Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020

Name: Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020
Start: 2020-08-26
End: 2020-09-05
Location: United States

Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020: 266 records at 227 stations, peak on 31 August 2020. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-18. Last revised 18 October 2026 (2026-10-18).

Key Facts

Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020 set or tied 266 station records at 227 stations.
It ran from 26 August 2020 to 5 September 2020 (11 days) and its peak day was 31 August 2020.
Status: closed.
Ft Ross set a daily record low minimum temperature of -0.6 C (30.9 F) on 27 August 2020.
The busiest day was 31 August 2020 with 147 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 117 years.

Footprint

26 August to 5 September 2020

The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020 is outlined, with 18 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Ft Ross	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	2020-08-27
Tombstone	Record low maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	2020-09-01
Tribune 1W	Record low maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	2020-08-30
Springview 2NW	Record low minimum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	2020-08-30
Gunnison 3SW	Record low maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	2020-08-29
Ashton 1N	Record low maximum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	2020-08-31
Harrison	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	2020-08-31
Eureka WFO Woodley Is	Record low minimum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	2020-08-30
Dubois Exp STN	Record low minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	2020-09-01
Riverton	Record low maximum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	2020-09-01
Saint Anthony	Record low maximum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	2020-08-31
Rapid City Rgnl AP	Record low minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	2020-08-31
Minatare Dam (Usbr)	Record low minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	2020-08-31
Lander AP	Record low maximum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	2020-08-31
Altamont	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	2020-09-01
Lamar Rs	Record low maximum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	2020-09-01
Pendleton Branch Exp STN	Record low minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	2020-08-30
Thermopolis	Record low maximum temperature	17.2 C (63.0 F)	2020-08-31

Records per Day

Peak day 147

Records set or tied each day from 26 August 2020 to 5 September 2020. The most in one day was 147 on 31 August 2020.

Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020
Date	Records
2020-08-26	1
2020-08-27	1
2020-08-28	2
2020-08-29	14
2020-08-30	19
2020-08-31	147
2020-09-01	68
2020-09-02	9
2020-09-03	2
2020-09-04	2
2020-09-05	1

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020 ranked by margin
Ft Ross, 08-27	6.2 C (11.2 F)
Lamar Rs, 09-01	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Lander AP, 08-31	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Riverton, 09-01	4.4 C (7.9 F)
Ashton 1N, 08-31	3.9 C (7.0 F)
Altamont, 09-01	3.4 C (6.1 F)
Harrison, 08-31	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Ft Ross, 09-05	2.7 C (4.9 F)
Pendleton Branch Exp STN, 08-30	2.7 C (4.9 F)
Tombstone, 09-01	2.3 C (4.1 F)
Ft Ross, 09-02	2.2 C (4.0 F)
Tribune 1W, 08-30	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Eureka WFO Woodley Is, 08-30	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Springview 2NW, 08-30	0.6 C (1.1 F)
Saint Anthony, 08-31	0.6 C (1.1 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

