Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in Wisconsin
Every extreme cold/wind chill event the National Weather Service has filed in Wisconsin, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.
The most significant on the map
The most significant extreme cold/wind chill episodes in Wisconsin.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 675
- Deaths
- 8
- Injuries
- 4
- Damage
- $32,000
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Extreme Cold and Cold in Wisconsin, January 12 to 17, 2024Brisk westerly winds following the passage of strong low pressure brought an arctic air mass to southern Wisconsin. Several days and nights of dangerous wind chill temperatures were observed. Warming centers were opened in many cities and some schools were delayed or cancelled.
- Extreme Cold and Cold in Wisconsin, January 27 to 29, 2014Another arctic cold wave affected southern Wisconsin during this period. West to northwest winds of 10-20 mph with the passage of an arctic cold front brought wind chill temperatures of 20 below to 38 below zero Fahrenheit beginning the early morning of January 27th, and not…
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 29 to 31, 2019A surge of historically cold arctic air settled over southern WI. Windy conditions and low temperatures in the -20s to -30s Fahrenheit resulted in wind chill temperatures of 35 below to 55 below zero for much of this period.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 5 to 8, 2014The coldest wind chills in many years moved across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest the week of January 5th, 2014.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 1, 2018The coldest air mass since December 2016 invaded the Upper Midwest the first day of 2018. Daytime temperatures averaged well below zero, with wind chill values 20 to 30 degrees below zero. The Barron County Sheriff office discovered a body near Chetek.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 13 to 16, 2009A strong cold front passed through northwestern Wisconsin during the late afternoon of the 12th. Arctic air became firmly entrenched after the frontal passage, and temperatures fell below zero and remained there through the morning of the 16th.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 19, 2008Bitterly cold temperatures, mainly in the teens and 20s below zero, combined with northerly winds to result in wind chill values as low as 40 below in portions of northwest Wisconsin during the morning hours of January 19.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, February 8, 2009A Hayward man was found dead from apparent hypothermia. The man was found in a field near Round Lake and Sawyer County Road B.|The man was last seen leaving his sister's home around 4:30 am February 8th. Temperatures were in the single digits above zero with calm winds.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, February 11, 2009An elderly Hayward woman died of hypothermia. She left in her car from a friend's home at about 4:30 pm. She apparently became confused and made a wrong turn onto a long driveway that led to unoccupied seasonal cottages.
- Winter Storm and Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, December 21 to 25, 2022A storm brought an extended period of hazardous winter weather to western Wisconsin ahead of the Christmas holiday. Periods of snow fell from December 21st into the 23rd.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 15 to 16, 2009Onen of the coldest arctic blasts in 10 to 15 years numbed residents of South-central and Southeast Wisconsin during the period of Thursday, January 15th through the noon hour on January 16th.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 19 to 21, 2025Arctic high pressure brought a cold airmass over northeast Wisconsin from late Sunday night (1/19) through Tuesday morning (1/21). Air temperatures fell to 20 to 30 below zero late Sunday night (1/19) into Monday morning (1/20).
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 30, 2008After an arctic front passed through the area, air temperatures fell into the 10 below to 20 below zero range and west winds increased to speeds of 20 to near 40 mph.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, February 10, 2008Strong northwest winds behind a departing low pressure system brought cold air into Wisconsin.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 6 to 7, 2014A bitterly cold arctic air mass, the coldest to impact the region in years, spread across the area following the passage of a cold front. Temperatures fell to lows in the 16 below to 32 below zero range.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 27 to 28, 2014High pressure over the Plains and upper level flow from the Canadian Plains brought extremely cold temperatures and wind chills to the area. Temperatures fell to lows in the 15 below to 28 below zero range.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 22 to 24, 2026An arctic airmass brought very cold temperatures to the entire region Thursday evening (1/22) through Saturday morning (1/24).
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, February 5, 2007For several hours during the morning hours of February 5th, wind chill readings dropped into to -35F to -38F range at the Lone Rock Airport (Sauk Co.), into the -35F to -37F range at the airport northwest of the city of Sheboygan (Sheboygan Co.), into the -35F to -36F range at…
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 29 to 31, 2019With arctic air in place over western Wisconsin, air temperatures dropped into the 20s below zero from January 29th into January 31st.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, February 10, 2008Bitter cold air pushed into south-central and southeast Wisconsin during the pre-dawn hours of February 10th on northwest winds of 17 to 20 knots (20 to 23 mph) frequently gusting to 30 to 42 knots (35 to 48 mph).
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 6 to 7, 2014An extreme cold wave of arctic air and brisk winds brought 40 below wind chills to southern Wisconsin. Numerous school and business closings occurred.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, December 22 to 23, 2022Strong and deepening low pressure from the Lower Great Lakes into southern Quebec brought an arctic air mass with wind gusts of 30-50 mph across southern WI. Minimum wind chill temperatures ranged from 35 below to 45 below zero.
- Extreme Cold and Cold in Wisconsin, February 17 to 18, 2025Clear skies from high pressure and a fresh snowpack allowed for bitterly cold air temperatures across southern Wisconsin. The bitterly cold air temperatures combined with breezy winds, allowing for widespread wind chills between -25 and -35.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 23 to 24, 2026Following an Arctic cold front passage on the afternoon of January 22, a bitterly cold air mass settled into southern Wisconsin and much of the Upper Midwest.
- Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 20 to 21, 2025Strong polar high pressure moved into the northern Great Plains late January 20 into January 21, allowing an arctic air mass to stream into the western Great Lakes.
More
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill everywhereEvery kind of event in Wisconsin
Sources
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.