Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020

Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020: 315 records at 220 stations, peak on 15 January 2020. Closed.

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

Key Facts

  • Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 set or tied 315 station records at 220 stations.
  • It ran from 7 January 2020 to 20 January 2020 (14 days) and its peak day was 15 January 2020.
  • Status: closed.
  • Ft Ross set a daily record low minimum temperature of -1.7 C (28.9 F) on 10 January 2020.
  • The busiest day was 15 January 2020 with 85 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 121 years.

Footprint

7 to 20 January 2020
Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 is outlined, with 16 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 is outlined, with 16 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
Ft RossRecord low minimum temperature-1.7 C (28.9 F)2020-01-10
Stehekin 4 NWRecord low maximum temperature-8.9 C (16.0 F)2020-01-15
CalistogaRecord low maximum temperature7.8 C (46.0 F)2020-01-16
E GlacierRecord low maximum temperature-25.6 C (-14.1 F)2020-01-15
NewhalemRecord low maximum temperature-9.4 C (15.1 F)2020-01-15
Bellingham Intl APRecord low maximum temperature-4.9 C (23.2 F)2020-01-13
ShelbyRecord low maximum temperature-22.8 C (-9.0 F)2020-01-14
Ross DamRecord low maximum temperature-11.1 C (12.0 F)2020-01-15
NewarkRecord low maximum temperature7.8 C (46.0 F)2020-01-20
Opheim 10 NRecord low maximum temperature-26.1 C (-15.0 F)2020-01-15
Old FaithfulRecord low minimum temperature-33.9 C (-29.0 F)2020-01-10
Manzanita LakeRecord low maximum temperature-1.7 C (28.9 F)2020-01-18
HarlowtonRecord low maximum temperature-18.3 C (-0.9 F)2020-01-15
ZortmanRecord low maximum temperature-23.9 C (-11.0 F)2020-01-15
CloverdaleRecord low maximum temperature8.9 C (48.0 F)2020-01-16
AuburnRecord low maximum temperature5.0 C (41.0 F)2020-01-17

Records per Day

Peak day 85
Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 Records set or tied each day from 7 January 2020 to 20 January 2020. The most in one day was 85 on 15 January 2020. 0 25 50 75 100 01-0701-0901-1101-1301-1501-1701-19
Records set or tied each day from 7 January 2020 to 20 January 2020. The most in one day was 85 on 15 January 2020.
Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020
DateRecords
2020-01-071
2020-01-081
2020-01-098
2020-01-1037
2020-01-1117
2020-01-123
2020-01-1328
2020-01-1463
2020-01-1585
2020-01-1637
2020-01-1730
2020-01-183
2020-01-191
2020-01-201

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 ranked by margin
E Glacier, 01-1511.7 C (21.1 F)
Zortman, 01-158.3 C (14.9 F)
Old Faithful, 01-107.8 C (14.0 F)
Newhalem, 01-157.2 C (13.0 F)
Ross Dam, 01-156.7 C (12.1 F)
Opheim 10 N, 01-155.0 C (9.0 F)
Newhalem, 01-152.8 C (5.0 F)
Bellingham Intl AP, 01-132.7 C (4.9 F)
Shelby, 01-142.2 C (4.0 F)
Ross Dam, 01-152.2 C (4.0 F)
Ft Ross, 01-101.7 C (3.1 F)
Ft Ross, 01-151.6 C (2.9 F)
Harlowton, 01-151.6 C (2.9 F)
Calistoga, 01-161.1 C (2.0 F)
Newark, 01-201.1 C (2.0 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