266 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, 26 August to 5 September 2020
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
6.2	34
2.3	113
1.1	105
0.6	117
0.5	93
3.9	63
2.8	68
0.5	90
4.4	68
1.1	74
2.7	50
0.6	52
2.2	50
0.5	54
0.6	76
3.4	58
5.0	47
5.0	40
2.7	55
0.6	68
0.6	76
0.5	65
2.9	28
2.8	55
1.1	63
3.3	49
1.1	55
1.1	40
1.7	28
2.7	18
1.7	43
2.8	40
1.7	40
1.1	45
0.5	60
1.1	35
1.1	27
0.6	58
3.4	28
1.1	55
5.0	31
3.2	17
3.4	30
0.5	48
1.1	48
1.1	55
0.6	31
1.7	43
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.1	47
0.4	31
1.6	30
1.1	45
2.2	6
1.7	46
3.7	34
3.9	34
3.4	21
3.9	21
1.1	28
4.5	10
1.1	27
0.6	47
0.5	48
2.5	27
1.7	10
0.1	25
1.7	26
1.1	32
2.2	39
3.9	21
4.3	21
1.7	20
3.4	28
2.8	28
0.8	16
0.6	40
2.2	10
3.2	26
1.3	28
0.3	16
2.8	28
2.2	28
2.2	28
2.8	21
2.0	27
4.3	10
1.6	34
3.8	14
1.7	15
0.6	28
0.6	26
1.1	36
1.7	15
0.6	27
3.9	10
4.5	10
1.7	28
2.4	26
1.8	28
3.5	12
4.1	10
3.8	10
3.9	10
1.6	28
2.6	21
4.0	10
1.2	20
1.7	26
2.2	10
0.5	12
0.6	21
0.5	27
2.2	26
2.8	10
2.2	6
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.2	28
3.9	10
2.0	26
3.6	10
3.4	10
3.2	12
2.0	21
3.4	10
0.6	21
1.1	27
0.5	17
1.1	26
1.1	1
0.5	27
0.6	26
1.1	28
3.3	12
1.7	14
0.9	28
0.1	34
3.5	10
0.2	2
1.8	21
0.9	28
2.2	21
0.5	4
0.5	4
1.1	15
1.1	6
0.6	28
2.2	15
2.7	10
1.0	20
2.7	10
2.9	10
3.2	10
1.4	21
2.7	10
3.0	10
2.4	10
1.0	26
2.8	10
1.4	21
2.8	12
2.8	10
2.6	10
2.5	10
2.5	10
0.5	12
0.6	15
1.1	21
2.2	12
1.1	21
0.6	21
2.3	12
0.6	26
0.5	26
2.4	6
0.2	27
2.2	10
3.0	6
3.2	6
1.6	14
2.3	10
1.6	14
2.1	10
0.6	21
1.7	6
0.6	20
0.6	21
0.6	20
2.6	6
0.6	17
2.0	10
1.4	10
0.4	20
0.6	20
0.9	15
2.1	10
2.7	6
1.1	15

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020 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	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, 26 August to 5 September 2020 (this event)	266 records

