is	Record low minimum temperature	-27.2 C (-17.0 F)	2018-01-06
Monroe City	Record low maximum temperature	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	2017-12-27
Murdo	Record low maximum temperature	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	2017-12-27
Logansport Cicott St	Record low maximum temperature	-13.3 C (8.1 F)	2017-12-28
Marshall	Record low maximum temperature	-28.3 C (-18.9 F)	2017-12-31
Pocahontas	Record low maximum temperature	-24.4 C (-11.9 F)	2018-01-01
Streator 2SE	Record low maximum temperature	-18.9 C (-2.0 F)	2018-01-02
Petoskey	Record low minimum temperature	-27.2 C (-17.0 F)	2018-01-06
Casey	Record low minimum temperature	-22.2 C (-8.0 F)	2018-01-01
Tuscola	Record low maximum temperature	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	2018-01-01
Sanborn	Record low maximum temperature	-25.6 C (-14.1 F)	2018-01-01

Records per Day

Peak day 1,511

Records set or tied each day from 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018. The most in one day was 1,511 on 2 January 2018.

Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018
Date	Records
2017-12-23	3
2017-12-24	35
2017-12-25	39
2017-12-26	190
2017-12-27	842
2017-12-28	802
2017-12-29	452
2017-12-30	189
2017-12-31	483
2018-01-01	1,437
2018-01-02	1,511
2018-01-03	614
2018-01-04	203
2018-01-05	282
2018-01-06	523
2018-01-07	540
2018-01-08	118

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018 ranked by margin
Murdo, 12-27	8.9 C (16.0 F)
Lancaster, 12-29	7.8 C (14.0 F)
Garnett 1 E, 12-27	7.8 C (14.0 F)
Robinson, 12-27	7.3 C (13.1 F)
Streator 2SE, 01-02	7.2 C (13.0 F)
Monroe City, 12-27	6.7 C (12.1 F)
Logansport Cicott St, 01-02	6.7 C (12.1 F)
Beaver Is, 01-06	6.6 C (11.9 F)
Petoskey, 01-06	6.6 C (11.9 F)
Casey, 01-01	6.6 C (11.9 F)
Tuscola, 01-01	6.2 C (11.2 F)
Logansport Cicott St, 12-28	6.1 C (11.0 F)
Stamford 1, 01-02	5.5 C (9.9 F)
Milesville 5 NE, 01-01	1.2 C (2.2 F)
Sanborn, 01-01	1.2 C (2.2 F)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

500 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.

Margin against age of the broken record in Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
1.1	118
1.2	100
7.8	122
0.6	83
7.3	117
7.8	106
1.1	125
6.6	106
5.5	106
7.2	99
6.1	122
0.5	108
6.6	121
0.5	74
6.7	115
8.9	100
6.6	116
6.2	116
6.7	116
1.2	93
4.5	106
6.6	99
5.0	130
5.6	114
6.2	99
5.5	117
6.1	140
5.5	142
6.1	140
5.5	108
5.5	100
6.6	118
6.6	106
1.1	91
4.5	107
5.0	106
5.0	102
5.5	122
5.0	108
4.4	100
5.0	122
5.0	99
6.1	94
5.0	117
5.6	94
5.6	116
5.0	122
5.0	118
5.6	114
5.0	122
5.0	117
5.5	106
6.1	94
3.9	106
5.0	117
5.0	112
4.5	106
5.0	106
4.4	100
0.6	93
5.0	98
5.0	122
5.0	106
4.4	117
4.4	116
4.4	122
6.7	90
6.7	90
6.1	90
5.0	106
6.7	92
3.9	118
3.4	107
4.4	122
5.0	112
5.0	102
5.0	100
3.9	100
7.2	90
4.5	121
3.8	108
3.4	121
3.8	100
3.9	100
3.8	100
4.4	100
3.9	122
3.9	106
6.1	90
3.9	124
3.8	106
3.3	119
4.4	98
3.4	118
5.6	90
3.4	118
3.4	117
3.9	116
3.4	115
3.9	106
4.4	106
5.6	94
4.4	96
5.0	99
4.4	100
3.3	119
2.8	106
2.7	121
3.3	112
4.4	100
5.6	94
3.9	96
3.8	96
3.3	122
3.4	112
6.1	94
2.8	100
3.9	106
3.4	106
3.9	100
3.4	106
3.3	122
3.9	98
3.3	117
3.3	117
6.6	94
5.6	90
3.4	114
3.4	117
3.3	114
5.0	96
3.3	124
4.3	132
5.4	92
2.8	112
3.9	99
6.6	88
3.3	98
2.8	118
2.8	112
2.8	144
2.8	122
5.0	90
3.4	114
4.4	92
3.3	122
3.3	118
3.3	106
2.8	115
2.8	100
2.2	114
2.7	106
2.2	100
2.3	100
2.2	100
2.8	122
3.4	106
2.8	118
2.3	118
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.2	100
3.3	99
2.3	116
2.8	119
2.8	106
3.4	98
4.5	99
5.0	90
2.8	100
2.3	121
3.4	100
3.9	106
0.5	81
5.0	94
3.3	106
7.2	84
2.8	121
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.7	100
9.4	72
1.0	55
3.2	94
2.2	114
4.5	90
2.2	114
4.4	90
2.2	114
2.2	140
2.2	116
2.2	112
2.3	117
2.3	124
2.2	112
2.7	106
3.4	96
2.3	100

