Courtesy: Minnesota State Climatology Office
Since 1873, the temperature in the Twin Cities has remained at or below zero for at least four consecutive days a total of 28 times, with the most recent occurrence being a four-day stretch ending February 15, 2021. There was a five-day stretch ending January 18th, 1994. The longest such streak on record was seven days, from January 1-7, 1912.
The same stretch in 1912 clocked in at 186 consecutive hourly observations with temperatures at or below zero. The stretch in 1994 lasted 142 hours.
The stretch in 2021 lasted 116 hours from 4pm February 11, to 11am February 16th. Had it not been for a one degree above zero temperature between hourly observations on February 11th the streak would have been extended twenty more hours.
Other fairly recent zero-or-colder stretches include: Midnight, January 29, 2019 to 5 am on February 1, 2019 for a total of 78 hours, 86 hours from 11pm January 12 to 1pm January 16, 2009 and 93 hours from 5pm January 31, 1996 to 1pm February 4, 1996.
How long would a stretch of zero or below weather be to make the top ten list? The mercury would have to stay at or below zero for at least FOUR full calendar days to have a chance of making the list.
Extended Periods Zero or Below (From 1873-2021) For Minneapolis/St. Paul Rank Time Began Time End Hours ----------------------------------------------- 1. 8pm Dec 31 1911 to 1pm Jan 8 1912 186* 2. 9pm Feb 5 1899 to 2pm Feb 12 1899 161** 3. 2am Jan 18 1963 to 2pm Jan 24 1963 157 4. 12am Jan 23 1904 to 7am Jan 29 1904 151** 5. 4pm Jan 21 1936 to 2pm Jan 27 1936 143 6. 3pm Jan 13 1994 to 1pm Jan 19 1994 142 7. 7am Jan 16 1970 to 2pm Jan 22 1970 140 8. 7pm Feb 2 1895 to 2pm Feb 8 1895 138** 9. 1am Feb 14 1936 to 1pm Feb 19 1936 133 10. 9pm Jan 22 1897 to 1pm Jan 28 1897 130** *Note: If it weren't for 4 hours above zero the record would have been 311 hours from 8pm Dec 31 1911 to 10am Jan 13 1912. ** hourly readings estimated by nearby observer Number of Consecutive Days of Zero or Below (From 1873-2021) For Minneapolis/St. Paul Rank Days Start End -------------------------------------- 1 7 1912-01-01 through 1912-01-07 2 6 1904-01-23 through 1904-01-28 - 6 1899-02-06 through 1899-02-11 4 5 1994-01-14 through 1994-01-18 - 5 1970-01-17 through 1970-01-21 - 5 1963-01-19 through 1963-01-23 - 5 1936-01-22 through 1936-01-26 - 5 1897-01-23 through 1897-01-27 - 5 1895-02-03 through 1895-02-07 10 4 2021-02-12 through 2021-02-15 - 4 1989-12-19 through 1989-12-22 - 4 1977-01-09 through 1977-01-12 - 4 1972-01-25 through 1972-01-28 - 4 1963-12-18 through 1963-12-21 - 4 1962-01-17 through 1962-01-20 - 4 1943-01-17 through 1943-01-20 - 4 1942-01-04 through 1942-01-07 - 4 1936-02-15 through 1936-02-18 - 4 1935-01-20 through 1935-01-23 - 4 1927-12-30 through 1928-01-02 - 4 1917-02-01 through 1917-02-04 - 4 1916-12-18 through 1916-12-21 - 4 1912-01-09 through 1912-01-12 - 4 1905-02-10 through 1905-02-13 - 4 1888-01-18 through 1888-01-21 - 4 1886-01-08 through 1886-01-11 - 4 1885-01-16 through 1885-01-19 - 4 1883-01-20 through 1883-01-23 (For comparison, the record for International Falls is 14 days from Jan 2, 1912 to Jan 15, 1912)