Les États-Unis ont connu un large éventail d'hivers au cours du siècle dernier, allant des années chaudes et douces où les gens pouvaient se promener tranquillement dans les parcs en février aux saisons turbulentes et glaciales où les gens devaient se cacher à l'intérieur. Il y a eu des années où des blizzards se sont abattus à l'improviste, couvrant d'immenses étendues du pays sous des couvertures de neige, tandis que d'autres années ont apporté des vents de force ouragan dans les villes et villages du pays.
La région du Midwest est particulièrement sensible aux hivers froids, en particulier dans des États comme le Minnesota, le Dakota du Nord, le Dakota du Sud, le Nebraska, le Kansas et le Michigan. Dans ces endroits, les résidents se trouvent sur le chemin des systèmes à basse pression qui proviennent de l'Alberta et se déplacent vers le sud (parfois appelés «clippers canadiens») et des systèmes à basse pression à ondes courtes qui viennent du sud-ouest, se déplaçant vers le nord-est vers les Grands Lacs. région (également appelées "panhandle hooks"). De plus, certains hivers, en particulier ces dernières années, voient le vortex polaire du nord envoyer des masses géantes d'air arctique glacial vers le sud. Ceux-ci se déposent souvent dans le Midwest, provoquant des chutes de température choquantes et dangereuses.
Le Midwest n'est pas le seul endroit en Amérique qui est vulnérable aux hivers venteux et froids. La Nouvelle-Angleterre connaît un grand nombre de tempêtes et de cyclones de niveau ouragan, principalement du nord-est qui se forment au Canada et se déplacent vers le sud. Les montagnes Rocheuses sont sujettes à des températures extrêmement basses ainsi qu'à de violents blizzards, en particulier dans des États comme le Wyoming, l'Idaho et le Montana (ce dernier pouvant atteindre des températures de 50 degrés sous zéro au cœur de l'hiver). L'Alaska connaît des hivers glacials et remplis de tempêtes qui battent souvent des records de températures les plus basses et de chutes de neige les plus abondantes. Et les États de l'ouest sont souvent frappés par des pluies torrentielles qui provoquent des inondations et des dégâts considérables. En revanche, Hawaï, la Floride, l'Arizona, le Nouveau-Mexique et le Texas bénéficient de certains des hivers les plus doux des États-Unis.
Pour vous donner une idée de la façon dont ces hivers se sont déroulés au fil du temps, Stacker a créé un diaporama contenant des informations et des statistiques pour chaque année du siècle dernier, de 1921 à 2020. En plus des hauts et des bas moyens, nous ' Nous avons inclus des événements météorologiques majeurs comme des tempêtes, des blizzards ou d'autres événements qui ont fait la une des journaux ces années-là. Une grande partie des données a été compilée à partir des National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA) de la National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration en janvier 2021. Les températures moyennes, maximales et minimales et les données de précipitations moyennes pour chaque année ont été recueillies à partir du Climate at a Glance:National Des séries chronologiques. Ces données décrivent les hivers (désignés par la NOAA comme étant de décembre de l'année précédente à février de l'année en cours) dans les États-Unis contigus. Les données record sur les chutes de neige sur une journée ont été recueillies à partir des Snowfall Extremes de la NOAA.
Regardez les diapositives pour voir à quoi ressemblait l'hiver l'année de votre naissance.
1 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :35,08 °F (29 année la plus chaude ; 7,3 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :45,36 °F (26e année la plus chaude ; 6,1 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :24,80 °F (#32 année la plus chaude ; 9,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,24 po (#41 année la plus sèche ; 4,7 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Boulder, CO le 15 avril (76 po)
Contrairement à la saison précédente, l'hiver 1921 fut une année anormalement chaude avec une température moyenne de 34,8 degrés sur l'ensemble des États-Unis. La Bibliothèque du Congrès a même une photo de personnes nageant dans l'océan à Miami Beach le 2 janvier. Pourtant, le nord-ouest du Pacifique a connu une brève mais puissante tempête en janvier, connue sous le nom de Great Olympic Blowdown, qui a causé des milliers de dollars de dégâts. dans les villes d'Aberdeen et Hoquiam.
2 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :33,55 °F (n° 50 année la plus chaude ; 2,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :43,61 °F (n° 50 année la plus chaude ; 2,0 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :23,50 °F (#49 année la plus chaude ; 4,0 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,67 po (#36 année la plus humide ; 13,6 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record en une journée :comté de Los Angeles, Californie, le 24 février (40 pouces)
En janvier 1922, un violent blizzard a déchiré la section médio-atlantique des États-Unis, émiettant le Knickerbocker Theatre à Washington, D.C., et causant d'autres dégâts. L'événement météorologique, connu sous le nom de Knickerbocker Storm, a entraîné la mort de 98 personnes et 133 blessés supplémentaires.
3 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :35,98 °F (#16 année la plus chaude ; 10,1 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :45,63 °F (#21 année la plus chaude ; 6,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :26,35 °F (#9 année la plus chaude ; 16,6 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,83 po (#23 année la plus humide ; 20,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record en une journée :comté de Sanders, Montana, le 9 décembre (29 pouces)
L'hiver 1923 a été une année brutale pour les habitants du Midwest, où les températures étaient particulièrement basses et les chutes de neige intenses. À Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, où les chutes de neige étaient en moyenne d'environ 70 pouces, les résidents ont reçu une quantité stupéfiante de 105 pouces. En avril, la ville avait amassé plus de 9 pieds de neige et les habitants auraient dû utiliser des chevaux pour nettoyer les rues.
4 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :27,59 °F (2e année la plus froide ; 15,6 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :37,85 °F (2e année la plus froide ; 11,5 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :17,33 °F (n° 3 de l'année la plus froide ; 23,3 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,62 po (n° 38 de l'année la plus humide ; 11,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK le 13 décembre (36 po)
Alors que les Jeux olympiques d'hiver de 1924 se terminaient à Chamonix, en France, les habitants de Milwaukee, dans le Wisconsin, ont connu leur propre tempête hivernale le 4 février lorsque 20,3 pouces de neige sont tombés en 24 heures. L'événement météorologique intense, qui a causé plus d'un million de dollars de dégâts, a marqué le plus grand volume de neige sur une période d'une journée à Milwaukee depuis 1884.
5 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (31e année la plus froide ; 0,6 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :42,26 °F (29e année la plus froide ; 1,2 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :22,75 °F (#38 année la plus froide ; 0,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,66 po (#10 année la plus sèche ; 29,4 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Johnson, WY le 21 mars (49 po)
En 1925, la ville isolée de Nome, en Alaska, a subi son pire hiver en 20 ans. Avec des blizzards intenses et des températures inférieures à zéro qui faisaient rage, une épidémie de diphtérie a nécessité la livraison de vaccins d'urgence par traîneau à chiens dans la ville isolée. L'événement est devenu connu sous le nom de Great Race of Mercy, et son chien de traîneau Balto est devenu un héros commémoré sous la forme d'une statue dans Central Park à New York.
6 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (23e année la plus froide ; 4,1 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :40,87 °F (18e année la plus froide ; 4,4 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :21,81 °F (#26 année la plus froide ; 3,5 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,67 po (#36 année la plus humide ; 13,6 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Banner, NE le 14 décembre (30 po)
Le 17 février 1926, une avalanche dévastatrice a tué 36 personnes et en a blessé 13 autres dans une petite ville minière de l'Utah dans le comté de Bingham lorsque plus d'une douzaine de chalets et une pension de famille de trois étages ont été détruits. "Parce que le canyon était si étroit, Bingham n'avait qu'une seule rue", a écrit Catherine Armstrong pour Only In Your State. «Les maisons bordaient la rue tout le long du canyon sur sept miles. Malheureusement, cette topographie étroite s'avérerait mortelle."
7 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :28,22 °F (n° 5 l'année la plus froide ; 13,6 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :38,61 °F (n° 5 l'année la plus froide ; 9,7 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :17,83 °F (n° 5 de l'année la plus froide ; 21,1 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,68 po (n° 34 de l'année la plus humide ; 14,0 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Tucker, WV le 10 février (36 po)
Bien que l'hiver 1927 ait été assez doux sur l'ensemble des États-Unis, les habitants de Raleigh, en Caroline du Nord, ont connu un hiver extrêmement intense avec des chutes de neige record. Le 2 mars, la ville a reçu 17,8 pouces de neige en 24 heures, un record qui n'a pas été battu depuis plus de sept décennies jusqu'à ce qu'il reçoive 17,9 pouces en janvier 2000.