Margin against age of the broken record in Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 315 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. 0 38 75 113 150 0.03.06.09.012.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
315 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, 7 to 20 January 2020
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
1.7121
1.6112
0.6112
1.186
11.736
7.214
1.164
2.266
6.714
2.756
1.160
5.057
2.848
0.664
7.826
0.560
1.662
8.342
2.248
0.642
2.245
0.642
0.542
1.740
4.734
0.644
10.06
5.514
3.914
4.48
9.414
1.642
0.532
3.940
8.914
6.014
2.237
2.837
1.640
1.641
0.640
4.432
7.122
5.021
5.312
1.142
4.414
3.414
6.132
6.914
7.114
4.814
0.642
0.537
1.126
4.514
1.128
1.132
7.214
4.414
1.614
0.637
0.614
1.721
3.913
3.322
2.226
4.512
1.532
4.414
1.832
1.714
0.512
0.526
2.229
1.729
1.728
2.824
1.729
5.014
2.825
1.829
1.132
1.632
2.221
1.526
1.130
1.132
2.321
2.220
0.830
1.630
0.630
0.629
2.214
1.126
0.730
0.830
1.128
0.630
1.626
0.530
1.032
2.818
1.132
2.714
2.814
1.426
3.816
4.214
5.02
2.414
2.618
0.930
1.114
0.528
2.214
0.629
0.526
3.48
0.132
1.128
1.124
0.530
1.124
1.124
0.626
0.132
1.625
0.432
0.132
2.214
0.132
3.412
2.418
1.922
2.222
0.430
0.430
1.026
2.88
1.521
3.82
3.212
0.326
2.76
3.914
1.112
1.612
0.126
0.529
2.88
1.717
1.220
2.38
0.624
3.38
2.214
1.522
3.74
0.426
1.417
0.226
2.712
2.88
3.48
0.328
3.28
1.714
0.524
0.126
1.518
0.514
2.814
0.622
0.514
0.622
0.622
1.118
3.90
0.524
2.88
2.86
3.314
2.214
1.118
0.620
0.622
0.124
1.318
1.614
2.512
2.58
0.722
0.522
2.110
0.922
1.122
0.124
0.224

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 compared with similar events
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 6 February to 5 March 202112,118 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 13 October to 5 November 20209,841 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 20188,263 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 3 to 23 January 20247,675 records
Cold outbreak in United States, 15 January to 10 February 20265,568 records
Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020 (this event)315 records

Every Record Set

20 of 315
Every record set or tied during Cold outbreak in United States, 7 to 20 January 2020, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2020-01-10Ft RossRecord low minimum temperature-1.7 C (28.9 F)1.7 C (3.1 F)12145 of 100 (Notable)
2020-01-10Old FaithfulRecord low minimum temperature-33.9 C (-29.0 F)7.8 C (14.0 F)2627 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-13Bellingham Intl APRecord low maximum temperature-4.9 C (23.2 F)2.7 C (4.9 F)5629 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-14ShelbyRecord low maximum temperature-22.8 C (-9.0 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)6629 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15Ft RossRecord low minimum temperature-2.2 C (28.0 F)1.6 C (2.9 F)11245 of 100 (Notable)
2020-01-15Stehekin 4 NWRecord low maximum temperature-8.9 C (16.0 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)11241 of 100 (Notable)
2020-01-15E GlacierRecord low maximum temperature-25.6 C (-14.1 F)11.7 C (21.1 F)3632 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15NewhalemRecord low maximum temperature-9.4 C (15.1 F)7.2 C (13.0 F)1431 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15Ross DamRecord low maximum temperature-11.1 C (12.0 F)6.7 C (12.1 F)1429 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15Opheim 10 NRecord low maximum temperature-26.1 C (-15.0 F)5.0 C (9.0 F)5728 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15NewhalemRecord low minimum temperature-11.1 C (12.0 F)2.8 C (5.0 F)4828 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15HarlowtonRecord low maximum temperature-18.3 C (-0.9 F)1.6 C (2.9 F)6226 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15ZortmanRecord low maximum temperature-23.9 C (-11.0 F)8.3 C (14.9 F)4226 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-15Ross DamRecord low minimum temperature-12.8 C (9.0 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)4825 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-16CalistogaRecord low maximum temperature7.8 C (46.0 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)8638 of 100 (Notable)
2020-01-16CloverdaleRecord low maximum temperature8.9 C (48.0 F)0.5 C (0.9 F)6026 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-17NewarkRecord low maximum temperature8.3 C (46.9 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)6028 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-17AuburnRecord low maximum temperature5.0 C (41.0 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)4223 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-18Manzanita LakeRecord low maximum temperature-1.7 C (28.9 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)6427 of 100 (Routine)
2020-01-20NewarkRecord low maximum temperature7.8 C (46.0 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)6429 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 315 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

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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.