Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020

Name: Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020
Start: 2020-02-16
End: 2020-02-29
Location: United States, Mexico

Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020: 701 records at 449 stations, peak on 20 February 2020. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-17. Last revised 17 October 2026 (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020 set or tied 701 station records at 449 stations.
It ran from 16 February 2020 to 29 February 2020 (14 days) and its peak day was 20 February 2020.
Status: closed.
Wamsutter set a daily record low minimum temperature of -26.1 C (-15.0 F) on 19 February 2020.
The busiest day was 20 February 2020 with 118 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 121 years.

Footprint

16 to 29 February 2020

The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020 is outlined, with 19 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Wamsutter	Record low minimum temperature	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)	2020-02-19
Bushnell 1 E	Record low maximum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	2020-02-22
Lake City 2 E	Record low maximum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	2020-02-22
Imperial	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	2020-02-26
Kremmling	Record low maximum temperature	-12.8 C (9.0 F)	2020-02-21
Deland 1 SSE	Record low maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	2020-02-22
McDermitt	Record low minimum temperature	-13.9 C (7.0 F)	2020-02-18
Waynesboro 2 S	Record low maximum temperature	7.2 C (45.0 F)	2020-02-21
Marion	Record low maximum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	2020-02-22
San Carlos Rsvr	Record low maximum temperature	4.4 C (39.9 F)	2020-02-24
Ibapah	Record low maximum temperature	-1.1 C (30.0 F)	2020-02-16
Broken Bow 2 W	Record low minimum temperature	-28.3 C (-18.9 F)	2020-02-20
Louisville 1 E	Record low maximum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	2020-02-21
Salmon AP	Record low minimum temperature	-25.5 C (-13.9 F)	2020-02-21
Atwood	Record low minimum temperature	-18.3 C (-0.9 F)	2020-02-20
Junction 4SSW	Record low minimum temperature	-8.3 C (17.1 F)	2020-02-28
Smithfield	Record low maximum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	2020-02-21
Elephant Butte Dam	Record low maximum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	2020-02-25
Aztec Ruins Nm	Record low minimum temperature	-14.4 C (6.1 F)	2020-02-26

Records per Day

Peak day 118

Records set or tied each day from 16 February 2020 to 29 February 2020. The most in one day was 118 on 20 February 2020.

Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020
Date	Records
2020-02-16	1
2020-02-17	8
2020-02-18	78
2020-02-19	79
2020-02-20	118
2020-02-21	111
2020-02-22	69
2020-02-23	7
2020-02-24	5
2020-02-25	88
2020-02-26	69
2020-02-27	27
2020-02-28	18
2020-02-29	23

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020 ranked by margin
San Carlos Rsvr, 02-24	6.2 C (11.2 F)
Salmon AP, 02-21	5.5 C (9.9 F)
Bushnell 1 E, 02-22	4.5 C (8.1 F)
Wamsutter, 02-19	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Imperial, 02-26	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Lake City 2 E, 02-22	1.7 C (3.1 F)
Kremmling, 02-21	1.7 C (3.1 F)
Aztec Ruins Nm, 02-26	1.6 C (2.9 F)
Deland 1 SSE, 02-22	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Waynesboro 2 S, 02-21	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Louisville 1 E, 02-21	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Atwood, 02-20	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Junction 4SSW, 02-28	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Smithfield, 02-21	1.1 C (2.0 F)
McDermitt, 02-18	0.6 C (1.1 F)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

500 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.

