COLD WAVES IN LINCOLN, NE
1887-2010 (through August, 2010)

All of the data on this page are from the official NWS data archives for Lincoln, NE

Additional data for Lincoln, NE, can be found at the HPRCC web site.


      TOPICS at this site:

1.  The coldest recorded minimum temperatures in Lincoln 7.  The longest cold spell with temperatures staying below 0oF
2.  The coldest recorded daytime high temperatures in Lincoln 8.  Listing of Number of Days, each month 0oF  or Below
3.  The coldest recorded 24 hours in Lincoln 9.  Listing of Number of Days, each Winter Season
4.  Winter seasons with the most  # of days 0oF or below 10.  A graph of the Winter Season days 0oF or below
5.  Winter seasons with the least # of days 0oF or below 11.  A graph of the Annual days 0oF or below
6.  Recent winter seasons and the number of days 0oF or below  

 

 

External to this Site: NWS Omaha/Valley Winter Weather page


1.  The Coldest Recorded Minimum Temperatures for Lincoln, NE,  o F, 1887 to Present)

Temperature/Date
   -33 JAN 12 1974 
   -29 JAN 11 1974 
   -29 JAN 19 1892 
   -27 DEC 22 1983
   -27 JAN 15 1888 
   -26 JAN 01 1974 
   -26 JAN 12 1912 
   -26 FEB 13 1905 
   -26 FEB 11 1899 
   -25 JAN 06 1890
   -24 FEB 01 1979 
   -24 FEB 09 1975 
   -24 FEB 12 1944 
   -24 FEB 12 1899 
   -23 DEC 23 1989 
   -23 FEB 08 1971 
   -23 JAN 27 1940 
   -23 JAN 11 1918 
   -22 FEB 03 1996 
   -22 DEC 22 1989 
   -22 JAN 02 1887 
   -22 JAN 28 1915 
Temperature/Date
  -22 FEB 12 1905
  -22 FEB 02 1905
  -22 FEB 09 1899
  -21 JAN 09 1974
  -21 JAN 18 1940
  -21 JAN 13 1916
  -21 JAN 27 1915
  -21 FEB 04 1905
  -21 JAN 25 1905
  -20 FEB 02 1996
  -20 DEC 19 1989
  -20 JAN 31 1979
  -20 JAN 07 1974
  -20 DEC 31 1973
  -20 JAN 23 1948
  -20 JAN 05 1940
  -20 FEB 05 1936
  -20 DEC 10 1919
  -20 FEB 01 1917
  -20 JAN 12 1892
  -20 JAN 09 1887
  -20 JAN 08 1887
There have been 44 days during the past 123 years in which the recorded temperature in Lincoln, NE fell to or below -20o F.  Some months and days have had clusters of extreme cold.  For example, January 12th has seen -33o F in 1974, -26o F in 1912, and -20o F in 1887.  The decade with the most number of times the mercury fell to or below -20o F was the 1970's with 10 occurrences (5 of which were in January 1974).  The mercury has only fallen to or below -20o F twice since 1990, and that was in February 1996.


2.  The Coldest Recorded Daytime High Temperatures,  1887- to present
 -16o F   JAN 14  1888
  -13o F   FEB 11  1899
  -12o F   FEB   2  1905
  -10o F   DEC 24 1983
  -10o F   FEB   8  1899
  -10o F   JAN 13  1888
  - 9o F    FEB   7  1933
  - 9o F    JAN 11  1918
  - 9o F    FEB 12  1905
  - 9o F    JAN 20  1888

  

3.  The Coldest 24 Hours, Calendar Day, in Lincoln, NE.
February 11, 1899

HIGH TEMPERATURE = -13o F
LOW TEMPERATURE = -26o F
DAILY MEAN = -20o F

Although the coldest minimum ever recorded was -33o F on January 12, 1974,
the high for that day was +6o F for a daily mean temperature of  -13o F.



