Remembering the January 1994 Arctic Outbreak

[Hoosier]

As we look toward potential blowtorch warmth in about a week, I thought I would take some time to post about the arctic outbreak of January 1994, arguably the most impressive cold air event to affect the region in the past 20 years.  This outbreak resulted in 2 all-time state record low temperatures being broken and numerous other broken records, especially on January 18-19.  I will post a series of maps that will show the progression of this airmass leading up to the peak cold on January 18-19.

After the first shot of very cold temperatures, the airmass began to moderate in advance of a major winter storm.  This winter storm had its greatest impact in the Ohio Valley where it produced a wide band of 6-12" snows with localized amounts of 18"+.  

COOP snowfall map courtesy of CIPS: http://www.eas.slu.edu/CIPS/index.html

After the storm, the stage was set for the coldest part of the airmass.  In addition to 0z maps, I will include the 12z maps from the 18th and 19th.

A smaller system impacted parts of the area on the 19th with generally 1-3"

High and Low temperatures for selected cities:

Map showing areal coverage of low temperatures less than 0 and less than -15 on the 19th

As mentioned earlier, there were 2 all-time state record low temperatures established.  Shelbyville, Kentucky recorded -37 on January 19th, breaking the previous state record of -34 in Cynthiana on January  28, 1963; and New Whiteland, Indiana recorded -36 on January 19th, breaking the previous state record of -35 in Greensburg on February 2, 1951.  Amasa, Michigan unofficially broke the all-time state record by reaching -52 but this reading is not considered to be authentic.

[Hoosier]

For LAF, the high of -7 on January 18 is one of only 13 days with a subzero high and the last time it occurred. The mean temperature of -13 on January 18 is tied for the 3rd coldest day on record. There were 8 consecutive nights with lows below zero which is the 2nd longest streak on record.

Map of low temperatures on January 19 is below. Approximately 80-90% of the state experienced lows colder than -20. The pocket of -30's lines up pretty well with the heavier band of snow on the map above. A few locations experienced back to back nights with lows below -30.

[Hoosier]

IMO the only other cold wave close to this one in the past 20 years is February 1996.  That one seemed to have a greater impact farther north though.

[IWXwx]

-30 850's all the way down to Southern IN.

Nice.

[buckeye]

Nice work Hoosier.

I recall that very well. It was neat to experience sub -20 air temps for a day or so, but I wouldn't want to live in a place where that was common. I had heard there were some unofficial reports of -40ish in some of the southeastern foothills towns of Ohio

[WestMichigan]

Several people in Noble County (SE Ohio) had thermometers that only had markings down to -40 and they reoprted temperatures below that. Even if these weren't entirely legit, it was cold!

[bluewave]

Really great thread. The interesting thing about 94 was that it was the last great arctic outbreak before the AMO

switched to the warm phase. Before the change in the AMO, the area just north of Alaska was more prone to

strong ridging during the Januarys from the late seventies into the early nineties. Since then, there has been a

weakness exactly where the ridging was present. We need a strong ridge north of Alaska to really have a chance of

setting record low temperatures. January 2004 was the last time that we made to +1 in NYC but not nearly as

severe for other locations as 1994. January 1994 was the last below 0 reading for NYC.

[Chicago WX]

Nice thread/write up Hoosier. Definitely one of my favorite cold outbreaks that I can remember.

[Chris L]

IMO the only other cold wave close to this one in the past 20 years is February 1996. That one seemed to have a greater impact farther north though.

Prior to that, it would be January 1985, January 1982, December 1983.

[Hoosier]

Prior to that, it would be January 1985, January 1982, December 1983.

Those were good...also I'd throw December 1989 in there.

[cyclone77]

Yeah nice thread writeup.

I remember this as well. School was cancelled two days in a row due to the extreme cold/wind chills. That's the only time I can remember school ever being cancelled for a cold snap. I remember some of the wind chills were below -60 (the old scale) during that stretch.

[Hoosier]

Always nice to get a refresher as to how impressive this arctic outbreak was.   

[Chicago WX]

To put into perspective...here's the top 5 coldest min temps on record for Indianapolis. Jan 1994 is in there twice.

 

1) -27 on 01-19-1994

2) -25 on 01-05-1884

3) -23 on 12-22-1989

4) -22 on 01-18-1994

4) -22 on 01-20-1985

4) -22 on 01-03-1879

5) -21 on 12-21-1989

5) -21 on 01-21-1984

5) -21 on 02-10-1982

[Harry]

To put into perspective...here's the top 5 coldest min temps on record for Indianapolis. Jan 1994 is in there twice.

 

1) -27 on 01-19-1994

2) -25 on 01-05-1884

3) -23 on 12-22-1989

4) -22 on 01-18-1994

4) -22 on 01-20-1985

4) -22 on 01-03-1879

5) -21 on 12-21-1989

5) -21 on 01-21-1984

5) -21 on 02-10-1982

 

Good ole Lake Michigan kept it a balmy -20 here at KBTL. Was 11" on the ground as well.

