The coldest wind chills in many years moved across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest the week of January 5th, 2014. Temperatures dropped into the 20s and 30s below zero range and with wind speeds around 10 to 20 mph, wind chill values plummeted to 40 to 56 degrees below zero.
Every event with a place to put it; 42 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS MPX wrote it up.
The coldest wind chills in many years moved across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest the week of January 5th, 2014. Temperatures dropped into the 20s and 30s below zero range and with wind speeds around 10 to 20 mph, wind chill values plummeted to 40 to 56 degrees below zero. The worse wind chill values occurred Sunday night (January 5) and Monday morning (January 6) when the core of the coldest air moved across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wind chill warnings were in effect across the entire region.
Due to the extreme low wind chill values, the Minnesota governor cancelled all public school classes statewide on Monday, January 6th. It was the first such closing in 17 years. Multiple shelters were opened during the extreme cold period. Due to the extreme cold weather several outdoor skating and sledding facilities were closed around the Twin Cities metro area. Some regional hospitals stated they were seeing record-breaking number of frostbite cases during this event. A 32 year old woman was found frozen to death outside her home in Lakeville on January 7.
The St. Cloud airport tied their lowest high temperature on January 6th with -15F.
The following are some of the lowest wind chill readings during the two day period.
Alexandria (Douglas County), -56. |Glenwood (Pope County), -56.|Rice (Benton County), -55.|Lakeville (Dakota County), -53.|Belgrade (Stearns County), -53.|Morris (Stevens County), -52.|Benson (Swift County), -51.|Long Prairie (Todd County), -51. |Harding (Morrison County), -51. |New Ulm (Brown County), -51. |St. Cloud (Sherburne County), -51. |Sauk Centre (Stearns County), -51.|Clara City (Chippewa County), -50. |Winthrop (Sibley County), -50.|Pennock (Kandiyohi County), -50. |Litchfield (Meeker County), -50. |Twin Lakes (Freeborn County), -50. |Ellendale (Steele County), -50. |Milaca (Mille Lacs County), -50. |Granite Falls (Yellow Medicine County), -49. |New Germany (Carver County), -49. |Several Airports (Hennepin County), -48. |Several Airports (Ramsey County), -48. |Fairmont (Martin County), -48.|Hutchinson (McLeod County), -48.|Blue Earth (Faribault County), -48. |St. James (Watonwan County), -48. |Mankato Airport (Blue Earth County), -48. |Shakopee (Scott County), -47. |Olivia (Renville County), -47. |Buffalo (Wright County), -47.|Lake Elmo (Washington County), -47. |Redwood Falls (Redwood County), -47.|Anoka (Anoka County), -47.|Marietta (Lac Qui Parle County), -47. |Waseca (Waseca County), -46.|Faribault (Rice County), -45. |Rush City (Chisago County), -45. |Mora (Kanabec County), -45.|Stanton (Goodhue County), -45.|Cambridge (Isanti County), -42.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 5, 12:31 AM CST, 2 hours 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1231 AM CST SUN JAN 5 2014
.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY)
ISSUED AT 230 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014
ONLY MINOR CHGS TO THE FORECAST THRU SUNDAY AFTN AS THE CORE OF THE
COLDEST AIR MOVES FROM NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN...SOUTHEAST OVER THE
NORTHERN PLAINS SUNDAY...AND INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST SUNDAY NIGHT.
TEMPS EARLY THIS AFTN IN NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN WERE IN THE 20S AND
LOWER 30S BLW ZERO...WITH WIND CHILLS ARND -50 TO 55F. 85H TEMPS
OVER THIS DOME OF COLDEST AIR WERE ARND -34C BASED ON MORNING UPPER
AIR ANALYSIS. THIS CORE OF COLD AIR IS PROGGED TO MOVE OVER MN
SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING. ALTHOUGH ACTUAL TEMPS MAY DEVIATE A FEW
DEGREES FROM FORECAST LOWS/HIGHS...THE COMBINATION OF A DEEPENING
STORM SYSTEM ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND THE STRENGTH OF THE HIGH
PRESSURE MOVING SOUTHEAST ALONG THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES...WILL CREATE
BRISK WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH SUNDAY AFTN. BY LATE
SUNDAY AFTN WITH TEMPS FALLING TO ARND -24F NEAR KAXN AND -12F NEAR
THE IOWA BORDER...WIND CHILLS OF -40 TO -55F WILL OCCUR WITH WINDS
NEAR 15 MPH.