4.  Winter Seasons with the Most Number of Days 0oF or Below, 1887 to Present
SEASON
1977-1978
1887-1888
1978-1979
1935-1936
1917-1918
1981-1982
1976-1977
1898-1899
1939-1940
DAYS
36
36
35
33
31
30
29
29
26
SEASON 
1904-1905
1894-1895
1911-1912
1983-1984
1961-1962
1964-1965
1915-1916
1962-1963
1969-1970
DAYS
25
22
22
22
21
21
21
20
20


5.  Winter Seasons with the Least Number
of Days with low temperatures
0
o F or lower
 (Winters 1887-1888 to 2009-2010)
SEASON
DAYS
SEASON
DAYS
1980-1981
5
1933-1934
4
1954-1955
5
1920-1921
4
1934-1935
5
1991-1992
3
1926-1927
5
1982-1983
3
1925-1926
5
1907-1908
2
1910-1911
5
1895-1896
2
1900-1901 
5
1986-1987
1
1952-1953
4
1930-1931
0
1940-1941
4
      
SEASON
DAYS
SEASON
DAYS



6.  Recent Winter Seasons and The Number of Days with low temperatures 0o F or Below

Winter 2009-2010 (16 days)
with low temperatures 0o F or Below
December 9, 2009:  -3
December 10, 2009:  -13
December 11, 2009:  -7
December 12, 2009:  -1
December 15, 2009:  -7

December 29, 2009: 
-1
January 1, 2010:  -5
January 2, 2010:  -9
January 4, 2010: -15
January 5, 2010:
  -13

January 7, 2010: -4
January 8, 2010:  -9
January 9, 2010:  -13
January 10, 2010:  -3
February 10, 2010:  -2
February 24, 2010:  -1


Winter 2008-2009 (13 days)
with low temperatures 0o F or Below
December 15, 2008: 
-4

December 16, 2008:  -6
December 17, 2008:  -6
December 20, 2008:  -1
December 21, 2008:  -7
December 22, 2008:  -12
January 13, 2009:  -0
January 14, 2009:  -6
January 15, 2009: -9
January 24, 2009:
  -8

January 27, 2009: -1
January 28, 2009:  -3
March 1, 2009:  -1

Winter 2007-2008 (9 days)
with low temperatures 0o F or Below
December 16, 2007: 
0

January 2, 2008:  -1
January 18, 2008:  -1
January 19, 2008:  -9
January 20, 2008:  -1
January 22, 2008:  -1
January 23, 2008:  -3
January 24, 2008:  -3
February 20, 2008: -3
Winter 2006-2007 (8 days)
with low temperatures 0o F or Below

January 15, 2007:  -9
January 16, 2007:  -15
February 3, 2007:  0
February 4, 2007:  -1
February 13, 2007:  0
February 14, 2007:  -6
February 15, 2007:  -4
 February 16, 2007:  -3
Winter 2005-2006 (8 days)
with low temperatures 0o F or Below
December 4, 2005: -2
December 5, 2005: -3
December 6, 2005: -4
December 7, 2005: -6
December 8, 2005: -5
December 9, 2005: -10
February 17, 2006:  0
February 18, 2006:  -4


Winter 2004-2005 (11 days)
with low temperatures 0o F or Below
December 23, 2004:  -4
December 24, 2004:  -4
January 6 , 2005:  -8 
January 7, 2005:  -1 
January 8, 2005:  -9
January 13, 2005:  -8 
January 14, 2005:  -7 
January 15, 2005:  -18
January 16, 2005:  -18
January 17, 2005:  -2
February 9, 2005:   -5


7.  The Longest Cold Spell in Lincoln, with the temperature remaining below 0o F?

The answer is 188 hours,  5 PM, December 17 - 1 PM, December 25, 1983.
    



8.  Listing of Number of Days, each Month, 0oF or Below, 1887-2010

Year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Annual

Year

2010

8

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

 

 

 

 

