1911–12 United States cold wave
The 1911-1912 United States cold wave (also called 1912 cold air outbreak) remains one of the coldest winters recorded to occur over the northern United States since meteorological data has been kept by the United States Weather Bureau, which was established in 1870. The cold wave started in November 1911 and continued into March 1912.
Early winter
November 1911 was the coldest November on record over the contiguous U.S., with an average temperature of 37.27 °F (2.93 °C),[1] while December was relatively mild.[2]
January 1912 was much colder, with Michigan,[3] Wisconsin,[4] and Minnesota[5] having their coldest January on record. Minneapolis set a record with 186 consecutive hours of sub-zero temperatures, from 8 pm on December 31 until 1 pm on January 8; after four hours slightly above zero the temperature dropped below for another 121 hours, until 10 am on January 13.[6][unreliable source?] Sioux Falls, South Dakota set a record low temperature for the twentieth century of −38 °F (−38.9 °C).[citation needed]
The cold air moving south from the Arctic caused extreme wind chills across much of the northern U.S.. The cold wave reportedly killed 47 Americans during its first two weeks.[7]
Later winter
February and March continued the unrelenting freeze. Both months were unusually cold, and March was the second-coldest on record for the contiguous US, and very wet with widespread heavy snowfalls. Parts of Northtokyo Dakota saw their lowest recorded March readings to date.
Some cities saw their coldest weather that winter since the Little ice age.
1912 itself was a very cool year: The contiguous United States saw its coolest calendar year on record by maximum temperature[8] and second coolest by mean temperature, just behind 1917,[9] when fifteen eastern states saw their coolest year on record. The 1910s and 1920s were known for cold weather in almost all seasons.
Aftermath
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that the late-December freeze cost the California citrus industry $6,000,000 ($189,400,000 today), but that the department’s frost warning prevented an additional $14,000,000 ($442,000,000 today) in damages.[10] These cold waves led to the first use of “frost heaters” to protect against the threat either via electric heaters or special sheds.[11]
See also
- 1911 United Kingdom heat wave
- Cold wave
- 1888 Northwest United States cold wave
- 1936 North American cold wave
- Cold wave of 1978
References
- ^ "Contiguous U.S. Average Temperature Rankings, November 1911". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Contiguous U.S. Average Temperature Rankings, December 1911". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Michigan Average Temperature Rankings, December 1911". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Wisconsin Average Temperature Rankings, December 1911". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Minnesota Average Temperature Rankings, December 1911". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ H. Michael Mogil (December 19, 2008). "Cold Waves in Minneapolis, Minnesota". Yahoo!. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ^ "COLD WAVE IN AMERICA". The Mercury. Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. January 10, 1912. p. 5. Retrieved January 26, 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Contiguous United States Maximum Temperature, January to December; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- ^ Contiguous United States Maximum Temperature, January to December; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- ^ "Yearbook of the United States Department of Agriculture, 1912". United States Department of Agriculture. 1913. p. 37. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ^ "Culture of Citrus Groves in Gulf States". Farmers’ Bulletin. United States Department of Agriculture. April 1913. p. 12.
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External links
- Monthly Weather Review, 1912, NOAA.