Every Record Set

20 of 266

Every record set or tied during Cold outbreak in United States, 26 August to 5 September 2020, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2020-08-27	Ft Ross	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	6.2 C (11.2 F)	34	49 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-29	Gunnison 3SW	Record low maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	93	38 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-30	Tribune 1W	Record low maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	105	42 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-30	Springview 2NW	Record low minimum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	117	41 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-30	Eureka WFO Woodley Is	Record low minimum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	74	37 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-30	Pendleton Branch Exp STN	Record low minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	2.7 C (4.9 F)	55	31 of 100 (Routine)
2020-08-31	Ashton 1N	Record low maximum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	63	38 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-31	Harrison	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	68	38 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-31	Saint Anthony	Record low maximum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	52	36 of 100 (Notable)
2020-08-31	Rapid City Rgnl AP	Record low minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	54	34 of 100 (Routine)
2020-08-31	Minatare Dam (Usbr)	Record low minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	76	33 of 100 (Routine)
2020-08-31	Lander AP	Record low maximum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	40	32 of 100 (Routine)
2020-08-31	Thermopolis	Record low maximum temperature	17.2 C (63.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	68	31 of 100 (Routine)
2020-09-01	Tombstone	Record low maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	2.3 C (4.1 F)	113	47 of 100 (Notable)
2020-09-01	Dubois Exp STN	Record low minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	90	37 of 100 (Notable)
2020-09-01	Riverton	Record low maximum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	4.4 C (7.9 F)	68	37 of 100 (Notable)
2020-09-01	Altamont	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	3.4 C (6.1 F)	58	32 of 100 (Routine)
2020-09-01	Lamar Rs	Record low maximum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	47	32 of 100 (Routine)
2020-09-02	Ft Ross	Record low minimum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	50	34 of 100 (Routine)
2020-09-05	Ft Ross	Record low minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	2.7 C (4.9 F)	50	36 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 266 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 2026-10-18. 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
6.2	34
2.3	113
1.1	105
0.6	117
0.5	93
3.9	63
2.8	68
0.5	90
4.4	68
1.1	74
2.7	50
0.6	52
2.2	50
0.5	54
0.6	76
3.4	58
5.0	47
5.0	40
2.7	55
0.6	68
0.6	76
0.5	65
2.9	28
2.8	55
1.1	63
3.3	49
1.1	55
1.1	40
1.7	28
2.7	18
1.7	43
2.8	40
1.7	40
1.1	45
0.5	60
1.1	35
1.1	27
0.6	58
3.4	28
1.1	55
5.0	31
3.2	17
3.4	30
0.5	48
1.1	48
1.1	55
0.6	31
1.7	43
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.1	47
0.4	31
1.6	30
1.1	45
2.2	6
1.7	46
3.7	34
3.9	34
3.4	21
3.9	21
1.1	28
4.5	10
1.1	27
0.6	47
0.5	48
2.5	27
1.7	10
0.1	25
1.7	26
1.1	32
2.2	39
3.9	21
4.3	21
1.7	20
3.4	28
2.8	28
0.8	16
0.6	40
2.2	10
3.2	26
1.3	28
0.3	16
2.8	28
2.2	28
2.2	28
2.8	21
2.0	27
4.3	10
1.6	34
3.8	14
1.7	15
0.6	28
0.6	26
1.1	36
1.7	15
0.6	27
3.9	10
4.5	10
1.7	28
2.4	26
1.8	28
3.5	12
4.1	10
3.8	10
3.9	10
1.6	28
2.6	21
4.0	10
1.2	20
1.7	26
2.2	10
0.5	12
0.6	21
0.5	27
2.2	26
2.8	10
2.2	6
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.2	28
3.9	10
2.0	26
3.6	10
3.4	10
3.2	12
2.0	21
3.4	10
0.6	21
1.1	27
0.5	17
1.1	26
1.1	1
0.5	27
0.6	26
1.1	28
3.3	12
1.7	14
0.9	28
0.1	34
3.5	10
0.2	2
1.8	21
0.9	28
2.2	21
0.5	4
0.5	4
1.1	15
1.1	6
0.6	28
2.2	15
2.7	10
1.0	20
2.7	10
2.9	10
3.2	10
1.4	21
2.7	10
3.0	10
2.4	10
1.0	26
2.8	10
1.4	21
2.8	12
2.8	10
2.6	10
2.5	10
2.5	10
0.5	12
0.6	15
1.1	21
2.2	12
1.1	21
0.6	21
2.3	12
0.6	26
0.5	26
2.4	6
0.2	27
2.2	10
3.0	6
3.2	6
1.6	14
2.3	10
1.6	14
2.1	10
0.6	21
1.7	6
0.6	20
0.6	21
0.6	20
2.6	6
0.6	17
2.0	10
1.4	10
0.4	20
0.6	20
0.9	15
2.1	10
2.7	6
1.1	15

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
6.2	34
2.3	113
1.1	105
0.6	117
0.5	93
3.9	63
2.8	68
0.5	90
4.4	68
1.1	74
2.7	50
0.6	52
2.2	50
0.5	54
0.6	76
3.4	58
5.0	47
5.0	40
2.7	55
0.6	68
0.6	76
0.5	65
2.9	28
2.8	55
1.1	63
3.3	49
1.1	55
1.1	40
1.7	28
2.7	18
1.7	43
2.8	40
1.7	40
1.1	45
0.5	60
1.1	35
1.1	27
0.6	58
3.4	28
1.1	55
5.0	31
3.2	17
3.4	30
0.5	48
1.1	48
1.1	55
0.6	31
1.7	43
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.1	47
0.4	31
1.6	30
1.1	45
2.2	6
1.7	46
3.7	34
3.9	34
3.4	21
3.9	21
1.1	28
4.5	10
1.1	27
0.6	47
0.5	48
2.5	27
1.7	10
0.1	25
1.7	26
1.1	32
2.2	39
3.9	21
4.3	21
1.7	20
3.4	28
2.8	28
0.8	16
0.6	40
2.2	10
3.2	26
1.3	28
0.3	16
2.8	28
2.2	28
2.2	28
2.8	21
2.0	27
4.3	10
1.6	34
3.8	14
1.7	15
0.6	28
0.6	26
1.1	36
1.7	15
0.6	27
3.9	10
4.5	10
1.7	28
2.4	26
1.8	28
3.5	12
4.1	10
3.8	10
3.9	10
1.6	28
2.6	21
4.0	10
1.2	20
1.7	26
2.2	10
0.5	12
0.6	21
0.5	27
2.2	26
2.8	10
2.2	6
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.2	28
3.9	10
2.0	26
3.6	10
3.4	10
3.2	12
2.0	21
3.4	10
0.6	21
1.1	27
0.5	17
1.1	26
1.1	1
0.5	27
0.6	26
1.1	28
3.3	12
1.7	14
0.9	28
0.1	34
3.5	10
0.2	2
1.8	21
0.9	28
2.2	21
0.5	4
0.5	4
1.1	15
1.1	6
0.6	28
2.2	15
2.7	10
1.0	20
2.7	10
2.9	10
3.2	10
1.4	21
2.7	10
3.0	10
2.4	10
1.0	26
2.8	10
1.4	21
2.8	12
2.8	10
2.6	10
2.5	10
2.5	10
0.5	12
0.6	15
1.1	21
2.2	12
1.1	21
0.6	21
2.3	12
0.6	26
0.5	26
2.4	6
0.2	27
2.2	10
3.0	6
3.2	6
1.6	14
2.3	10
1.6	14
2.1	10
0.6	21
1.7	6
0.6	20
0.6	21
0.6	20
2.6	6
0.6	17
2.0	10
1.4	10
0.4	20
0.6	20
0.9	15
2.1	10
2.7	6
1.1	15