10

2010

2009

6

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

13

2009

2008

7

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

14

2008

2007

2

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

9

2007

2006

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

2006

2005

8

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

15

2005

2004

7

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

13

2004

2003

3

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

8

2003

2002

0

3

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

2002

2001

2

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

8

2001

2000

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

9

2000

1999

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

7

1999

1998

2

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

7

1998

1997

10

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

1997

1996

10

4

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

20

1996

1995

6

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

9

1995

1994

8

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

17

1994

1993

8

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

14

1993

1992

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

3

1992

1991

10

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

12

1991

1990

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

9

1990

1989

0

9

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

13

22

1989

1988

8

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

14

1988

1987

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1987

1986

3

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

9

1986

1985

6

9

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

23

1985

1984

7

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

1984

1983

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

14

17

1983

1982

16

8

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

26

1982

1981

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

7

1981

1980

4

5

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

12

1980

1979

19

14

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

35

1979

1978

20

10

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

35

1978

1977

16

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

21

1977

1976

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

9

18

1976

1975

4

3

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

12

1975

1974

12

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

13

1974

1973

8

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

14

1973

1972

7

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

18

1972

1971

5

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

1971

1970

10

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

1970

1969

5

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

8

1969

1968

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

8

1968

1967

3

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

5

1967

1966

8

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

10

1966

1965

5

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

1965

1964

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

3

7

1964

1963

13

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

11

25

1963

1962

10

3

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

17

1962

1961

6

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

14

1961

1960

3

4

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

11

1960

1959

5

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

1959

1958

1

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

1958

1957

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

1957

1956

3

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

1956

1955

2

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

6

1955

1954

8

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

1954

1953

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

1953

1952

4

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

7

1952

1951

10

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

11

24

1951

1950

9

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

14

1950

1949

8

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

13

1949

1948

8

6

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

23

1948

1947

4

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

1947

1946

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

5

1946

1945

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

9

1945

1944

4

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

10

1944

1943

5

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

12

1943

1942

9

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

11

1942

1941

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

3

1941

1940

23

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

2

29

1940

1939

0

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

7

1939

1938

3

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

1938

1937

12

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

16

1937

1936

13

19

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

33

1936

1935

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

5

1935

1934

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

4

1934

1933

0

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

8

1933

1932

5

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

15

1932

1931

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1931

1930

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

11

1930

1929

7

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

16

1929

1928

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

1928

1927

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

7

1927

1926

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

5

1926

1925

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

6

1925

1924

11

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

23

1924

1923

0

2

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

5

1923

1922

6

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

11

1922

1921

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

2

1921

1920

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

6

1920

1919

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

14

1919

1918

13

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

20

1918

1917

4

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