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018 compared with similar events
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 6 February to 5 March 2021	12,118 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 13 October to 5 November 2020	9,841 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018 (this event)	8,263 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 3 to 23 January 2024	7,675 records
Cold outbreak in United States, 15 January to 10 February 2026	5,568 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 13 February to 2 March 2022	5,063 records

Every Record Set

20 of 8,263

Every record set or tied during Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2017-12-27	Robinson	Record low maximum temperature	-10.6 C (12.9 F)	7.3 C (13.1 F)	117	52 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-27	Garnett 1 E	Record low maximum temperature	-10.6 C (12.9 F)	7.8 C (14.0 F)	106	51 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-27	Monroe City	Record low maximum temperature	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	6.7 C (12.1 F)	115	50 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-27	Murdo	Record low maximum temperature	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	8.9 C (16.0 F)	100	50 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-28	Ann Arbor U of Mich	Record low minimum temperature	-27.2 C (-17.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	125	51 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-28	Logansport Cicott St	Record low maximum temperature	-13.3 C (8.1 F)	6.1 C (11.0 F)	122	50 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-29	Lancaster	Record low maximum temperature	-20.0 C (-4.0 F)	7.8 C (14.0 F)	122	54 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-31	Marshall	Record low maximum temperature	-28.3 C (-18.9 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	74	50 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-01	Alexandria	Record low maximum temperature	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	118	61 of 100 (Major)
2018-01-01	Milesville 5 NE	Record low minimum temperature	-40.6 C (-41.1 F)	1.2 C (2.2 F)	100	61 of 100 (Major)
2018-01-01	Pocahontas	Record low maximum temperature	-24.4 C (-11.9 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	108	50 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-01	Casey	Record low minimum temperature	-22.2 C (-8.0 F)	6.6 C (11.9 F)	116	49 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-01	Tuscola	Record low maximum temperature	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	6.2 C (11.2 F)	116	49 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-01	Sanborn	Record low maximum temperature	-25.6 C (-14.1 F)	1.2 C (2.2 F)	93	49 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-02	Stamford 1	Record low minimum temperature	-13.3 C (8.1 F)	5.5 C (9.9 F)	106	51 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-02	Streator 2SE	Record low maximum temperature	-18.9 C (-2.0 F)	7.2 C (13.0 F)	99	50 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-02	Logansport Cicott St	Record low minimum temperature	-26.7 C (-16.1 F)	6.7 C (12.1 F)	116	49 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-06	Batavia	Record low maximum temperature	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	83	53 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-06	Beaver Is	Record low minimum temperature	-27.2 C (-17.0 F)	6.6 C (11.9 F)	106	51 of 100 (Notable)
2018-01-06	Petoskey	Record low minimum temperature	-27.2 C (-17.0 F)	6.6 C (11.9 F)	121	50 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 8,263 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Related Headlines