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
6.2	34
2.3	113
1.1	105
0.6	117
0.5	93
3.9	63
2.8	68
0.5	90
4.4	68
1.1	74
2.7	50
0.6	52
2.2	50
0.5	54
0.6	76
3.4	58
5.0	47
5.0	40
2.7	55
0.6	68
0.6	76
0.5	65
2.9	28
2.8	55
1.1	63
3.3	49
1.1	55
1.1	40
1.7	28
2.7	18
1.7	43
2.8	40
1.7	40
1.1	45
0.5	60
1.1	35
1.1	27
0.6	58
3.4	28
1.1	55
5.0	31
3.2	17
3.4	30
0.5	48
1.1	48
1.1	55
0.6	31
1.7	43
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.1	47
0.4	31
1.6	30
1.1	45
2.2	6
1.7	46
3.7	34
3.9	34
3.4	21
3.9	21
1.1	28
4.5	10
1.1	27
0.6	47
0.5	48
2.5	27
1.7	10
0.1	25
1.7	26
1.1	32
2.2	39
3.9	21
4.3	21
1.7	20
3.4	28
2.8	28
0.8	16
0.6	40
2.2	10
3.2	26
1.3	28
0.3	16
2.8	28
2.2	28
2.2	28
2.8	21
2.0	27
4.3	10
1.6	34
3.8	14
1.7	15
0.6	28
0.6	26
1.1	36
1.7	15
0.6	27
3.9	10
4.5	10
1.7	28
2.4	26
1.8	28
3.5	12
4.1	10
3.8	10
3.9	10
1.6	28
2.6	21
4.0	10
1.2	20
1.7	26
2.2	10
0.5	12
0.6	21
0.5	27
2.2	26
2.8	10
2.2	6
0.6	34
0.5	34
1.2	28
3.9	10
2.0	26
3.6	10
3.4	10
3.2	12
2.0	21
3.4	10
0.6	21
1.1	27
0.5	17
1.1	26
1.1	1
0.5	27
0.6	26
1.1	28
3.3	12
1.7	14
0.9	28
0.1	34
3.5	10
0.2	2
1.8	21
0.9	28
2.2	21
0.5	4
0.5	4
1.1	15
1.1	6
0.6	28
2.2	15
2.7	10
1.0	20
2.7	10
2.9	10
3.2	10
1.4	21
2.7	10
3.0	10
2.4	10
1.0	26
2.8	10
1.4	21
2.8	12
2.8	10
2.6	10
2.5	10
2.5	10
0.5	12
0.6	15
1.1	21
2.2	12
1.1	21
0.6	21
2.3	12
0.6	26
0.5	26
2.4	6
0.2	27
2.2	10
3.0	6
3.2	6
1.6	14
2.3	10
1.6	14
2.1	10
0.6	21
1.7	6
0.6	20
0.6	21
0.6	20
2.6	6
0.6	17
2.0	10
1.4	10
0.4	20
0.6	20
0.9	15
2.1	10
2.7	6
1.1	15