8 / 100
- Température moyenne en hiver :10 °C (#39 année la plus froide ; 0,8 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :43,38 °F (#49e année la plus froide ; 1,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :22,51 °F (#34 année la plus froide ; 0,4 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,74 po (#15 année la plus sèche ; 26,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Custer, ID le 30 novembre (42 pouces)
L'hiver 1928 a été une saison de répit, et les habitants des régions sujettes au blizzard ont été épargnés par les tempêtes et les catastrophes majeures. La température moyenne pour la majeure partie du pays était supérieure à la moyenne et même la saison des ouragans de l'Atlantique qui l'a précédée était douce, sans tempêtes majeures frappant les terres américaines. C'était un contraste majeur avec la saison précédente, qui avait vu quatre ouragans.
9 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (n°42 année la plus chaude ; 3,9 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :44,69 °F (n°32 l'année la plus chaude ; 4,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :23,22 °F (#45 année la plus froide ; 2,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,21 po (#36 année la plus sèche ; 6,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Routt, CO le 2 mars (30 po)
Après deux hivers assez doux d'affilée, 1929 est arrivé en force, martelant les États-Unis avec le troisième hiver le plus froid du siècle dernier. C'était encore pire de l'autre côté de l'étang, où l'Europe a connu l'un des hivers les plus froids de son histoire. Berlin, par exemple, a été frappée par la pire vague de glace depuis 1719, et Vienne a connu ses températures les plus basses depuis 1775. Alors que les villes faisaient face à des conditions glaciales, les 1 770 miles d'Europe du Danube ont complètement gelé.
10 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (21e année la plus froide ; 4,6 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :41,00 °F (20e année la plus froide ; 4,1 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :21,33 °F (n°23 de l'année la plus froide ; 5,6 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,28 po (n°1 de l'année la plus sèche ; 45,5 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record en une journée :comté de Marquette, MI, le 23 octobre (27 pouces)
L'hiver 1930 est une grande année d'innovation :le moteur diesel fait son premier voyage automatique et le premier brevet de transistor à effet de champ est délivré. La saison s'est toutefois déroulée sans incident sur le plan météorologique. Les températures étaient douces, avec une moyenne de 32,5 degrés et aucune tempête ou blizzard majeur à noter.
11 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :35,06 °F (31 année la plus chaude ; 7,3 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :44,26 °F (39e année la plus chaude ; 3,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :25,86 °F (#18 année la plus chaude ; 14,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :3,38 po (#4 année la plus humide ; 43,8 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :région de recensement de l'ouest des Aléoutiennes, AK le 28 février (30 po)
Les précipitations moyennes ont fait de l'hiver 1931 le deuxième plus froid du siècle dernier. Dans le sud-est du Colorado, un blizzard particulièrement violent en mars a bloqué un autobus scolaire par des températures glaciales pendant 33 heures, coûtant la vie à cinq enfants ainsi qu'au conducteur. La tragédie a attiré l'attention nationale et a conduit à de nombreuses réformes de la sécurité et à de nombreuses lois sur les autobus scolaires qui sont toujours en vigueur aujourd'hui.
12 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :29,41 °F (n° 9 de l'année la plus froide ; 10,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :39,49 °F (n° 11 de l'année la plus froide ; 7,6 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :19,35 °F (#9 année la plus froide ; 14,4 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,92 po (#18 année la plus humide ; 24,3 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Conejos, CO le 22 novembre (40 pouces)
Alors que Los Angeles est généralement ensoleillée et chaude, l'hiver 1932 a apporté une tempête de neige unique à Hollywood, couvrant la région d'une couverture de neige blanche. À l'époque, le LA Times l'appelait «la première chute de neige officielle enregistrée au cours des cinquante-quatre années d'existence du Bureau météorologique des États-Unis dans la ville». Il ne faisait que 2 pouces, mais cela reste la plus grande quantité de neige que la ville ait jamais vue. Ailleurs dans le pays, les températures ont été modérées sans blizzards majeurs.
13 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :36,43 °F (7e année la plus chaude ; 11,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :47,39 °F (4e année la plus chaude ; 10,8 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :25,47 °F (#20 année la plus chaude ; 12,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,66 po (#37 année la plus humide ; 13,2 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Tulare, Californie, le 19 janvier (60 pouces)
Bien qu'il n'y ait pas eu de blizzards importants en 1933, le tremblement de terre de Long Beach a frappé le comté de Los Angeles cet hiver-là, entraînant le deuxième plus meurtrier jamais enregistré dans les États contigus (après le tremblement de terre de 1906 à San Francisco). L'événement dévastateur de magnitude 6,4, qui s'est produit le 10 mars, a fait entre 115 et 120 morts et causé environ 40 millions de dollars de dégâts.
14 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (34e année la plus froide ; 0,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :42,42 °F (30e année la plus froide ; 0,8 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :22,91 °F (#41 année la plus froide ; 1,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,92 po (#21 année la plus sèche ; 18,3 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Sublette, WY le 7 mai (36,5 po)
L'hiver 1934 a été une autre année qui a épargné aux États-Unis tout blizzard majeur; cependant, le Dakota du Sud a subi une intense tempête de poussière le 11 novembre. Le nuage géant qui a balayé l'État du Midwest a été le premier à déclencher le Dust Bowl, qui a duré plusieurs années alors que la sécheresse sévissait dans la région.
15 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :30,74 °F (16 année la plus froide ; 5,9 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :40,23 °F (13e année la plus froide ; 5,9 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :21,25 °F (#22 année la plus froide ; 6,0 % sous la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,77 po (#17 année la plus sèche ; 24,7 % sous la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Clearwater, ID le 27 novembre (30,5 pouces)
En 1935, un blizzard a frappé New York, ensevelant Times Square sous près d'un pied et demi de neige. Alors que la Grosse Pomme faisait face à sa situation météorologique extrême, des endroits comme Baltimore, Newark et Philadelphie ont également été matraqués, recevant entre 10 et 16 pouces de neige.
16 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :34,47 °F (34e année la plus chaude ; 5,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :44,35 °F (38e année la plus chaude ; 3,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :24,57 °F (#36 année la plus chaude ; 8,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,79 po (#27 année la plus humide ; 18,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté d'Okanogan, WA le 21 janvier (52 pouces)
Connue sous le nom de vague de froid nord-américaine de 1936, cette année a été marquée par des températures étonnamment basses dans tout le pays, les deuxièmes les plus froides du siècle dernier. Le Midwest a été le plus touché, l'Iowa, le Minnesota et le Dakota du Nord ayant connu leurs hivers les plus froids jamais enregistrés. Février a été particulièrement brutal, marquant le mois de février le plus froid jamais enregistré aux États-Unis contigus.
17 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :32,70 °F (#36 année la plus froide ; 0,1 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :41,95 °F (#27 année la plus froide ; 1,9 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :23,47 °F (#50 année la plus froide ; 3,8 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,43 po (#49 année la plus humide ; 3,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record en une journée :comté de Tehama, Californie, le 4 février (39 pouces)
Bien qu'il s'agisse généralement d'un état assez doux sur le plan météorologique, l'Oregon a reçu une énorme quantité de neige au cours de l'hiver 1937. Entre le 31 janvier et le 1er février, un violent blizzard a déversé près de 17 pouces à Portland et 2 pieds à Salem - un nombre qui reste les chutes de neige record de ce dernier. Pendant ce temps, alors que les villes se creusaient, des congères géantes bloquaient les autoroutes dans toute la chaîne des Cascades.
18 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (38 année la plus chaude ; 4,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :44,56 °F (33e année la plus chaude ; 4,2 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :23,86 °F (#44 année la plus chaude ; 5,6 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,71 po (#12 année la plus sèche ; 27,2 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté d'Archuleta, CO le 17 février (39 pouces)
Le Michigan a été le destinataire de la fureur glaciale de la nature en 1938 lorsque la région de la péninsule supérieure a été martelée par des vents de 50 milles à l'heure lors d'une tempête NPR appelée "surréaliste". Le blizzard a piégé des élèves dans des écoles, bloqué des trains et provoqué plusieurs incendies. Les dommages dans la ville de Marquette, l'épicentre du mauvais temps, s'élèveraient à environ 6,5 millions de dollars aujourd'hui.
19 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :37,72 °F (2e année la plus chaude ; 15,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :48,83 °F (1re année la plus chaude ; 14,2 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :26,60 °F (n° 6 de l'année la plus chaude ; 17,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,88 po (n° 19 de l'année la plus sèche ; 20,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Washoe, NV le 11 février (41 po)
Bien que de nombreuses tempêtes aient soufflé en 1938, l'année suivante a été assez douce, avec des températures modérées et des précipitations semi-moyennes. Cependant, les habitants du comté de Washoe, dans le Nevada, ont enregistré une chute de neige record en une journée le 11 février, lorsque la région a été frappée de 41 pouces, soit près de 3,5 pieds.