12

21

1917

1916

12

7

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

28

1916

1915

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

1915

1914

0

5

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

13

1914

1913

7

4

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

13

1913

1912

16

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

19

1912

1911

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

8

1911

1910

5

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

1910

1909

7

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

19

1909

1908

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

3

1908

1907

2

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

1907

1906

1

3

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

1906

1905

9

14

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

23

1905

1904

8

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

13

1904

1903

1

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

8

1903

1902

5

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

14

1902

1901

1

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

12

1901

1900

3

6

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

11

1900

1899

5

16

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

21

1899

1898

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

5

9

1898

1897

7

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

6

17

1897

1896

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

4

1896

1895

10

9

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

20

1895

1894

7

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

15

1894

1893

6

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

14

1893

1892

9

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

14

1892

1891

0

5

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

9

1891

1890

12

5

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

19

1890

1889

2

8

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

1889

1888

18

7

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

27

1888

1887

13

8

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

6

30

1887

Totals

701

391

57

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

20

340

1509

Totals




9.  Listing of Number of Days, each Month, 0oF or Below,
for each Winter Season 1887-1888 through 2009-2010

Season

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Totals

2009-10

0

6

8

2

0

16

2008-09

0

6

6

0

1

13

2007-08

0

1

7

1

0

9

2006-07

0

0

2

6

0

8

2005-06

0

6

0

2

0

8

2004-05

0

2

8

1

0

11

2003-04

0

1

7

4

0

12

2002-03

0

0

3

4

0

7

2001-02

0

1

0

3

2

6

2000-01

0

9

2

5

0

16

1999-00

0

2

0

0

0

2

1998-99

0

2

5

0

0

7

1997-98

0

0

2

0

3

5

1996-97

0

3

10

0

0

13

1995-96

0

1

10

4

3

18

1994-95

0

2

6

0

2

10

1993-94

0

0

8

7

0

15

1992-93

0

2

8

6

0

16

1991-92

2

0

1

0

0

3

1990-91

0

8

10

0

0

18

1989-90

0

13

0

1

0

14

1988-89

0

0

0

9

0

9

1987-88

0

0

8

6

0

14

1986-87

1

0

0

0

0

1

1985-86

0

8

3

5

0

16

1984-85

0

0

6

9

0

15

1983-84

0

14

7

0

1

22

1982-83

0

0

0

3

0

3

1981-82

0

4

16

8

2

30

1980-81

0

2

0

3

0

5

1979-80

0

2

4

5

1

12

1978-79

0

2

19

14

0

35

1977-78

0

3

20

10

3

36

1976-77

2

9

16

2

0

29

1975-76

1

2

7

0

0

10

1974-75

0

1

4

3

2

10

1973-74

0

5

12

0

0

17

1972-73

0

9

8

1

0

18

1971-72

0

0

7

2

0

9

1970-71

0

0

5

4

0

9

1969-70

0

2

10

0

0

12

1968-69

0

3

5

1

0

9

1967-68

0

1

4

1

0

6

1966-67

0

1

3

1

0

5

1965-66

0

0

8

1

0

9

1964-65

2

3

5

4

0

14

1963-64

0

11

2

0

0

13

1962-63

0

3

13

1

0

17

1961-62

0

7

10

3

1

21

1960-61

0

1

6

1

0

8

1959-60

0

0

3

4

3

10

1958-59

0

0

5

2

0

7

1957-58

0

0

1

3

0

4

1956-57

0

0

5

0

0

5

1955-56

0

1

3

2

0

6

1954-55

0

0

2

3

0

5

1953-54

0

0

8

0

0

8

1952-53

0

2

2

0

0

4

1951-52

0

11

4

0

1

16

1950-51

0

3

10

3

0

16

1949-50

0

0

9

2

0

11

1948-49

0

5

8

4

1

18

1947-48

0

0

8

6

4

18

1946-47

0

3

4

3

0

10

1945-46

0

6

2

0

0

8

1944-45

1

2

3

0

0

6

1943-44

0

3

4

3

0

10

1942-43

0

1

5

0

4

10

1941-42

0

3

9

1

0

13

1940-41

2

2

0

0

0

4

1939-40

0

1

23

2

0

26

1938-39

0

0

0

6

0

6

1937-38

0

3

3

2

0

8

1936-37

0

1

12

1

0

14

1935-36

0

1

13

19

0

33

1934-35

0

1

4

0

0

5

1933-34

0

1

0

3

0

4

1932-33

0

7

0

7

0

14

1931-32

0

0

5

1

2

8

1930-31

0

0

0

0

0

0

1929-30

0

2

11

0

0

13

1928-29

0

0

7

7

0

14

1927-28

0

5

3

0

0

8

1926-27

0

3

1

1

0

5

1925-26

0

3

2

0

0

5

1924-25

0

10

2

1

0

13

1923-24

0

1

11

2

0

14

1922-23

0

2

0

2

2

6

1921-22

0

2

6

3

0

11

1920-21

0

4

0

0

0

4

1919-20

0

9

0

1

1

11

1918-19

0

1

4

1

0

6

1917-18

0

12

13

6

0

31

1916-17

0

8

4

4

1

17

1915-16

0

0

12

7

1

20

1914-15

0

7

6

0

0

13

1913-14

0

0

0

5

1

6

1912-13

0

0

7

4

2

13

1911-12

0

3

16

2

1

22

1910-11

0

0

5

0

0

5

1909-10

0

9

5

5

0

19

1908-09

0

1

7

3

0

11

1907-08

0

0

0

2

0

2

1906-07

0

0

2

4

0

6

1905-06

0

0

1

3

2

6

1904-05

0

2

9

14

0

25

1903-04

0

3

8

3

0

14

1902-03

0

3

1

4

0

8

1901-02

0

8

5

6

0

19

1900-01

0

1

1

3

0

5

1899-00

0

0

3

6

1

10

1898-99

3

5

5

16

0

29

1897-98

1

6

0

1

0

8

1896-97

2

0

7

2

1

12

1895-96

0

0

2

0

0

2

1894-95

0

2

10

9

1

22

1893-94

0

1

7

6

0

14

1892-93

0

5

6

7

0

18

1891-92

0

1

9

0

0

10

1890-91

0

0

0

5

3

8

1889-90

0

0

12

5

2

19

1888-89

0

0

2

8

0

10

1887-88

3

6

18

7

2

36

Season

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Totals





10.  Number of Days, each Winter Season, 0oF or Below, 1887-88 to 2009-10

   


Each Year refers to the start of the Winter Season.
For example, 1895 = the Winter of 1895-1896; 2008 = the Winter of 2008-2009

The 123 winter season average is 13 days, (the solid horizontal blue line on the graph).

The standard 30-year (1971-2000) average is 15 days, zero F or lower.

The recent 10-year average, 1999-2000 through 2008-2009 is 9 days, 0oF or lower.

Winter 2008-2009 had 13 days with temperatures falling to 0o F or lower.


11.  Number of Days, each Year, 0oF or Below, 1887 to 2009

 

 

Year 2009 had 13 days with temperatures falling to 0o F or lower.


Applied Climate Science 
School of Natural Resources