.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)
ISSUED AT 230 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014
EVERYTHING REMAINS ON TRACK FOR THE POLAR VORTEX TO PASS ACROSS
THE CWA SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WITH A NEAR ISOTHERMAL LAYER IN
THE LOW LEVELS NEAR -35 DEG C. CONSMOS AND ECEMOS WERE NEARLY
IDENTICAL TODAY WITH LOWS AND HIGHS FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
TUESDAY. THIS WAS A NEAR PERFECT MATCH TO THE ONGOING FORECAST.
HENCE...
HIGH CONFIDENCE REMAINS WITH FORECAST LOWS OF -25 TO -35 DEGREES
SUNDAY NIGHT WITH HIGHS ON MONDAY ONLY IN THE -15 TO -22 DEGREE
RANGE. NORTHWEST WINDS AT 15 TO 25 MPH WILL OCCUR DURING THESE
PERIODS WITH WIND CHILLS FROM -50 TO -60 DEGREES. EVEN SOME -60
TO -65 DEGREE WIND CHILLS SHOW UP AROUND KAXN AND KMOX.
HIGH CONFIDENCE REMAINS WITH LOWS MONDAY NIGHT FROM -20 TO -30
DEGREES WITH HIGHS ON TUESDAY FROM ZERO TO 10 BELOW. WINDS
FROM THE WEST NORTHWEST AT 10 TO 20 MPH WILL OCCUR DURING THESE
PERIODS WITH WIND CHILLS FROM -40 TO -50 DEGREES.
THEREFORE... THE WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT CWA WIDE
FROM TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.
THEREAFTER...HEIGHTS ALOFT BEGIN TO RISE ALONG WITH THE FLOW
BECOMING MORE WESTERLY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A REBOUND IN
TEMPERATURES DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE WORK WEEK. HIGHS IN THE
MIDDLE 20S ARE EXPECTED FOR BOTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THERE ARE A
FEW SMALL CHANCES FOR LIGHT SNOW DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE
WEEK ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWA... BUT AS WAS THE CASE YESTERDAY THERE
ARE TIMING AND LOCATION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GFS/GEM AND ECMWF.
SO...A MAINLY DRY FORECAST PREVAILS.
&&
.AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 1210 AM CST SUN JAN 5 2014
VERY LITTLE CHANGE FROM THE 00Z TAF. THE MAIN QUESTIONS IS WHETHER
OR NOR WE GET MVFR CIGS WITH A STRATUS DECK THAT SEEMS POSSIBLE
WHEN THE EXTREMELY COLD AIR ARRIVES. WE EXPECT SOME CLOUD COVER BY
THE EVENING HOURS...IT JUST MIGHT END UP AROUND 5000 FT. EXTREME
COLD IS STILL ON SCHEDULE...OTHERWISE VFR WITH BLUSTER LY NORTHWEST
WINDS.
KMSP...
NO MAJOR CHANGES FROM 00Z TAF. SHOULD BE LITTLE AVIATION WEATHER
IMPACTS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS DUE TO PRECIP/CIGS/VSBYS.
/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
MON...MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE EARLY. NW WNDS 10-20 KT.
TUE...VFR. W WND 5-10 KT.
WED...VFR. NEAR CALM.
&&
.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...WIND CHILL WARNING UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR MNZ041>045-047>070-
073>078-082>085-091>093.
WI...WIND CHILL WARNING UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ014>016-023>028.
&&
SHORT TERM...JLT
LONG TERM...RAH
AVIATION...CLFHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 400 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 051500- DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS- BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA- KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON- YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA- REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH- WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-RUSK- ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE- 400 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA... AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A DANGEROUS AND HISTORIC COLD AIR OUTBREAK WILL ARRIVE TONIGHT. WIND CHILLS WILL FALL TO BETWEEN 35 AND 45 BELOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. A WIND CHILL WARNING GOES INTO EFFECT AT 6 PM THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE DANGEROUS AND HISTORIC COLD AIR OUTBREAK WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. THE COMBINATION OF EXTREMELY COLD AIR TEMPERATURES AND GUSTY WEST WINDS SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING WILL BRING WIND CHILL VALUES OF 45 TO 65 BELOW ZERO. THE WIND CHILL WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL NOON TUESDAY. PATCHY BLOWING SNOW IS FORECAST THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK DUE TO GUSTY WEST NORTHWEST WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. JLT
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
42 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions. A 32 year old woman was found frozen to death outside her home in Lakeville on January 7.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Dakota | 2014-01-07 | 32 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, January 2014
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 482266, 482292, 482294, 482282, 482293, 482290, 482263, 482273, 482274, 482280, 482299, 482278, 482284, 482285, 482259, 482261, 482277, 482281, 482288, 482289, 482298, 482262, 482271, 482272, 482279, 482297, 482258, 482260, 482264, 482267, 482270, 482275, 482276, 482283, 482287, 482295, 482265, 482268, 482286, 482291, and more.