Third party news, headline and link only

Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
1.1	118
1.2	100
7.8	122
0.6	83
7.3	117
7.8	106
1.1	125
6.6	106
5.5	106
7.2	99
6.1	122
0.5	108
6.6	121
0.5	74
6.7	115
8.9	100
6.6	116
6.2	116
6.7	116
1.2	93
4.5	106
6.6	99
5.0	130
5.6	114
6.2	99
5.5	117
6.1	140
5.5	142
6.1	140
5.5	108
5.5	100
6.6	118
6.6	106
1.1	91
4.5	107
5.0	106
5.0	102
5.5	122
5.0	108
4.4	100
5.0	122
5.0	99
6.1	94
5.0	117
5.6	94
5.6	116
5.0	122
5.0	118
5.6	114
5.0	122
5.0	117
5.5	106
6.1	94
3.9	106
5.0	117
5.0	112
4.5	106
5.0	106
4.4	100
0.6	93
5.0	98
5.0	122
5.0	106
4.4	117
4.4	116
4.4	122
6.7	90
6.7	90
6.1	90
5.0	106
6.7	92
3.9	118
3.4	107
4.4	122
5.0	112
5.0	102
5.0	100
3.9	100
7.2	90
4.5	121
3.8	108
3.4	121
3.8	100
3.9	100
3.8	100
4.4	100
3.9	122
3.9	106
6.1	90
3.9	124
3.8	106
3.3	119
4.4	98
3.4	118
5.6	90
3.4	118
3.4	117
3.9	116
3.4	115
3.9	106
4.4	106
5.6	94
4.4	96
5.0	99
4.4	100
3.3	119
2.8	106
2.7	121
3.3	112
4.4	100
5.6	94
3.9	96
3.8	96
3.3	122
3.4	112
6.1	94
2.8	100
3.9	106
3.4	106
3.9	100
3.4	106
3.3	122
3.9	98
3.3	117
3.3	117
6.6	94
5.6	90
3.4	114
3.4	117
3.3	114
5.0	96
3.3	124
4.3	132
5.4	92
2.8	112
3.9	99
6.6	88
3.3	98
2.8	118
2.8	112
2.8	144
2.8	122
5.0	90
3.4	114
4.4	92
3.3	122
3.3	118
3.3	106
2.8	115
2.8	100
2.2	114
2.7	106
2.2	100
2.3	100
2.2	100
2.8	122
3.4	106
2.8	118
2.3	118
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.2	100
3.3	99
2.3	116
2.8	119
2.8	106
3.4	98
4.5	99
5.0	90
2.8	100
2.3	121
3.4	100
3.9	106
0.5	81
5.0	94
3.3	106
7.2	84
2.8	121
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.7	100
9.4	72
1.0	55
3.2	94
2.2	114
4.5	90
2.2	114
4.4	90
2.2	114
2.2	140
2.2	116
2.2	112
2.3	117
2.3	124
2.2	112
2.7	106
3.4	96
2.3	100

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
1.1	118
1.2	100
7.8	122
0.6	83
7.3	117
7.8	106
1.1	125
6.6	106
5.5	106
7.2	99
6.1	122
0.5	108
6.6	121
0.5	74
6.7	115
8.9	100
6.6	116
6.2	116
6.7	116
1.2	93
4.5	106
6.6	99
5.0	130
5.6	114
6.2	99
5.5	117
6.1	140
5.5	142
6.1	140
5.5	108
5.5	100
6.6	118
6.6	106
1.1	91
4.5	107
5.0	106
5.0	102
5.5	122
5.0	108
4.4	100
5.0	122
5.0	99
6.1	94
5.0	117
5.6	94
5.6	116
5.0	122
5.0	118
5.6	114
5.0	122
5.0	117
5.5	106
6.1	94
3.9	106
5.0	117
5.0	112
4.5	106
5.0	106
4.4	100
0.6	93
5.0	98
5.0	122
5.0	106
4.4	117
4.4	116
4.4	122
6.7	90
6.7	90
6.1	90
5.0	106
6.7	92
3.9	118
3.4	107
4.4	122
5.0	112
5.0	102
5.0	100
3.9	100
7.2	90
4.5	121
3.8	108
3.4	121
3.8	100
3.9	100
3.8	100
4.4	100
3.9	122
3.9	106
6.1	90
3.9	124
3.8	106
3.3	119
4.4	98
3.4	118
5.6	90
3.4	118
3.4	117
3.9	116
3.4	115
3.9	106
4.4	106
5.6	94
4.4	96
5.0	99
4.4	100
3.3	119
2.8	106
2.7	121
3.3	112
4.4	100
5.6	94
3.9	96
3.8	96
3.3	122
3.4	112
6.1	94
2.8	100
3.9	106
3.4	106
3.9	100
3.4	106
3.3	122
3.9	98
3.3	117
3.3	117
6.6	94
5.6	90
3.4	114
3.4	117
3.3	114
5.0	96
3.3	124
4.3	132
5.4	92
2.8	112
3.9	99
6.6	88
3.3	98
2.8	118
2.8	112
2.8	144
2.8	122
5.0	90
3.4	114
4.4	92
3.3	122
3.3	118
3.3	106
2.8	115
2.8	100
2.2	114
2.7	106
2.2	100
2.3	100
2.2	100
2.8	122
3.4	106
2.8	118
2.3	118
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.2	100
3.3	99
2.3	116
2.8	119
2.8	106
3.4	98
4.5	99
5.0	90
2.8	100
2.3	121
3.4	100
3.9	106
0.5	81
5.0	94
3.3	106
7.2	84
2.8	121
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.7	100
9.4	72
1.0	55
3.2	94
2.2	114
4.5	90
2.2	114
4.4	90
2.2	114
2.2	140
2.2	116
2.2	112
2.3	117
2.3	124
2.2	112
2.7	106
3.4	96
2.3	100