Margin against age of the broken record in Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.8	106
2.8	86
4.5	80
1.7	121
1.7	110
1.1	117
6.2	60
1.1	117
0.6	102
0.6	121
1.1	98
5.5	77
0.5	101
0.5	116
0.6	106
1.1	96
1.1	94
1.6	84
0.5	90
1.1	90
1.6	80
3.9	72
1.1	84
6.6	60
0.6	84
0.5	84
0.6	84
0.6	80
9.4	56
2.2	72
2.2	68
5.5	62
0.6	80
0.6	77
0.5	77
2.2	64
2.2	64
3.2	64
1.1	66
1.2	68
2.2	72
1.8	68
1.1	60
1.1	60
1.1	56
1.1	60
7.2	44
1.1	60
1.7	57
0.6	60
1.7	66
1.1	72
1.2	72
0.4	72
1.6	66
0.6	66
2.8	56
6.6	44
1.1	60
1.1	56
2.8	52
2.8	60
3.9	52
2.8	52
1.1	56
5.5	34
1.7	60
2.3	58
3.4	50
0.5	57
2.8	57
1.1	64
1.1	60
1.6	60
1.7	60
0.4	66
1.0	64
3.9	50
1.1	48
3.9	52
2.2	52
3.3	56
1.7	56
2.8	52
1.1	50
1.1	57
1.1	60
0.6	60
1.7	50
3.3	52
6.6	32
2.7	52
1.1	56
2.2	41
1.1	57
0.6	60
4.3	53
0.5	60
0.6	52
0.5	60
2.3	50
4.5	36
1.1	56
3.9	24
3.4	46
2.8	36
0.6	56
1.6	46
2.2	36
2.3	52
3.9	42
0.5	56
2.2	52
2.8	44
2.2	36
4.5	32
1.1	52
0.5	42
7.2	25
0.6	56
2.8	20
6.7	12
1.7	53
2.7	44
2.3	46
0.6	53
3.3	29
1.1	42
1.1	41
1.1	46
3.3	44
1.1	42
5.0	20
3.9	32
4.4	32
3.9	26
2.3	41
5.0	17
0.5	50
5.0	24
2.2	28
2.8	36
2.8	32
0.6	48
3.9	36
3.9	36
3.9	36
0.5	44
0.5	48
1.6	41
0.5	42
1.6	42
1.2	37
0.5	41
0.5	49
1.7	30
0.5	32
1.1	42
0.6	48
0.5	40
0.6	42
1.1	36
3.4	34
2.8	20
7.2	9
3.3	32
3.3	33
4.4	22
1.1	32
3.4	32
0.5	45
0.5	42
0.6	36
1.1	41
1.2	40
3.3	36
3.3	32
3.6	32
3.3	32
1.6	32
0.6	32
1.1	42
2.6	17
0.5	42
0.6	21
1.6	16
1.1	41
1.7	32
3.9	29
2.8	13
0.5	36
3.3	30
0.5	32
1.1	36
0.5	41
1.1	36
1.7	32
6.7	9
2.2	36
4.5	28

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020 compared with similar events
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 6 February to 5 March 2021	12,118 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 13 October to 5 November 2020	9,841 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 2018	8,263 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 3 to 23 January 2024	7,675 records
Cold outbreak in United States, 15 January to 10 February 2026	5,568 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020 (this event)	701 records

Every Record Set

20 of 701

Every record set or tied during Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 16 to 29 February 2020, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2020-02-16	Ibapah	Record low maximum temperature	-1.1 C (30.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	116	40 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-18	McDermitt	Record low minimum temperature	-13.9 C (7.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	102	41 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-19	Wamsutter	Record low minimum temperature	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	106	44 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-20	Broken Bow 2 W	Record low minimum temperature	-28.3 C (-18.9 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	101	40 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-20	Wamsutter	Record low minimum temperature	-25.6 C (-14.1 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	106	40 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-20	Atwood	Record low minimum temperature	-18.3 C (-0.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	96	39 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-21	Kremmling	Record low maximum temperature	-12.8 C (9.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	110	42 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-21	Waynesboro 2 S	Record low maximum temperature	7.2 C (45.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	117	41 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-21	Louisville 1 E	Record low maximum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	98	40 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-21	Salmon AP	Record low minimum temperature	-25.5 C (-13.9 F)	5.5 C (9.9 F)	77	40 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-21	Smithfield	Record low maximum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	90	38 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-22	Bushnell 1 E	Record low maximum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	4.5 C (8.1 F)	80	43 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-22	Lake City 2 E	Record low maximum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	121	43 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-22	Deland 1 SSE	Record low maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	117	42 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-22	Marion	Record low maximum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	121	41 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-24	San Carlos Rsvr	Record low maximum temperature	4.4 C (39.9 F)	6.2 C (11.2 F)	60	41 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-25	Elephant Butte Dam	Record low maximum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	90	38 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-26	Imperial	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	86	43 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-26	Aztec Ruins Nm	Record low minimum temperature	-14.4 C (6.1 F)	1.6 C (2.9 F)	84	38 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-28	Junction 4SSW	Record low minimum temperature	-8.3 C (17.1 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	94	39 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 701 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Related Headlines

