Cold in Iowa, December 1 to 31, 2000

December 2000 was notable for the record cold conditions across the upper Midwest. Much of the month was characterized by a persistent northwest flow pattern, which produced repeated significant outbreaks of bitterly cold Arctic air. National Weather Service records indicate the average temperature for December was the coldest on record in the Quad Cities, and the third coldest in Dubuque. Numerous other communities throughout eastern Iowa also set new monthly temperature records. A number of daily record low temperatures were established as well. In the Quad Cities, it was the coldest Christmas day on record, as the mercury dropped to -18. The extreme cold temperatures combined with occasional high winds to produce dangerous wind chills to 60 below zero. The extreme cold was the unofficial cause of death of a western Iowa resident who had fallen outside his home during sub-freezing weather.