An intense and short-lived Arctic invasion, following an early-weekend snowstorm, produced some of the coldest readings recorded in southern Minnesota since the infamous 2013-14 winter.
The cold peaked in the morning hours of Sunday December 18th, with temperatures falling into the -20s and even the -30s F across much of Minnesota. The lowest temperature in the state was -38 F, at Embarrass, and many low-lying areas reported readings colder than -30F. Unlike typical cold outbreaks, which rely on calm conditions and "radiational cooling," this one was ushered in by stiff winds. As a result, windchills in the -30s and -40s were widespread throughout Minnesota on Sunday morning. The cold had abated by late in the day, and most areas had warmed to above 0 F as Monday began.
As cold as it was, there was nothing extraordinary about this episode. In the Twin Cities, the low temperature of -20 F was four degrees shy of the record low for December 18th, and tied for just the 37th coldest December temperature on record. It was, however, the first reading this cold in December since 1996, and the earliest in the season since 1983.
| Low Temperature | Occurrences | Most recent date |
| -39 F | 1 | 12/25/1879 |
| -31 F | 1 | 12/24/1872 |
| -29 F | 1 | 12/19/1983 |
| -27 F | 6 | 12/26/1996 |
| -25 F | 2 | 12/24/1983 |
| -24 F | 8 | 12/23/1990 |
| -23 F | 4 | 12/31/1976 |
| -22 F | 10 | 12/25/1996 |
| -21 F | 3 | 12/19/1955 |
| -20 F | 17 | 12/18/2016 |
| -19 F | 19 | 12/30/1976 |
| -18 F | 15 | 12/20/1996 |
Here are some wind chill reports gathered from the Grand Forks and Chanhassen National Weather Service offices.
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 823 AM CST Sun Dec 18 2016 ...Lowest Wind Chill Reports... Location Temp Time/Date Bagley MN -55 F 0420 AM 12/18 Lake Park MN (DOT) -50 F 0710 AM 12/18 Gwinner ND (APT) -49 F 0535 AM 12/18 Moorhead MN (APT) -49 F 0754 AM 12/18 Hendrum MN (DOT) -49 F 0728 AM 12/18 Fosston MN (APT) -48 F 0553 AM 12/18 Shooks MN (DOT) -48 F 0635 AM 12/18 Brooks MN (DOT) -48 F 0620 AM 12/18 Donaldson MN (DOT) -47 F 0740 AM 12/18 Thief R Falls MN (APT) -47 F 0556 AM 12/18 Mahnomen MN (APT) -46 F 0155 AM 12/18 Munich ND -46 F 1030 PM 12/17 Chamberlain MN (DOT) -46 F 0630 AM 12/18 Cooperstown ND (APT) -46 F 1235 AM 12/18 Staples MN (APT) -46 F 1232 AM 12/18 7 N Salol -45 F 0700 AM 12/18 Langdon ND (APT) -45 F 0435 AM 12/18 Grafton ND (APT) -45 F 0535 AM 12/18 Dilworth MN (DOT) -45 F 0510 AM 12/18 E Grand Forks MN (DOT) -45 F 0718 AM 12/18 Verndale MN (DOT) -45 F 0705 AM 12/18 Devils Lake DOT Hwy 20 -45 F 1053 PM 12/17 Elbow Lake MN (APT) -45 F 0739 AM 12/18 Wadena