20 / 100
- Température moyenne en hiver :36,05 °F (#14 année la plus chaude ; 10,3 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :45,66 °F (#20 année la plus chaude ; 6,8 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :26,42 °F (n° 8 de l'année la plus chaude ; 16,9 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,84 po (n° 22 de l'année la plus humide ; 20,9 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté d'Oxford, ME le 13 mars (38 po)
Le blizzard du jour de l'armistice était une tempête désastreuse et de grande envergure qui a frappé le Midwest avec de la neige et des vents de 50 milles à l'heure du 10 au 12 novembre. Le blizzard a fait 145 morts, dont beaucoup provenaient d'un grand groupe de chasseurs de canards. qui se sont échoués sur le fleuve Mississippi alors que des vagues de 5 pieds ont emporté leurs campements. Certains ont gelé tandis que d'autres se sont noyés. Un survivant notable était Gerald Tarras, un garçon de Minneapolis qui s'est blotti entre deux labrador retrievers. Son père, son frère et son oncle sont morts de froid, mais la chaleur corporelle des chiens est créditée de la survie de l'enfant.
21 / 100
- Température moyenne en hiver :36,12 °F (#12 année la plus chaude ; 10,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :45,66 °F (#20 année la plus chaude ; 6,8 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :26,56 °F (n° 7 de l'année la plus chaude ; 17,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,81 po (n° 25 de l'année la plus humide ; 19,6 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Colfax, Nouveau-Mexique, le 24 novembre (36 po)
Le 15 mars 1941, une violente tempête a ravagé la vallée de la rivière Rouge le long de la frontière entre le Minnesota et le Dakota du Nord, tuant 72 personnes. Un grand nombre de personnes qui ont péri dans ce qui est devenu le blizzard des Ides de mars étaient des automobilistes bloqués. "Il a percuté la vallée pratiquement de nulle part avec la force d'une tornade ou d'un ouragan, et a transformé ce qui avait été une journée printanière lumineuse, ensoleillée et chaude en un cauchemar déchaîné", a écrit Kevin Bonham pour Inforum.
22 / 100
- Température moyenne en hiver :10 °C (#41 année la plus froide ; 0,9 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :42,84 °F (#37e année la plus froide ; 0,2 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :23,13 °F (#44 année la plus froide ; 2,3 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :3 po (#15 année la plus humide ; 27,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :Lake County, MN le 7 janvier (36 po)
Le Midwest a de nouveau fait l'objet de la colère de l'hiver en 1942 lorsqu'un blizzard a balayé la région, l'enterrant sous 2 pieds de neige à certains endroits. La tempête, qui s'est produite le jour du Nouvel An, a déclenché une vague de froid qui a plongé les températures à un chiffre. Ames, Iowa, a atteint une température glaciale de 24 degrés sous zéro. Un photographe qui s'est retrouvé coincé dans le blizzard a transformé son expérience en un magazine de deux pages.
23 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (33e année la plus froide ; 0,3 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :42,93 °F (38e année la plus froide ; 0,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :22,28 °F (#27 année la plus froide ; 1,4 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,74 po (#15 année la plus sèche ; 26,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record en une journée :comté de Washington, MD, le 29 mars (31 pouces)
Du 18 au 25 janvier 1943, une dangereuse tempête de catégorie 5 s'est propagée dans les Rocheuses du Nord et les plaines, affectant les habitants du Montana, du Wyoming, du Nebraska, du Dakota du Nord et du Dakota du Sud. Hormis cet orage majeur, cet hiver a été assez doux, avec une température moyenne d'environ 33 degrés.
24 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :30,67 °F (15 année la plus froide ; 6,2 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :40,71 °F (17e année la plus froide ; 4,8 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :20,62 °F (#18 année la plus froide ; 8,8 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,06 po (#30 année la plus sèche ; 12,3 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Chelan, WA le 20 janvier (44 pouces)
C'était une année relativement chaude en 1944; cependant, les conséquences d'une légère tempête de neige dans les montagnes de la Sierra Nevada en Californie ont inspiré l'une des images les plus connues du célèbre photographe Ansel Adams :« Clearing Winter Storm ». Comme son nom l'indique, la photographie représente des chutes de neige et des nuages tourbillonnants alors qu'une tempête se dissipe dans le parc national de Yosemite.
25 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :29,08 °F (n° 8 l'année la plus froide ; 11,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :38,84 °F (n° 6 l'année la plus froide ; 9,2 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :19,35 °F (n° 9 de l'année la plus froide ; 14,4 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,7 po (n° 31 de l'année la plus humide ; 14,9 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Wasatch, UT le 15 février (28 po)
Bien que 1945 n'ait pas été un hiver froid dans l'ensemble, un blizzard de décembre au début de la saison a fait des ravages dans le Midwest, tuant 25 personnes et déversant de la neige sur une grande partie des États-Unis et du sud-est du Canada. "Les aéroports étaient bouchés, les vols annulés et les voitures bloquées tandis que centimètre après centimètre de neige recouvrait l'ensemble des États-Unis", a écrit Jessica Hilburn pour Titusville's NWPA Stories.
26 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :36,18 °F (n° 10 de l'année la plus chaude ; 10,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :46,78 °F (n° 9 de l'année la plus chaude ; 9,4 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :25,56 °F (#19 année la plus chaude ; 13,1 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,94 po (#23 année la plus sèche ; 17,4 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Mariposa, Californie, le 30 mars (36 po)
L'hiver 1946 a été une année modérée, avec des températures plus chaudes que la moyenne, en particulier au Kansas, au Nebraska et au Montana, qui avaient connu la période janvier-mars la plus chaude jamais enregistrée jusqu'alors. "Les températures en 1946 ont été en moyenne plus élevées que d'habitude dans pratiquement tout le pays, à l'exception de la Californie et de l'Oregon", a écrit Robert N. Culnan pour le Monthly Weather Review.
27 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (38 année la plus froide ; 0,7 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :42,96 °F (39e année la plus froide ; 0,5 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :22,87 °F (#40 année la plus froide ; 1,2 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :1,99 po (#25 année la plus sèche ; 15,3 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record d'une journée :comté de Huerfano, CO le 4 novembre (48 po)
Au cours de la saison hivernale de 1947, les températures ont été moyennes dans la majeure partie du pays et les précipitations ont été plus faibles que la normale. Au cours des mois qui ont précédé l'hiver, les plaines orientales du Colorado ont connu l'un des plus grands blizzards de l'histoire de l'État. Le 2 novembre 1946, une tempête a balayé l'État. Denver a signalé 30,4 pouces, soit environ 2,5 pieds, tandis que d'autres parties de l'État ont reçu jusqu'à 3 pieds de neige.
28 / 100
- Température hivernale moyenne :10 °C (32 année la plus froide ; 0,3 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température hivernale maximale :42,75 °F (34e année la plus froide ; 0,0 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :22,41 °F (#31 année la plus froide ; 0,8 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,59 po (#39 année la plus humide ; 10,2 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Bergen, NJ le 26 décembre (29,1 pouces)
Cette tempête historique est connue sous le nom de « blizzard nord-américain de 1947 » parce qu'elle a commencé à la fin décembre de cette année-là ; cependant, il s'est produit au début de la saison d'hiver 1948. Au cours de cet événement météorologique sensationnel, des chutes de neige record ont recouvert la majeure partie du pays, bien que la plupart des États aient été épargnés par des vents violents. Les chutes de neige ont commencé le jour de Noël et se sont poursuivies jusqu'au 26 décembre, période au cours de laquelle Central Park à New York a reçu plus de 60 cm de neige.
29 / 100
- Température moyenne en hiver :10 °C (#44 année la plus froide ; 1,8 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Température maximale en hiver :44,11 °F (#40 année la plus chaude ; 3,2 % au-dessus de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
/>- Température hivernale minimale :22,42 °F (#33 année la plus froide ; 0,8 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Précipitations moyennes :2,22 po (#38 année la plus sèche ; 5,5 % en dessous de la moyenne sur 100 ans)
- Chute de neige record sur une journée :comté de Colusa, Californie, le 27 décembre (26 po)
C'est le Nebraska qui a été victime de certaines des conditions météorologiques les plus intenses du pays au cours de l'hiver 1949, l'une des pires jamais enregistrées pour l'État de Cornhusker. On November 18, heavy winds whipped through the Great Plains, pounding the entire region with snow and sleet. Writing for the Ganzel Group, Claudia Reinhardt and Bill Ganzel described the storm as such:“Roads were blocked, schools closed, snow drifted over rooftops and livestock were stranded. Travelers filled hotels to overflowing. Trains were stuck, and telephone service was disrupted. The Weather Bureau called the storm ‘one of the most severe blizzards on record.’”