[stormtrackertf]

I'll never forget this simply because it was the only time I've EVER seen pipes freeze here in Michigan. Me and my parents lived in an apartment and it was a disaster.

[gimmesnow]

I may be recalling this wrong but it seems to me that on that very cold day on January 19th, New Whiteland, IN, had the coldest temperature in the contiguous 48 states.  

[Hoosier]

I may be recalling this wrong but it seems to me that on that very cold day on January 19th, New Whiteland, IN, had the coldest temperature in the contiguous 48 states.  

 

 

See the first post...there was a place in Kentucky that was -37 on that day.

[michsnowfreak]

January 19, 1994 was the coldest day on record for Detroit. The high was -4F, and the low was -20F. Kind of interesting that our most brutally cold day came in our decade of mildest winters (the 1990s even slightly surpassed the mild 1930s and 1950s winters to become the decade with the mildest winters, yet only three decades (1930s, 1940s, 1960s) saw less snow).

 

Records since 1874.

 

Top 10 (well, 11) coldest days on record...mean temperature

-12F - Jan 19, 1994...(high -4, low -20)....snow depth 8"

-10F - Jan 21, 1984...(high 1, low -21).....snow depth 3"

-8F - Feb 9, 1899......(high -3, low -12)....snow depth 2"

-8F - Jan 17, 1982.....(high -1, low -15)....snow depth 4"

-7F - Feb 10, 1899....(high -1, low -13)....snow depth 2"

-7F - Jan 25, 1897.....(high 2, low -16).....snow depth 6"

-7F - Jan 18, 1994.....(high 1, low -15).....snow depth 8"

-6F - Feb 12, 1875....(high 2, low -14).....snow depth ?

-6F - Jan 15, 1972.....(high 0, low -12).....snow depth 2"

-6F - Jan 20, 1985.....(high 2, low -14).....snow depth 7"

-6F - Jan 15, 2009.....(high 3, low -15).....snow depth 10"

 

Top 10 (well, 11) coldest high temperatures. Only 5 times has Detroit had a high temperature below zero.

-4F - Jan 19, 1994.......snow depth 8"

-3F - Dec 29, 1880......snow depth ?

-3F - Feb 9, 1899........snow depth 2"

-1F - Feb 10, 1899......snow depth 2"

-1F - Jan 17, 1982.......snow depth 4"

0F - Jan 22, 1883........snow depth ?

0F - Jan 15, 1972........snow depth 2"

1F - Feb 4, 1912.........snow depth 6"

1F - Jan 21, 1924........snow depth 3"

1F - Jan 21, 1984........snow depth 3"

1F - Jan 18, 1994........snow depth 8"

 

Low temps of -15F or colder since 1874 (there have been 15)

-21F - Jan 21, 1984.....snow depth 3"

-20F - Feb 9, 1875......snow depth ?

-20F - Jan 19, 1994.....snow depth 8"

-18F - Jan 18, 1976.....snow depth 5"

-16F - Jan 25, 1897.....snow depth 6"

-16F - Jan 12, 1918.....snow depth 7"

-16F - Feb 5, 1918......snow depth 9"

-16F - Feb 9, 1934......snow depth 1"

-15F - Jan 10, 1875.....snow depth ?

-15F - Jan 3, 1879.......snow depth ?

-15F - Feb 14, 1905....snow depth 16"

-15F - Jan 17, 1982.....snow depth 4"

-15F - Feb 3, 1985......snow depth 6"

-15F - Jan 18, 1994.....snow depth 8"

-15F - Jan 15, 2009.....snow depth 10"

 

*NOTE: Weather data began in Detroit Nov 1, 1870. The temperature dropped to -24F on Dec 22, 1872. However, records from 1870-73 were incomplete so the official period of record begins Jan 1, 1874*

[Ottawa Blizzard]

January 19, 1994 was the coldest day on record for Detroit. The high was -4F, and the low was -20F. Kind of interesting that our most brutally cold day came in our decade of mildest winters (the 1990s even slightly surpassed the mild 1930s and 1950s winters to become the decade with the mildest winters, yet only three decades (1930s, 1940s, 1960s) saw less snow).

 

Records since 1874.

 

Top 10 (well, 11) coldest days on record...mean temperature

-12F - Jan 19, 1994...(high -4, low -20)....snow depth 8"

-10F - Jan 21, 1984...(high 1, low -21).....snow depth 3"

-8F - Feb 9, 1899......(high -3, low -12)....snow depth 2"

-8F - Jan 17, 1982.....(high -1, low -15)....snow depth 4"

-7F - Feb 10, 1899....(high -1, low -13)....snow depth 2"

-7F - Jan 25, 1897.....(high 2, low -16).....snow depth 6"

-7F - Jan 18, 1994.....(high 1, low -15).....snow depth 8"

-6F - Feb 12, 1875....(high 2, low -14).....snow depth ?