Third party news, headline and link only

Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.8	106
2.8	86
4.5	80
1.7	121
1.7	110
1.1	117
6.2	60
1.1	117
0.6	102
0.6	121
1.1	98
5.5	77
0.5	101
0.5	116
0.6	106
1.1	96
1.1	94
1.6	84
0.5	90
1.1	90
1.6	80
3.9	72
1.1	84
6.6	60
0.6	84
0.5	84
0.6	84
0.6	80
9.4	56
2.2	72
2.2	68
5.5	62
0.6	80
0.6	77
0.5	77
2.2	64
2.2	64
3.2	64
1.1	66
1.2	68
2.2	72
1.8	68
1.1	60
1.1	60
1.1	56
1.1	60
7.2	44
1.1	60
1.7	57
0.6	60
1.7	66
1.1	72
1.2	72
0.4	72
1.6	66
0.6	66
2.8	56
6.6	44
1.1	60
1.1	56
2.8	52
2.8	60
3.9	52
2.8	52
1.1	56
5.5	34
1.7	60
2.3	58
3.4	50
0.5	57
2.8	57
1.1	64
1.1	60
1.6	60
1.7	60
0.4	66
1.0	64
3.9	50
1.1	48
3.9	52
2.2	52
3.3	56
1.7	56
2.8	52
1.1	50
1.1	57
1.1	60
0.6	60
1.7	50
3.3	52
6.6	32
2.7	52
1.1	56
2.2	41
1.1	57
0.6	60
4.3	53
0.5	60
0.6	52
0.5	60
2.3	50
4.5	36
1.1	56
3.9	24
3.4	46
2.8	36
0.6	56
1.6	46
2.2	36
2.3	52
3.9	42
0.5	56
2.2	52
2.8	44
2.2	36
4.5	32
1.1	52
0.5	42
7.2	25
0.6	56
2.8	20
6.7	12
1.7	53
2.7	44
2.3	46
0.6	53
3.3	29
1.1	42
1.1	41
1.1	46
3.3	44
1.1	42
5.0	20
3.9	32
4.4	32
3.9	26
2.3	41
5.0	17
0.5	50
5.0	24
2.2	28
2.8	36
2.8	32
0.6	48
3.9	36
3.9	36
3.9	36
0.5	44
0.5	48
1.6	41
0.5	42
1.6	42
1.2	37
0.5	41
0.5	49
1.7	30
0.5	32
1.1	42
0.6	48
0.5	40
0.6	42
1.1	36
3.4	34
2.8	20
7.2	9
3.3	32
3.3	33
4.4	22
1.1	32
3.4	32
0.5	45
0.5	42
0.6	36
1.1	41
1.2	40
3.3	36
3.3	32
3.6	32
3.3	32
1.6	32
0.6	32
1.1	42
2.6	17
0.5	42
0.6	21
1.6	16
1.1	41
1.7	32
3.9	29
2.8	13
0.5	36
3.3	30
0.5	32
1.1	36
0.5	41
1.1	36
1.7	32
6.7	9
2.2	36
4.5	28

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.8	106
2.8	86
4.5	80
1.7	121
1.7	110
1.1	117
6.2	60
1.1	117
0.6	102
0.6	121
1.1	98
5.5	77
0.5	101
0.5	116
0.6	106
1.1	96
1.1	94
1.6	84
0.5	90
1.1	90
1.6	80
3.9	72
1.1	84
6.6	60
0.6	84
0.5	84
0.6	84
0.6	80
9.4	56
2.2	72
2.2	68
5.5	62
0.6	80
0.6	77
0.5	77
2.2	64
2.2	64
3.2	64
1.1	66
1.2	68
2.2	72
1.8	68
1.1	60
1.1	60
1.1	56
1.1	60
7.2	44
1.1	60
1.7	57
0.6	60
1.7	66
1.1	72
1.2	72
0.4	72
1.6	66
0.6	66
2.8	56
6.6	44
1.1	60
1.1	56
2.8	52
2.8	60
3.9	52
2.8	52
1.1	56
5.5	34
1.7	60
2.3	58
3.4	50
0.5	57
2.8	57
1.1	64
1.1	60
1.6	60
1.7	60
0.4	66
1.0	64
3.9	50
1.1	48
3.9	52
2.2	52
3.3	56
1.7	56
2.8	52
1.1	50
1.1	57
1.1	60
0.6	60
1.7	50
3.3	52
6.6	32
2.7	52
1.1	56
2.2	41
1.1	57
0.6	60
4.3	53
0.5	60
0.6	52
0.5	60
2.3	50
4.5	36
1.1	56
3.9	24
3.4	46
2.8	36
0.6	56
1.6	46
2.2	36
2.3	52
3.9	42
0.5	56
2.2	52
2.8	44
2.2	36
4.5	32
1.1	52
0.5	42
7.2	25
0.6	56
2.8	20
6.7	12
1.7	53
2.7	44
2.3	46
0.6	53
3.3	29
1.1	42
1.1	41
1.1	46
3.3	44
1.1	42
5.0	20
3.9	32
4.4	32
3.9	26
2.3	41
5.0	17
0.5	50
5.0	24
2.2	28
2.8	36
2.8	32
0.6	48
3.9	36
3.9	36
3.9	36
0.5	44
0.5	48
1.6	41
0.5	42
1.6	42
1.2	37
0.5	41
0.5	49
1.7	30
0.5	32
1.1	42
0.6	48
0.5	40
0.6	42
1.1	36
3.4	34
2.8	20
7.2	9
3.3	32
3.3	33
4.4	22
1.1	32
3.4	32
0.5	45
0.5	42
0.6	36
1.1	41
1.2	40
3.3	36
3.3	32
3.6	32
3.3	32
1.6	32
0.6	32
1.1	42
2.6	17
0.5	42
0.6	21
1.6	16
1.1	41
1.7	32
3.9	29
2.8	13
0.5	36
3.3	30
0.5	32
1.1	36
0.5	41
1.1	36
1.7	32
6.7	9
2.2	36
4.5	28