30 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.01°F (#42 coldest year; 1.0% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.75°F (#47 hottest year; 2.3% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.28°F (#27 coldest year; 1.4% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.93 in. (#22 driest year; 17.9% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Jackson County, SD on Jan. 5 (48 in.)
On January 13, 1950, the Pacific Northwest, particularly northern Washington, was pounded by one of its heaviest winter storms on record. Not only did several feet of snow pummel the region, it was accompanied by hurricane-force winds and frigid, single-digit temperatures. To make matters worse, the January storm was only the first in a series of arctic storms that would disrupt the area all winter long.
31 / 100
- Average winter temperature:31.23°F (#22 coldest year; 4.4% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:41.38°F (#21 coldest year; 3.2% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:21.07°F (#19 coldest year; 6.8% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.12 in. (#9 wettest year; 32.8% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Sitka City and Borough, AK on March 11 (42 in.)
In November of 1950, as the 1950–51 winter season was getting underway, a historically massive storm hit the Appalachian region of the U.S. on Thanksgiving weekend. The NOAA called it “one of the most damaging and meteorologically unique winter storms to strike the eastern United States.” When all was said and done, the weather event had covered the region in 57 inches of snow—nearly 5 feet—earning the title of the most costly storm on record at that time.
32 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.44°F (#48 coldest year; 2.3% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:42.76°F (#35 coldest year; 0.0% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.12°F (#40 hottest year; 6.7% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.45 in. (#48 wettest year; 4.3% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Yuba County, CA on Jan. 14 (75 in.)
New England experienced the brunt of the 1952 winter when a Category 1 storm rolled in, hammering the area with hurricane-force winds and heavy snow. Forty-two people were killed and more than 1,000 motorists were stranded on highways. Offshore, at least two ships cracked amid the strong winds.
33 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.69°F (#46 hottest year; 3.1% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.95°F (#44 hottest year; 2.8% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.41°F (#49 coldest year; 3.6% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.5 in. (#45 wettest year; 6.4% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Kodiak Island Borough, AK on Jan. 28 (24 in.)
In the United States, the winter of 1953 was a warm year with above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation. Even its record one-day snowfall was lower than usual, with 24 inches in Kodiak, Alaska. Europe, however, suffered one of its fiercest storms in history. Striking off the East Coast of England, it resulted in the deaths of hundreds, and caused widespread flooding.
34 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.91°F (#44 hottest year; 3.8% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.47°F (#36 hottest year; 4.0% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.32°F (#48 coldest year; 3.2% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2 in. (#27 driest year; 14.9% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Lassen County, CA on Jan. 17 (38 in.)
Although the nation as a whole experienced a warmer-than-average winter in 1954, Montana set an all-time record for the coldest day in recorded history of the contiguous U.S. The record occurred on January 20 when a temperature of 70 degrees below zero was clocked at Rogers Pass. Precipitation was also lower than usual that year, with an average of just over 6.5 inches.
35 / 100
- Average winter temperature:31.71°F (#24 coldest year; 3.0% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:41.88°F (#26 coldest year; 2.1% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:21.52°F (#25 coldest year; 4.8% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.24 in. (#41 driest year; 4.7% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Mason County, WA on Jan. 25 (36 in.)
Wyoming was hit with its worst blizzard in history in April of 1955, when 4 feet of snow dumped down on the Cowboy State in fewer than 48 hours. “It just goes to show, no matter how bad you think the snow is in Wyoming, it could always be worse,” Lisa Jensen wrote for Only In Your State.
36 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.23°F (#9 hottest year; 10.9% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:47.26°F (#5 hottest year; 10.5% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.18°F (#24 hottest year; 11.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2 in. (#27 driest year; 14.9% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Pierce County, WA on Nov. 26 (70 in.)
The winter of 1956 was a significant season for snowfall in New England, which saw three major storms in a 10-day period in March. The blizzards brought snow cover at the Blue Hill Weather Observatory outside Boston to a level of nearly 50 inches. Meanwhile, Pierce County, Washington, set the year’s one-day snowfall record with 70 inches.
37 / 100
- Average winter temperature:37.00°F (#3 hottest year; 13.2% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:47.77°F (#3 hottest year; 11.7% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.26°F (#11 hottest year; 16.2% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.4 in. (#49 driest year; 2.1% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:El Paso County, CO on April 2 (54 in.)
Between March 23 and 25, 1957, western Kansas was hit with cyclone-level winds mixed with exceptionally low temperatures over the Great Plains. In Dodge City, there was a 44-hour stretch, with nonstop heavy snow and less than a quarter-mile of visibility, according to the NOAA.
38 / 100
- Average winter temperature:32.22°F (#29 coldest year; 1.4% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.34°F (#48 coldest year; 1.4% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:21.09°F (#20 coldest year; 6.7% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.32 in. (#2 driest year; 43.8% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Placer County, CA on April 3 (49 in.)
The winter of 1958 was another year with relatively mild conditions that saw below-average temperatures. In March, a huge storm swept through New England and the Mid-Atlantic, dropping large amounts of snow from Maine to North Carolina.
39 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.94°F (#17 hottest year; 10.0% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.93°F (#15 hottest year; 7.4% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.97°F (#17 hottest year; 14.9% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.22 in. (#38 driest year; 5.5% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Douglas County, CO on Dec. 21 (48 in.)
In 1959, Northern California received record-setting snowfall in February during what became one of the biggest blizzards in U.S. history. In a single storm, Mount Shasta Ski Bowl accumulated 189 inches of snow—almost 16 feet. The staggering number remains the largest snowfall from a single storm in North America’s recorded history, although some argue that 1993’s “Storm of the Century” surpassed it in volume factoring in the expansive area it covered.
40 / 100
- Average winter temperature:30.40°F (#14 coldest year; 7.0% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:40.69°F (#15 coldest year; 4.8% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:20.08°F (#14 coldest year; 11.2% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.9 in. (#20 driest year; 19.1% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Anchorage Municipality, AK on Dec. 23 (44 in.)
The winter of 1960 was a brutal season that included three major storms, beginning in December when an enormous nor’easter pounded the Mid-Atlantic and parts of New England. Next, North Carolina and its surrounding areas received a series of five back-to-back blizzards that battered the region between February 13 and March 26. They created “snowdrifts that threatened to swallow houses,” according to Monte Mitchell at the Winston-Salem Journal, and resulted in the snowiest period on record for the Southern Appalachian region. Meanwhile, as Appalachia was dealing with its record snowfall, New England was hit with another nor’easter in March that ranked Category 4 on the hurricane scale.
41 / 100
- Average winter temperature:31.08°F (#20 coldest year; 4.9% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:40.69°F (#15 coldest year; 4.8% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:21.49°F (#24 coldest year; 4.9% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.69 in. (#33 wettest year; 14.5% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Iron County, UT on Oct. 10 (36 in.)
In 1961, temperatures were cold throughout the country and Utah received record one-day snowfall with an early-season October storm that dumped 3 feet. However, it was New York that really got pummeled when a February storm dropped 40 inches of snow in some parts of the state, as well as significant amounts in other parts of New England.
42 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.40°F (#46 coldest year; 2.2% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.10°F (#42 hottest year; 3.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.71°F (#37 coldest year; 0.5% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.58 in. (#8 driest year; 32.8% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Chaffee County, CO on Oct. 29 (38 in.)
In 1962, as many folks along the Mid-Atlantic coast were preparing to attend church masses for Ash Wednesday, a Category 5 storm was brewing offshore. Between March 5-9, an extreme storm came ashore, lashing the region with 85-mile-per-hour wind gusts in some places, along with heavy snow and ice-cold temperatures, When all was said and done, 40 people were dead, more than 1,000 were injured, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage had been done. To date, this weather event still ranks as one of the top 10 worst storms of the 20th century.
43 / 100
- Average winter temperature:27.90°F (#4 coldest year; 14.6% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:38.32°F (#3 coldest year; 10.4% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:17.49°F (#4 coldest year; 22.6% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.48 in. (#6 driest year; 37.0% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Penobscot County, ME on Dec. 30 (40.0 in.)