MN (APT) -44 F 0452 AM 12/18 Fergus Falls MN (APT) -44 F 0734 AM 12/18 Rothsay MN (DOT) -44 F 0715 AM 12/18 Bowesmont ND (DOT) -44 F 0738 AM 12/18 Park Rapids MN (APT) -44 F 0653 AM 12/18 Roseau MN (APT) -44 F 0555 AM 12/18 Mcleod ND 3 N -44 F 0449 AM 12/18 Cando ND (APT) -43 F 0315 AM 12/18 Crookston MN (APT) -43 F 0754 AM 12/18 Grand Forks ND (APT) -43 F 0253 AM 12/18 Hallock MN (APT) -43 F 0754 AM 12/18 Badger MN (DOT) -43 F 0430 AM 12/18 Gatzke MN 2 ENE -43 F 0740 AM 12/18 4 W Churchs Ferry -43 F 0938 PM 12/17 Roseau MN (DNR) -43 F 0808 AM 12/18 Wahpeton ND (APT) -42 F 0735 AM 12/18 Flag Island MN -42 F 0337 AM 12/18 Karlstad MN (DNR) -42 F 0806 AM 12/18 Baudette MN (APT) -41 F 0753 AM 12/18 Fort Totten ND -41 F 0351 AM 12/18 Grand Forks ND (AFB) -41 F 0858 PM 12/17 Warroad MN (APT) -41 F 0734 AM 12/18 Cavalier ND (APT) -40 F 0655 AM 12/18 Gatzke MN 9 SW (DNR) -40 F 0620 AM 12/18 Badoura MN (DNR) -40 F 1206 AM 12/18 Bemidji MN (APT) -40 F 0732 AM 12/18 Detroit Lakes MN (DNR) -40 F 0620 AM 12/18 Detroit Lakes MN (APT) -40 F 0554 AM 12/18 Fargo ND (APT) -40 F 0353 AM 12/18 Ottertail MN (DOT) -40 F 0611 AM 12/18 Buffalo ND 7 N (DOT) -40 F 0323 AM 12/18 Red Lake Falls MN (ES) -40 F 0619 AM 12/18 Bemidji MN (DNR) -39 F 0606 AM 12/18 Devils Lake ND (APT) -39 F 1056 PM 12/17 Grand Forks ND (DOT) -39 F 0738 AM 12/18 Bemidji MN (Central ES) -38 F 0755 AM 12/18 Baudette MN (DNR) -38 F 0806 AM 12/18 Ponsford MN 10 N -37 F 1148 PM 12/17 Moorhead MN (DOT) -37 F 0520 AM 12/18 Red Lake MN (HS) -37 F 0744 AM 12/18 Frontier ND (S Fargo) -36 F 0601 AM 12/18 Waskish MN (APT) -36 F 1254 AM 12/18 Fargo ND (I-94 DOT) -35 F 0738 AM 12/18 Valley City ND (VCSU) -35 F 0511 AM 12/18 Red Lake MN (DNR) -35 F 0810 AM 12/18 Walhalla ND (APT) -34 F 0435 AM 12/18 Public Information Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 949 AM CST Sun Dec 18 2016 ...Coldest Wind Chills from December 18th... Location Temp Lat/Lon Clara City 2WSW -49 F 44.95N/95.41W Hanley Falls -48 F 44.69N/95.61W Winthrop 2W -48 F 44.54N/94.41W Clearwater 1SE -48 F 45.39N/94.03W New Ulm AP -48 F 44.32N/94.50W Hutchinson AP -48 F 44.86N/94.38W Henderson 4ENE -47 F 44.57N/93.84W Paynesville AP -47 F 45.37N/94.75W Granite Falls AP -47 F 44.75N/95.56W Redwood Falls AP -47 F 44.55N/95.08W New Prague 2W -46 F 44.54N/93.62W Cannon Falls 7SSE -46 F 44.41N/92.86W Fairmont AP -46 F 43.64N/94.42W Belgrade 3ESE -46 F 45.43N/94.93W Morris AP -46 F 45.57N/95.99W Silver Lake 3E -46 F 44.91N/94.12W Madison AP -46 F 45.00N/96.18W Olivia AP -46 F 44.78N/95.03W Ellendale 5NNE -46 F 43.95N/93.27W Red Wing 4W -45 F 44.60N/92.70W Mayer 1NE -45 F 44.91N/93.87W