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.8	106
2.8	86
4.5	80
1.7	121
1.7	110
1.1	117
6.2	60
1.1	117
0.6	102
0.6	121
1.1	98
5.5	77
0.5	101
0.5	116
0.6	106
1.1	96
1.1	94
1.6	84
0.5	90
1.1	90
1.6	80
3.9	72
1.1	84
6.6	60
0.6	84
0.5	84
0.6	84
0.6	80
9.4	56
2.2	72
2.2	68
5.5	62
0.6	80
0.6	77
0.5	77
2.2	64
2.2	64
3.2	64
1.1	66
1.2	68
2.2	72
1.8	68
1.1	60
1.1	60
1.1	56
1.1	60
7.2	44
1.1	60
1.7	57
0.6	60
1.7	66
1.1	72
1.2	72
0.4	72
1.6	66
0.6	66
2.8	56
6.6	44
1.1	60
1.1	56
2.8	52
2.8	60
3.9	52
2.8	52
1.1	56
5.5	34
1.7	60
2.3	58
3.4	50
0.5	57
2.8	57
1.1	64
1.1	60
1.6	60
1.7	60
0.4	66
1.0	64
3.9	50
1.1	48
3.9	52
2.2	52
3.3	56
1.7	56
2.8	52
1.1	50
1.1	57
1.1	60
0.6	60
1.7	50
3.3	52
6.6	32
2.7	52
1.1	56
2.2	41
1.1	57
0.6	60
4.3	53
0.5	60
0.6	52
0.5	60
2.3	50
4.5	36
1.1	56
3.9	24
3.4	46
2.8	36
0.6	56
1.6	46
2.2	36
2.3	52
3.9	42
0.5	56
2.2	52
2.8	44
2.2	36
4.5	32
1.1	52
0.5	42
7.2	25
0.6	56
2.8	20
6.7	12
1.7	53
2.7	44
2.3	46
0.6	53
3.3	29
1.1	42
1.1	41
1.1	46
3.3	44
1.1	42
5.0	20
3.9	32
4.4	32
3.9	26
2.3	41
5.0	17
0.5	50
5.0	24
2.2	28
2.8	36
2.8	32
0.6	48
3.9	36
3.9	36
3.9	36
0.5	44
0.5	48
1.6	41
0.5	42
1.6	42
1.2	37
0.5	41
0.5	49
1.7	30
0.5	32
1.1	42
0.6	48
0.5	40
0.6	42
1.1	36
3.4	34
2.8	20
7.2	9
3.3	32
3.3	33
4.4	22
1.1	32
3.4	32
0.5	45
0.5	42
0.6	36
1.1	41
1.2	40
3.3	36
3.3	32
3.6	32
3.3	32
1.6	32
0.6	32
1.1	42
2.6	17
0.5	42
0.6	21
1.6	16
1.1	41
1.7	32
3.9	29
2.8	13
0.5	36
3.3	30
0.5	32
1.1	36
0.5	41
1.1	36
1.7	32
6.7	9
2.2	36
4.5	28