The winter of 1963 was a frigid one in the United States. In terms of average precipitation, it was the fourth-coldest winter in the past century and for the lowest minimum temperature, it was the fifth-coldest. Britain also suffered a cold spell, experiencing one of the coldest winters in the history of the country:the “Big Freeze of 1963.” Lakes and rivers froze over as snowdrifts piled up to 20 feet. January temperatures averaged two degrees below zero.
44 / 100
- Average winter temperature:32.04°F (#27 coldest year; 2.0% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:41.72°F (#23 coldest year; 2.4% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.37°F (#29 coldest year; 1.0% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.33 in. (#5 wettest year; 41.7% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Juab County, UT on March 18 (20 in.)
A low-pressure system moved up from the Gulf of Mexico over the U.S. Appalachians on December 31, pounding Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee with snow and wind. Three people died and damage amounted to roughly $418,500 today. Huntsville, Alabama, broke the city’s all-time snowfall record with more than 17 inches.
45 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.85°F (#19 hottest year; 9.7% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.72°F (#17 hottest year; 6.9% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.97°F (#17 hottest year; 14.9% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.16 in. (#33 driest year; 8.1% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Socorro County, NM on Feb. 3 (41 in.)
The city of Albany, New York, experienced its worst ice storm on record. According to the NOAA, on December 4, freezing rain shut down the entire east-central part of the Empire State. Power was out in the city and surrounding areas for two weeks, with many residents fleeing to Massachusetts for temporary shelter. Other parts of the region were impacted as well, as the ice spread from Buffalo to Boston.
46 / 100
- Average winter temperature:32.68°F (#35 coldest year; 0.0% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:42.60°F (#31 coldest year; 0.4% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.77°F (#39 coldest year; 0.8% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.54 in. (#43 wettest year; 8.1% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:King County, WA on Jan. 2 (45 in.)
The North American blizzard of 1966, which blew across the United States from January 26 to 31, was one of the most notable storms in U.S. history. The nor’easter affected large swaths of the country, wreaking particular havoc on New York City and surrounding areas where winds reached up to 100 miles per hour. At least 200 people perished in the storm, many of whom froze to death or died in fires started by residents trying to warm their homes. Another deadly storm hit North Dakota that March, causing 70-mile-per-hour winds and killing 18 people.
47 / 100
- Average winter temperature:32.07°F (#28 coldest year; 1.9% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:41.79°F (#24 coldest year; 2.3% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.37°F (#29 coldest year; 1.0% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.06 in. (#12 wettest year; 30.2% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Oneida County, NY on Feb. 1 (50 in.)
Chicago was the site of a historic blizzard in the winter of 1967 when the Windy City lived up to its nickname as 50-mile-per-hour gusts blew through the city. The storm—which brought the largest snowfall to date in Chicago’s history—killed 26 people, including a 10-year-old girl who was caught in the crossfire of police and looters, and a minister who was run over by a snowplow.
48 / 100
- Average winter temperature:30.04°F (#13 coldest year; 8.1% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:40.15°F (#12 coldest year; 6.1% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:19.92°F (#13 coldest year; 11.9% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.82 in. (#24 wettest year; 20.0% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Plumas County, CA on Jan. 29 (48 in.)
The year 1968 was a moderate year, with below-average temperatures. In late March, Tennessee received a surprise storm that dumped large amounts of snow on Nashville, Memphis, and other major cities—more than 16 inches in 19 hours. The storm caused power outages, traffic injuries, and three deaths.
49 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.46°F (#49 coldest year; 2.4% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.11°F (#42 coldest year; 0.8% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.81°F (#45 hottest year; 5.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.94 in. (#17 wettest year; 25.1% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Fresno County, CA on Feb. 24 (42 in.)
Two major storms struck the U.S. in the winter of 1969, beginning in February when a strong nor’easter developed over the Mid-Atlantic and New England, burying New York City and surrounding areas in snow. That storm killed 94 people and left thousands more stranded on highways or at airports. In March, another blizzard—this one with 80-mile-per-hour winds—blew into the Gulf of Mexico, up through Georgia, and into New England where it dumped snow on Maryland, Delaware, and Massachusetts.
50 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.58°F (#49 hottest year; 2.8% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.10°F (#42 hottest year; 3.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.07°F (#43 coldest year; 2.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.22 in. (#38 driest year; 5.5% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Coos County, NH on Feb. 25 (49.3 in.)
On Christmas Day in 1969, a powerful nor’easter that began over Texas made its way to the northeastern U.S., morphing into a series of full-blown tornadoes at it moved and bringing large amounts of snow and freezing rain with it. Homes were destroyed, and dozens of people were killed. In total, 16 tornadoes broke out over three days, making it the largest Christmas Day tornado outbreak on record.
51 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.98°F (#41 hottest year; 4.0% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.23°F (#44 coldest year; 1.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.75°F (#33 hottest year; 9.5% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.2 in. (#8 wettest year; 36.2% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Boise County, ID on Jan. 19 (40 in.)
On January 23, 1971, a cold snap in the north resulted in the coldest-ever recorded temperature in the United States. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the record was set in ice-cold Alaska where a thermometer gauge clocked a reading of 80 degrees below zero in Prospect Creek, just north of Fairbanks.
52 / 100
- Average winter temperature:29.86°F (#12 coldest year; 8.6% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:39.40°F (#9 coldest year; 7.9% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:20.34°F (#16 coldest year; 10.0% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.02 in. (#13 wettest year; 28.5% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Glacier County, MT on Dec. 18 (35 in.)
The winter of 1972 was an average year in the U.S. that featured fairly typical temperatures. One big storm in Minnesota brought in 60-mile-per-hour winds, causing stranded commuters and one train derailment (though no deaths were directly attributed to it). However, it’s worth noting that this was the year in which the deadliest blizzard in history occurred. It took place in Iran and caused approximately 4,000 fatalities.
53 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.71°F (#45 hottest year; 3.2% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.77°F (#46 hottest year; 2.4% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.63°F (#47 hottest year; 4.6% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.09 in. (#10 wettest year; 31.5% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Flathead County, MT on Jan. 20 (44 in.)
While the southern U.S. states rarely see significant snowfall, 1973 was an exceptional year. In early February, a major storm front brought huge blizzards, showering the entire southeastern portion of the country in up to 2 feet of snow. The event set records at the time in both Wilmington, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina, and states along the coast from Texas to Florida also felt flurries.
54 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.66°F (#48 hottest year; 3.0% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.30°F (#47 coldest year; 1.3% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.03°F (#41 hottest year; 6.3% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.42 in. (#50 wettest year; 3.0% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Lawrence County, SD on March 14 (52 in.)
In 1974, the winter months were fairly warm, with temperatures slightly above average. However, just weeks after winter ended and spring began, an outbreak of tornadoes made up for the moderate winter as the weather wreaked havoc on a huge portion of the country, beginning in the Great Lakes region and spreading south. In total, 148 tornadoes were recorded across 13 states, one of which remains on the top 10 list of costliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
55 / 100
- Average winter temperature:34.29°F (#37 hottest year; 4.9% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.55°F (#34 hottest year; 4.2% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.01°F (#42 hottest year; 6.2% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.11 in. (#32 driest year; 10.2% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Blaine County, ID on Feb. 11 (38 in.)
The Great Storm of 1975 was a catastrophic blizzard that struck large areas of the central and southeastern United States on Super Bowl Sunday. Fifty-eight people died in the Midwest, and 12 more were killed in the Southeast as a cluster of 45 tornadoes raged through the region. During the three days, wind chills were recorded as low as 80 degrees below zero.
56 / 100
- Average winter temperature:30.92°F (#18 coldest year; 5.4% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.16°F (#43 coldest year; 0.9% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:18.68°F (#8 coldest year; 17.3% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.36 in. (#4 driest year; 42.1% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Apache County, AZ on Nov. 30 (40 in.)
On Groundhog Day in 1976, a massive winter storm blew through the northeastern portion of the United States, affecting Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Vermont. The storm, which was classified as a Category 2 hurricane with winds up to 102 miles per hour, caused the Penobscot River in Maine to rise 12 feet, flooding the town of Bangor and submerging more than 200 cars underwater.
57 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.28°F (#45 coldest year; 1.8% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.25°F (#45 coldest year; 1.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.31°F (#47 coldest year; 3.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.72 in. (#30 wettest year; 15.7% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Aleutians East Borough, AK on Feb. 26 (25.3 in.)
The winter of 1977 kicked off with an intense cold snap in the southeastern part of the U.S. that originated from a high-pressure system over the Mississippi River Valley. The frigid weather pattern caused cold air to hover as far south as Florida, prompting the only trace of snow in recorded history to ever fall in Miami. The cold air in the south was also a contributing factor to the blizzard that pounded western New York at the end of the month with extreme winds and heavy snowfall for five days.