Starbuck 8SSW -45 F 45.49N/95.56W Glenwood AP -44 F 45.64N/95.32W Waconia 1WSW -44 F 44.84N/93.82W Appleton AP -44 F 45.23N/96.00W Owatonna AP -44 F 44.12N/93.26W Cumberland AP -43 F 45.50N/91.98W Twin Lakes 5 SE -43 F 43.51N/93.35W St. James AP -43 F 43.99N/94.56W Sauk Centre 2SE -43 F 45.71N/94.93W Sauk Centre AP -43 F 45.71N/94.93W Litchfield 3S -43 F 45.07N/94.53W Stanton AP -42 F 44.48N/93.02W Morristown (Cannon R) -42 F 44.23N/93.45W Redwood Falls 1ESE -42 F 44.54N/95.09W Balsam Lake 1 NNW -42 F 45.48N/92.47W Eden Prairie AP (Flyg Cloud) -42 F 44.83N/93.46W Milaca 8N -42 F 45.88N/93.66W Alexandria AP -42 F 45.87N/95.39W Marietta 5SSW -41 F 44.94N/96.44W Alexandria 2SSE -41 F 45.84N/95.37W Madelia 3ENE -41 F 44.08N/94.37W Lakeville AP -41 F 44.63N/93.23W Hutchinson 1WSW -41 F 44.88N/94.39W Tony AP (Rusk County) -40 F 45.50N/91.00W Granite Ledge 7N -40 F 45.90N/93.85W Rice 1NNW -40 F 45.77N/94.23W Le Center -40 F 44.39N/93.73W Springfield 1NW -40 F 44.26N/94.99W Montevideo AP -40 F 44.98N/95.71W Ramsey 2SSW -40 F 45.24N/93.46W Branch 8ENE -40 F 45.55N/92.80W Maple Lake 2SSW -39 F 45.20N/94.02W Woodville 1S -39 F 44.94N/92.29W Rice Lake AP -39 F 45.43N/91.77W New Richmond AP -39 F 45.15N/92.54W Cokato 2W -39 F 45.08N/94.24W St. Cloud AP -39 F 45.54N/94.05W Eden Prairie 1WNW -39 F 44.86N/93.48W Owatonna -39 F 44.10N/93.22W Glencoe AP -39 F 44.76N/94.08W Sauk Rapids HS -39 F 45.61N/94.19W Morris (St. Marys Sch) -39 F 45.59N/95.92W Waseca AP -39 F 44.07N/93.55W Farmington 1ESE -38 F 44.65N/93.15W West St. Paul 1NNW -38 F 44.91N/93.09W Buffalo 1NNW -38 F 45.19N/93.88W Eau Claire AP -38 F 44.87N/91.49W Shakopee 1W -38 F 44.77N/93.50W Farmington 2ESE -38 F 44.64N/93.14W Mankato AP -38 F 44.22N/93.92W Gordonsville (Shell Crk) -38 F 43.51N/93.27W Rice Lake -37 F 45.50N/91.75W Brooklyn Park 2SSE -37 F 45.09N/93.34W Carver 3S -37 F 44.72N/93.64W New Hope -37 F 45.04N/93.38W Red Wing AP -36 F 44.59N/92.50W Bloomington 2E -36 F 44.83N/93.28W West St. Paul 1N -35 F 44.93N/93.08W Ellsworth 2ESE -35 F 44.72N/92.44W Crystal AP -35 F 45.06N/93.35W Elk River 2SSW -35 F 45.30N/93.58W Menomonie AP -35 F 44.89N/91.88W New Richmond -35 F 45.11N/92.53W Stillwater -35 F 45.05N/92.83W French Lake -35 F 45.20N/94.20W Foley 6WSW -35 F 45.62N/94.02W Sauk Rapids 4E -35 F 45.61N/94.07W Champlin 2ESE -35 F 45.15N/93.36W Northfield 2WNW -35 F 44.47N/93.21W Maple Lake AP -35 F 45.25N/94.00W Minneapolis-St. Paul AP-MSP -35 F 44.88N/93.23W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. Not all data listed are considered official.
Last modified: December 19, 2016
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