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
1.1	118
1.2	100
7.8	122
0.6	83
7.3	117
7.8	106
1.1	125
6.6	106
5.5	106
7.2	99
6.1	122
0.5	108
6.6	121
0.5	74
6.7	115
8.9	100
6.6	116
6.2	116
6.7	116
1.2	93
4.5	106
6.6	99
5.0	130
5.6	114
6.2	99
5.5	117
6.1	140
5.5	142
6.1	140
5.5	108
5.5	100
6.6	118
6.6	106
1.1	91
4.5	107
5.0	106
5.0	102
5.5	122
5.0	108
4.4	100
5.0	122
5.0	99
6.1	94
5.0	117
5.6	94
5.6	116
5.0	122
5.0	118
5.6	114
5.0	122
5.0	117
5.5	106
6.1	94
3.9	106
5.0	117
5.0	112
4.5	106
5.0	106
4.4	100
0.6	93
5.0	98
5.0	122
5.0	106
4.4	117
4.4	116
4.4	122
6.7	90
6.7	90
6.1	90
5.0	106
6.7	92
3.9	118
3.4	107
4.4	122
5.0	112
5.0	102
5.0	100
3.9	100
7.2	90
4.5	121
3.8	108
3.4	121
3.8	100
3.9	100
3.8	100
4.4	100
3.9	122
3.9	106
6.1	90
3.9	124
3.8	106
3.3	119
4.4	98
3.4	118
5.6	90
3.4	118
3.4	117
3.9	116
3.4	115
3.9	106
4.4	106
5.6	94
4.4	96
5.0	99
4.4	100
3.3	119
2.8	106
2.7	121
3.3	112
4.4	100
5.6	94
3.9	96
3.8	96
3.3	122
3.4	112
6.1	94
2.8	100
3.9	106
3.4	106
3.9	100
3.4	106
3.3	122
3.9	98
3.3	117
3.3	117
6.6	94
5.6	90
3.4	114
3.4	117
3.3	114
5.0	96
3.3	124
4.3	132
5.4	92
2.8	112
3.9	99
6.6	88
3.3	98
2.8	118
2.8	112
2.8	144
2.8	122
5.0	90
3.4	114
4.4	92
3.3	122
3.3	118
3.3	106
2.8	115
2.8	100
2.2	114
2.7	106
2.2	100
2.3	100
2.2	100
2.8	122
3.4	106
2.8	118
2.3	118
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.2	100
3.3	99
2.3	116
2.8	119
2.8	106
3.4	98
4.5	99
5.0	90
2.8	100
2.3	121
3.4	100
3.9	106
0.5	81
5.0	94
3.3	106
7.2	84
2.8	121
2.8	118
2.8	106
2.8	106
2.7	100
9.4	72
1.0	55
3.2	94
2.2	114
4.5	90
2.2	114
4.4	90
2.2	114
2.2	140
2.2	116
2.2	112
2.3	117
2.3	124
2.2	112
2.7	106
3.4	96
2.3	100