58 / 100
- Average winter temperature:29.80°F (#11 coldest year; 8.8% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:40.24°F (#14 coldest year; 5.9% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:19.38°F (#11 coldest year; 14.2% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.53 in. (#44 wettest year; 7.7% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Rio Blanco County, CO on Feb. 20 (26 in.)
The New England Blizzard of 1978 impacted Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. However, it was Boston that reeled most from the massive blizzard, accumulating more than 27 inches of snow in less than 48 hours. The snowfall set an all-time record for the metropolitan area.
59 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.03°F (#15 hottest year; 10.3% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:47.14°F (#6 hottest year; 10.2% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.93°F (#30 hottest year; 10.3% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.86 in. (#18 driest year; 20.9% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Mora County, NM on May 2 (36 in.)
The Aloha State, which has never recorded a sub-zero temperature, isn’t known for cold weather. However, its volcanic regions do get frigid at times and in 1979, the state set an all-time record for coldest temperature when it hit 12 degrees at the Mauna Kea Observatory. The viewing point sits at an elevation of 13,796 feet.
60 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.19°F (#27 hottest year; 7.7% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:46.17°F (#12 hottest year; 8.0% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.21°F (#38 hottest year; 7.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.57 in. (#7 driest year; 33.2% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Shasta County, CA on Dec. 24 (48 in.)
On March 2, 1980, North Carolina was hit by a turbulent winter storm that blew through most of the state, dumping up to 30 inches. Gusts of more than 50 miles per hour were recorded in the eastern part of the state, the largest of which occurred at Cape Hatteras. In addition to killing 13 people and causing nearly $22 million in property damage, the storm cost the poultry industry nearly $10 million.
61 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.66°F (#48 hottest year; 3.0% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.45°F (#50 coldest year; 1.6% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.86°F (#44 hottest year; 5.6% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.41 in. (#50 driest year; 2.6% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Hood River County, OR on Jan. 9 (47 in.)
In 1981, temperatures were significantly warmer than average, and the maximum winter temperature was the 10th-hottest of the past century. Most of the country was spared any major storms, though there were a few scattered throughout the Midwest and the Southeast. One dumped 1.5 feet of snow from Illinois to South Carolina, while another hit Nebraska, killing three people in storm-related car accidents.
62 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.82°F (#20 hottest year; 9.6% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.05°F (#28 hottest year; 5.4% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.60°F (#6 hottest year; 17.7% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.76 in. (#2 wettest year; 60.0% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:El Dorado County, CA on Jan. 5 (67 in.)
What the winter of 1981 lacked in winter storms, the following year made up for with a vengeance. The 1982 winter season saw practically the entire country buried in snow. In Northern California, the state set a four-day snow record at Mt. Shasta with a staggering 145 inches—more than 12 feet. Meanwhile, the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast all experienced major storms, as well as cold snaps that caused 85 deaths.
63 / 100
- Average winter temperature:25.47°F (#1 coldest year; 22.1% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:34.43°F (#1 coldest year; 19.5% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:16.52°F (#1 coldest year; 26.9% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.44 in. (#3 wettest year; 46.4% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Benewah County, ID on Jan. 22 (60 in.)
Although temperatures weren’t cold enough for snow everywhere, a series of severe rainstorms from December to March caused major flooding throughout the western United States, resulting in 50 deaths. Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Nevada were affected. In California, El Niño brought record-setting rainfall to the Sierra Mountains, causing landslides and flooding.
64 / 100
- Average winter temperature:34.54°F (#33 hottest year; 5.7% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.46°F (#37 hottest year; 4.0% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.64°F (#34 hottest year; 9.0% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.49 in. (#46 wettest year; 6.0% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Owyhee County, ID on May 2 (60 in.)
The winter of 1983 started out with a heavy cold snap in December that dropped temperatures throughout many parts of the country to freezing levels, leading to 100 deaths. As winter continued, scattered storms affected various regions from the Midwest to the Northeast. In June, after winter had supposedly ended, Colorado, South Dakota, and Nebraska were hit with late-season storms and hail, which added another fatality to the list.
65 / 100
- Average winter temperature:28.81°F (#7 coldest year; 11.8% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:39.47°F (#10 coldest year; 7.7% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:18.14°F (#6 coldest year; 19.7% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.46 in. (#5 driest year; 37.9% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Bennington County, VT on March 14 (37 in.)
In January of 1985, an early winter cold spell descended on the United States, bringing extreme temperatures to nearly every part of the country. The frigid weather, which The New York Times called “The Freeze of the Century,” contributed to 150 fatalities over the course of the month. In addition to the deaths, it devastated Florida’s citrus crop and forced Ronald Reagan’s presidential inauguration to be held inside.
66 / 100
- Average winter temperature:34.43°F (#35 hottest year; 5.4% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.72°F (#48 hottest year; 2.2% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.14°F (#26 hottest year; 11.2% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2 in. (#27 driest year; 14.9% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Taos County, NM on March 12 (36 in.)
In 1986, most of the winter weather catastrophes involved rain and flooding. The damage largely occurred in the western part of the country, which was battered by storms. In mid-February, a series of torrential rainstorms hit the west coast, pounding the region with “a destructive combination of heavy precipitation and moderately high snow levels,” according to the NOAA. The 10-day weather event caused devastating floods in the northern part of California and western Nevada.
67 / 100
- Average winter temperature:34.54°F (#33 hottest year; 5.7% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.92°F (#45 hottest year; 2.7% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.18°F (#24 hottest year; 11.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.87 in. (#20 wettest year; 22.1% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Greenlee County, AZ on Feb. 25 (38 in.)
Although temperatures were warmer than average in 1987, the Mid-Atlantic part of the country was hit with a major nor’easter in February that wreaked havoc from New York down to West Virginia. Prior to that, Washington, D.C., was also pelted with a major winter storm in January that stranded six trains and caused 130 buses to get stuck in the snow.
68 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.46°F (#49 coldest year; 2.4% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.51°F (#35 hottest year; 4.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.41°F (#31 coldest year; 0.8% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.69 in. (#11 driest year; 28.1% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Hot Springs County, WY on Feb. 23 (24.3 in.)
Temperatures were below average in 1988, with a smattering of storms and blizzards throughout the United States. In Alaska, where blustery weather is commonplace, one storm drew attention when a fishing vessel was shipwrecked during a blizzard amid “blinding snow and 60-mile-an-hour wind.” The crew of 15 was rescued near Nikolski Bay, but the Alaska Star sank into the sea.
69 / 100
- Average winter temperature:27.73°F (#3 coldest year; 15.1% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:38.89°F (#7 coldest year; 9.1% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:16.57°F (#2 coldest year; 26.7% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.34 in. (#3 driest year; 43.0% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Lewis County, NY on Jan. 6 (47.5 in.)
Alaska drew attention again in the winter of 1989, this time due to the exceptionally cold temperatures that peaked during a two-week period in January. During this time, experts predicted the state’s record temperature might be surpassed in the town of Tanana, where it reached 76 degrees below zero. In Fairbanks, temperatures hit 51 degrees below, while in Anchorage they hit 30 below. “Fan belts under the hoods of cars snapped like pretzels; the ice fog was thick and smothering, and the city came as close as it ever comes to a halt,” wrote Ned Rozell for Anchorage Daily News.
70 / 100
- Average winter temperature:30.83°F (#17 coldest year; 5.7% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:41.86°F (#25 coldest year; 2.1% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:19.80°F (#12 coldest year; 12.4% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.69 in. (#33 wettest year; 14.5% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Schoolcraft County, MI on Dec. 12 (24 in.)
During the winter of 1990, roughly 100 people were killed in December when a series of storms and cold snaps hit the Northeast, Southeast, and southern parts of the U.S. Nearly half of the states in the country were impacted by the storms. Another cold snap surprised Colorado in July, prompting the costliest hail storm in the state’s history.
71 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.74°F (#22 hottest year; 9.4% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.37°F (#25 hottest year; 6.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.10°F (#12 hottest year; 15.5% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.77 in. (#28 wettest year; 17.9% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:San Bernardino County, CA on March 27 (36 in.)
The winter of 1991 was fairly average, with typical temperatures across most of the country. A number of storms hit the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast, impacting Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and surrounding states. Among the more notable weather events was a massive ice storm in Rochester, New York, that pummeled the city, causing $375 million in damage.