-6F - Jan 15, 1972.....(high 0, low -12).....snow depth 2"

-6F - Jan 20, 1985.....(high 2, low -14).....snow depth 7"

-6F - Jan 15, 2009.....(high 3, low -15).....snow depth 10"

 

Top 10 (well, 11) coldest high temperatures. Only 5 times has Detroit had a high temperature below zero.

-4F - Jan 19, 1994.......snow depth 8"

-3F - Dec 29, 1880......snow depth ?

-3F - Feb 9, 1899........snow depth 2"

-1F - Feb 10, 1899......snow depth 2"

-1F - Jan 17, 1982.......snow depth 4"

0F - Jan 22, 1883........snow depth ?

0F - Jan 15, 1972........snow depth 2"

1F - Feb 4, 1912.........snow depth 6"

1F - Jan 21, 1924........snow depth 3"

1F - Jan 21, 1984........snow depth 3"

1F - Jan 18, 1994........snow depth 8"

 

Low temps of -15F or colder since 1874 (there have been 15)

-21F - Jan 21, 1984.....snow depth 3"

-20F - Feb 9, 1875......snow depth ?

-20F - Jan 19, 1994.....snow depth 8"

-18F - Jan 18, 1976.....snow depth 5"

-16F - Jan 25, 1897.....snow depth 6"

-16F - Jan 12, 1918.....snow depth 7"

-16F - Feb 5, 1918......snow depth 9"

-16F - Feb 9, 1934......snow depth 1"

-15F - Jan 10, 1875.....snow depth ?

-15F - Jan 3, 1879.......snow depth ?

-15F - Feb 14, 1905....snow depth 16"

-15F - Jan 17, 1982.....snow depth 4"

-15F - Feb 3, 1985......snow depth 6"

-15F - Jan 18, 1994.....snow depth 8"

-15F - Jan 15, 2009.....snow depth 10"

 

*NOTE: Weather data began in Detroit Nov 1, 1870. The temperature dropped to -24F on Dec 22, 1872. However, records from 1870-73 were incomplete so the official period of record begins Jan 1, 1874*

You would love the book "Early American Winters" by Ludlum. You can find copies for sale on the abebooks used book website.

[michsnowfreak]

You would love the book "Early American Winters" by Ludlum. You can find copies for sale on the abebooks used book website.

I should check it out, thanks!

[cyclone77]

Here's a blast from the past.  Skilling at WGN in Chicago broadcast in Jan 1994.

 

[Hoosier]

Here's a blast from the past.  Skilling at WGN in Chicago broadcast in Jan 1994.

 

 

 

Nice find.  I like that old windchill scale.

[dmc76]

Might as well

 

[IWXwx]

Very cool Cyclone. The -18 had to be Alek's report, while the -26 must have been Geos.

 

EDIT: Love Skilling's combover.

[A-L-E-K]

Very cool Cyclone. The -18 had to be Alek's report, while the -26 must have been Geos.

 

 

I was in junior high in the exurbs at the time...our school shut down for a cold day. Almost positive we were -20 or worse.

 

probably played a ton of twisted metal that day.

[michsnowfreak]

Might as well

 

Love it! Chuck was thinner, mentioned Q95 lol.

 

Oh, and he was way warm. Forecast 5F/-16F on Jan 19th it was actually -4F/-20F.

 

Heres part 1

.

[Roger Smith]

Ah yes, my second last winter in Ontario, can recall two Sunday mornings very close to -40 at our rural setting north of YPQ. And the one day it tried to warm up, heavy freezing rain. Lovely.

[daddylonglegs]

High temp here of -16F !!!  awesome...  I remember this outbreak.  I believe school was canceled for a few days.  I walked over to my buddies house and his mom thought i was nuts.  Jan '94 would have been my first year in high school...  

My high school had a pool inside, so we had swimming for some of our phy ed course ...sucked so bad having to walk outside with wet hair and scaly chlorine skin...  i hated that so much.  Probably cost a fortune to operate today (heat it/etc)...

[Toronto4]

I was in my first year of high school in Toronto back in January 1994. I remember watching the LA Raiders playing the Bills in Buffalo on the 15th (AFC semis) and that day was super cold. In fact, downtown Toronto's high temperature that day was -6F. The following morning on the 16th (Sunday), the temperature went down to -15F, setting a record low for that date. Later that day on the 16th into the morning hours of the 17th (Monday), over 8" of snow fell.

[Chicago WX]

Cheap midnight high for LAF on Jan 18, 1994.   

 

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KLAF/1994/1/18/DailyHistory.html