A Cold Snap

A Cold Snap

According to the National Weather Service, yesterday’s temperatures reached a low of -2 degrees and topped out at 12 degrees. When you factor in wind chill, that low drops to 25 below. While that’s cold enough to elicit parkas and snow boots, it could be (and has been) a heck of a lot colder. In 1988, the reported low was -23 degrees. The same service reports the normal temperature for Jan. 21 hovers in the range of 15-29 degrees, which puts yesterday 17 degrees colder than average. After experiencing the warmest year on record last year, this cold spell is…

According to the National Weather Service, yesterday’s temperatures
reached a low of -2 degrees and topped out at 12 degrees. When you factor in wind chill, that low drops to 25 below.

While that’s cold
enough to elicit parkas and snow boots, it could be (and has been) a heck of a
lot colder. In 1988, the reported low was -23 degrees.

The same service reports the normal temperature for Jan. 21
hovers in the range of 15-29 degrees, which puts yesterday 17 degrees colder
than average. After experiencing the warmest year on record last year, this
cold spell is a – quick literal – slap in the face.

Abby Callard was an assistant editor at Milwaukee Magazine from 2012-2014. Her journalistic pursuits have seen her covering the Hispanic community in mid-Missouri, politics in Washington, D.C., art and culture for Smithsonian magazine, the social enterprise space in India and health care in Chicago. Abby has a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.