72 / 100
- Average winter temperature:31.75°F (#25 coldest year; 2.8% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:40.87°F (#18 coldest year; 4.4% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.60°F (#35 coldest year; 0.0% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.79 in. (#27 wettest year; 18.7% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:St. Louis County, MN on Nov. 1 (29.0 in.)
Winter arrived early in the 1991–92 season when a blizzard blew through the Midwest on Halloween. The turbulent storm raged for four days, bringing heavy snowfall and ice to parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Twenty-two people died as a result of the storm, and more than 100,000 lost power.
73 / 100
- Average winter temperature:34.20°F (#39 hottest year; 4.7% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.02°F (#43 hottest year; 2.9% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.37°F (#37 hottest year; 7.8% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.96 in. (#24 driest year; 16.6% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:McKean County, PA on March 11 (30.2 in.)
Few winters in the 20th century compare to 1993, the year the “Storm of the Century” hit. The far-reaching blizzard swept across 26 states and most of eastern Canada, setting record lows in multiple cities and leaving more than 10 million homes without power. A total of 208 people were killed and the NOAA estimated that 40% of the nation’s population was impacted by the storm.
74 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.23°F (#9 hottest year; 10.9% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.70°F (#18 hottest year; 6.9% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.76°F (#4 hottest year; 18.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.19 in. (#35 driest year; 6.8% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Franklin County, NY on March 14 (42 in.)
One of the costliest storms in U.S. history hit between February 8 and 13 when a forceful ice storm descended on a large portion of the southeastern United States. Stretching from Texas to North Carolina, the blizzard caused nine fatalities and cost a staggering $5.2 billion, according to the NOAA.
75 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.42°F (#47 coldest year; 2.3% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.29°F (#46 coldest year; 1.2% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.56°F (#48 hottest year; 4.2% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.25 in. (#43 driest year; 4.3% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Sierra County, CA on March 23 (44 in.)
On the heels of the catastrophic ice storm, 1995 brought another one of the nation’s most expensive weather disasters when California was once again hit with torrential rainstorms and flooding. From January through March, the powerful weather events caused rainfall of 20 to 70 inches, killing 27 people and costing $4.3 billion.
76 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.91°F (#44 hottest year; 3.8% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.68°F (#49 hottest year; 2.2% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.12°F (#40 hottest year; 6.7% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.29 in. (#6 wettest year; 40.0% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Jefferson County, CO on Dec. 21 (48 in.)
In 1996, a massive nor’easter caused damage and destruction throughout the East Coast, earning an “extreme” rating on the Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale (NESIS). Four feet of snow dumped down on the region, burying parts of New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New England in snow. In Virginia, eight people died. Meanwhile, powerful rainstorms in the west caused severe flooding in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and Montana.
77 / 100
- Average winter temperature:34.00°F (#40 hottest year; 4.0% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:43.05°F (#41 coldest year; 0.7% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.94°F (#29 hottest year; 10.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.31 in. (#46 driest year; 1.7% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Mineral County, CO on Jan. 14 (55 in.)
A late-season storm took folks in the northeastern United States by surprise on April 1, 1997, when it pummeled the region with sleet and snow. Spanning from Maine to Massachusetts, it was the third-biggest storm in Boston’s history at the time. “Towns already had begun to put away their plows for summer when the storm hit,” wrote Jon Marcus for the Associated Press. “Hardware stores with patio furniture displays had to break out the shovels again.”
78 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.55°F (#23 hottest year; 8.8% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.99°F (#14 hottest year; 7.6% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.11°F (#28 hottest year; 11.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.08 in. (#31 driest year; 11.5% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Greene County, NY on April 1 (37 in.)
Sixteen people were killed in January of 1998 when a four-day ice storm tore across parts of the Northeast, leaving 80% of Maine residents without power. The violent storm, which dropped 3 inches of freezing rain, took place from January 5 to 9 and cost $2 billion, making it one of the most expensive storms of the past 40 years.
79 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.10°F (#13 hottest year; 10.5% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:47.10°F (#8 hottest year; 10.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.11°F (#28 hottest year; 11.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.73 in. (#14 driest year; 26.4% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Clark County, NV on Feb. 24 (30 in.)
Although average temperatures were warm in 1999, two back-to-back blizzards in January left 25 people dead and caused roughly $2 billion in damage. The turbulent storms struck the Midwest, Northeast, and southern states first, followed by the central and eastern states two weeks later. Chicago, which received 22 inches of snow, ranked the storm as the second-worst blizzard of the 20th century.
80 / 100
- Average winter temperature:28.44°F (#6 coldest year; 13.0% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:38.53°F (#4 coldest year; 9.9% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:18.34°F (#7 coldest year; 18.8% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.71 in. (#12 driest year; 27.2% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Barry County, MO on March 15 (23 in.)
Most of the winter of 2000 went off without a hitch as warmer temperatures enveloped the country. In late April, during Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter), Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nebraska were hit with a late-season blizzard. Wet, heavy snow rolled in on April 19, tumbling trees and knocking over telephone poles. According to the NOAA, “The snow in some locations in the central and southern Black Hills was the greatest amount ever recorded during a single storm, and most of the snow fell in less than 12 hours.”
81 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.12°F (#12 hottest year; 10.5% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:46.17°F (#12 hottest year; 8.0% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.08°F (#13 hottest year; 15.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.36 in. (#47 driest year; 0.4% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Bay County, MI on Dec. 13 (25 in.)
The winter of 2001 was colder than average, and while there weren’t any massive blizzards, there were enough smaller storms and cold spells to keep people on their toes. One notable example was a December storm system that moved from the Texas panhandle up to northwest Ohio and the Great Lakes, bringing wind gusts of 70 to 80 miles per hour, along with snow, rain, and sleet.
82 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.08°F (#29 hottest year; 7.3% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.87°F (#29 hottest year; 4.9% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.27°F (#22 hottest year; 11.8% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3 in. (#15 wettest year; 27.7% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Belknap County, NH on Feb. 6 (29 in.)
The East Coast received a number of storms during the winter of 2002, the first of which was a New Year’s blizzard that ran from Virginia down to Florida. Thousands of people were stranded at airports and on highways, while at least six people died in storm-related auto accidents. A few weeks later, an ice storm struck the Central Plains of the U.S. on January 29, causing electric transformers to explode, trees to snap, and more than 650,000 people to lose power. Among the fallen trees were two bicentennials estimated to be more than 200 years old combined.
83 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.29°F (#26 hottest year; 8.0% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.45°F (#24 hottest year; 6.3% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.14°F (#26 hottest year; 11.2% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.38 in. (#48 driest year; 1.3% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Park County, CO on March 19 (38 in.)
Amid the President’s Day storm of 2003, which struck the East Coast between February 17 and 18, Boston set an all-time snowfall record for the city with 27.5 inches. Meanwhile, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were pummeled with snow and ice as well, causing most major airports to shut down and virtually all roadways to come to a halt. Several buildings and structures collapsed, including an aluminum patio roof that killed a 79-year-old woman when it fell under the weight of the snow.
84 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.06°F (#31 hottest year; 7.3% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.52°F (#23 hottest year; 6.5% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.62°F (#35 hottest year; 8.9% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.18 in. (#34 driest year; 7.2% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Meagher County, MT on Dec. 27 (48 in.)
The winter of 2004 was fairly uneventful, with moderate levels of precipitation and average temperatures. There weren’t any major blizzards; however, Charlotte, North Carolina, received a surprising storm on February 26—a rarity for the southern city. By the time it was over, approximately 17 inches had accumulated, making it one of the largest storms in the city’s history.
85 / 100
- Average winter temperature:32.70°F (#36 coldest year; 0.1% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:42.78°F (#36 coldest year; 0.0% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.62°F (#36 coldest year; 0.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.29 in. (#45 driest year; 2.6% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Juneau City and Borough, AK on Dec. 28 (32.5 in.)
Temperatures were warmer than average in the winter of 2005; however, that didn’t stop a number of major storms from sweeping in. The first two took place right before Christmas—one in the Ohio Valley and another in Texas. The first one hammered parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio with ice, sleet, snow, and heavy winds. The storms caused $900 million in damage, and 18 people died. The Lone Star State experienced its first recorded white Christmas. A month later, another storm battered the Northeast with high-speed winds and more than 3 feet of snow.
86 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.57°F (#5 hottest year; 11.9% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:47.10°F (#8 hottest year; 10.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.02°F (#15 hottest year; 15.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.57 in. (#42 wettest year; 9.4% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Gila County, AZ on March 11 (32 in.)
New York City’s blizzard of 2006 took place between February 11 and 13, and has been ranked as the eighth-biggest snowstorm of all time. Although it affected a large chunk of the northeastern U.S., the heavy snow was confined mostly to the Big Apple. It didn’t have the strong winds that are characteristic of other storms in the region; however, the sheer volume of snow was dramatic. At nearly 27 inches, it marked the highest volume of snow New York City had received since 1869.
87 / 100
- Average winter temperature:33.22°F (#43 coldest year; 1.7% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:42.98°F (#40 coldest year; 0.5% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.47°F (#50 coldest year; 3.8% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.97 in. (#16 wettest year; 26.4% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Lewis and Clark County, MT on March 9 (51.8 in.)
During the winter of 2007, a massive winter storm heavily impacted the eastern half of the United States for the three days leading up to Valentine’s Day. Thirty-seven people died in 13 states, and a 50-mile backup on Interstate 78 stranded drivers for nearly 24 hours. The storm ranked as one of the three largest in the northeastern U.S since 1940.
88 / 100
- Average winter temperature:31.87°F (#26 coldest year; 2.5% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:42.60°F (#31 coldest year; 0.4% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:21.15°F (#21 coldest year; 6.4% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.84 in. (#22 wettest year; 20.9% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:San Juan County, UT on Dec. 23 (36 in.)
In 2008, three back-to-back storms struck the Pacific Northwest between December 1 and 4, impacting large areas of Oregon and Washington. Hurricane-force winds dominated the storm, with gusts up to 137 miles per hour along the coastal region. At least 18 people were killed, and more than 110,000 customers were left without power.
89 / 100
- Average winter temperature:29.64°F (#10 coldest year; 9.3% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:38.98°F (#8 coldest year; 8.8% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:20.30°F (#15 coldest year; 10.2% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.08 in. (#11 wettest year; 31.1% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Franklin County, NY on March 14 (42 in.)
On New Year’s Eve, a Canadian clipper hammered the Midwest with wind and snow, particularly around the Great Lakes area. Later in the month, a brutal ice storm in the south followed the blizzard, affecting residents of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Illinois, Ohio, and surrounding areas. Sixty-five people lost their lives, many of whom died of carbon monoxide poisoning from power generators, or hypothermia.
90 / 100
- Average winter temperature:32.47°F (#30 coldest year; 0.6% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:42.03°F (#28 coldest year; 1.7% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:22.91°F (#41 coldest year; 1.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.45 in. (#48 wettest year; 4.3% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Malheur County, OR on April 8 (60 in.)
As the name might suggest, “Snowmaggedon” dumped high volumes of snow onto Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas. Between February 5 and 6, the capital received nearly 18 inches at Reagan National Airport, making it the fourth-highest snowfall in the city’s recorded history. The nickname was also applied to two other February storms that followed, including one that hit the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and parts of New England between February 9 and 10. Another spanned February 25 to 27, dubbed “Snowicane.”
91 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.40°F (#25 hottest year; 8.3% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.52°F (#23 hottest year; 6.5% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:25.27°F (#22 hottest year; 11.8% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.26 in. (#44 driest year; 3.8% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Kern County, CA on March 21 (41 in.)
Similar to the Groundhog Day blizzard of 1979, this storm took place across the Midwest and northeastern parts of the country. Stretching more than 2,000 miles across 22 states, it was more powerful than its predecessor, with 60-mile-per-hour winds and several tornadoes touching down:36 people were killed, with the storm causing $2 billion in damage.
92 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.92°F (#18 hottest year; 9.9% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.82°F (#16 hottest year; 7.2% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.02°F (#15 hottest year; 15.1% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.88 in. (#19 wettest year; 22.6% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Haines Borough, AK on Jan. 2 (42 in.)
Two months after Hurricane Sandy devastated the northeastern United States, a major blizzard struck the South, with winds up to 80 miles per hour. Arkansas and Alabama, the most affected states, saw hailstones measuring more than an inch wide. Thousands of people were left without power.
93 / 100
- Average winter temperature:31.06°F (#19 coldest year; 5.0% below 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:41.52°F (#22 coldest year; 2.9% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:20.61°F (#17 coldest year; 8.8% below 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.21 in. (#36 driest year; 6.0% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Polk County, OR on March 1 (39.0 in.)
The winter of 2013 brought warmer-than-average temperatures; however, a significant nor’easter led to a Category 3 winter storm in February. The blizzard pounded the Southeast, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic with snow, wind, and ice. A total of 18 people were killed, three of which were attributed to heart attacks while shoveling snow.
94 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.81°F (#4 hottest year; 12.6% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:45.34°F (#27 hottest year; 6.0% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:28.26°F (#2 hottest year; 25.0% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.58 in. (#40 wettest year; 9.8% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Pennington County, SD on Oct. 5 (35 in.)
The winter of 2014 was another year of giant rainstorms and flash flooding on the West Coast—particularly in California. Other parts of the country, by contrast, saw heavy snow, especially during a January 5-8 blizzard that blanketed most of the Mid-Atlantic. Wind chill sent temperatures plummeting to 60 degrees below zero. The storm caused more than $1 billion in damage, and 16 people lost their lives.
95 / 100
- Average winter temperature:38.66°F (#1 hottest year; 18.3% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:48.06°F (#2 hottest year; 12.4% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:29.25°F (#1 hottest year; 29.4% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:4.06 in. (#1 wettest year; 72.8% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Erie County, NY on Nov. 20 (47.5 in.)
The winter of 2015 was packed with blizzards and storms, beginning with January’s snow drops over New England. The snow continued through March, when a blizzard and its cold spell broke temperature records as far south as Florida. That said, 2015 was warmer than average in general throughout the country.
96 / 100
- Average winter temperature:32.95°F (#40 coldest year; 0.8% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:42.64°F (#33 coldest year; 0.3% below 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.27°F (#46 coldest year; 3.0% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.72 in. (#30 wettest year; 15.7% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Worcester County, MA on Jan. 27 (31.9 in.)
A devastating storm lashed the eastern part of the country with snow and heavy winds from January 22 to 24, affecting 11 states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The Category 5 storm, which ranks as “extreme,” caused at least 55 deaths and injured, stranded, or displaced hundreds more. The total cost of the storm was estimated to be between $500 million and $3 billion.
97 / 100
- Average winter temperature:34.29°F (#37 hottest year; 4.9% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.83°F (#30 hottest year; 4.8% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:23.74°F (#46 hottest year; 5.0% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.59 in. (#9 driest year; 32.3% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Loudoun County, VA on Jan. 24 (36.6 in.)
In 2017, California experienced intense rains that broke previous records, making it the wettest winter in almost a century. Five people died and the road damage totaled more than $1 million. Later in the winter, a late-season blizzard poured snow over the northeastern U.S., hammering states like New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
98 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.51°F (#24 hottest year; 8.7% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:44.78°F (#31 hottest year; 4.7% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.26°F (#11 hottest year; 16.2% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:3.25 in. (#7 wettest year; 38.3% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Otsego County, NY on March 15 (35.2 in.)
The Mid-Atlantic once again bore the brunt of a major winter blizzard in January 2018 when those states, along with parts of New England, were battered by heavy winds and intense snowfall. In total, 300,000 residents lost power as a result. The storm—dubbed a “historic bomb cyclone”—caused hundreds of flight cancellations and 22 deaths.
99 / 100
- Average winter temperature:36.43°F (#7 hottest year; 11.5% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:46.08°F (#13 hottest year; 7.8% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:26.78°F (#3 hottest year; 18.5% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:2.57 in. (#42 wettest year; 9.4% above 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Montgomery County, MO on Jan. 12 (13.4 in.)
What started out as a bomb cyclone in Oregon and California spawned the storm that dropped snow for nearly two days straight in various areas throughout the Northeast. Sections of central and western New England received close to 2 feet of snow. It was one of Albany’s top 10 storms, and the two-phase storm brought an interesting phenomenon to an area north of the Massachusetts Turnpike known as thundersnow.
100 / 100
- Average winter temperature:35.74°F (#22 hottest year; 9.4% above 100-year average)
- Maximum winter temperature:46.65°F (#10 hottest year; 9.1% above 100-year average)
- Minimum winter temperature:24.82°F (#31 hottest year; 9.8% above 100-year average)
- Average precipitation:1.99 in. (#25 driest year; 15.3% below 100-year average)
- Record one-day snowfall:Garfield County, CO on Feb. 7 (21.8 in.)
The holiday season was already difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The week of Christmas brought several weather events, which conspired to add another level of hardship. Parts of the Plains and upper Midwest saw blizzard conditions, which caused an interstate pileup in South Dakota and the cancellation of more than 400 flights, while the eastern states saw heavy rains and strong winds.
