Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021

Name: Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021
Start: 2021-01-19
End: 2021-02-03
Location: United States

Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021: 721 records at 419 stations, peak on 26 January 2021. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-12. Last revised 12 October 2026 (2026-10-12).

Key Facts

Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021 set or tied 721 station records at 419 stations.
It ran from 19 January 2021 to 3 February 2021 (16 days) and its peak day was 26 January 2021.
Status: closed.
Tombstone set a daily record low maximum temperature of 1.7 C (35.1 F) on 27 January 2021.
The busiest day was 26 January 2021 with 301 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 125 years.

Footprint

19 January to 3 February 2021

The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021 is outlined, with 13 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Tombstone	Record low maximum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	2021-01-27
Prescott	Record low maximum temperature	-2.2 C (28.0 F)	2021-01-27
Julian Cdf	Record low maximum temperature	3.3 C (37.9 F)	2021-01-23
Paradise	Record low maximum temperature	1.1 C (34.0 F)	2021-01-27
Saint Johns	Record low maximum temperature	-3.3 C (26.1 F)	2021-01-27
Willcox	Record low maximum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	2021-01-27
Santa Ana Fire STN	Record low maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	2021-01-23
Auburn	Record low maximum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	2021-01-27
Springerville	Record low minimum temperature	-17.8 C (0.0 F)	2021-01-27
Wallace	Record low minimum temperature	-20.6 C (-5.1 F)	2021-01-28
Calaveras Big Trees	Record low maximum temperature	-2.8 C (27.0 F)	2021-01-25
Ojai	Record low maximum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	2021-01-26
Tumacacori Nm	Record low maximum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	2021-01-27

Records per Day

Peak day 301

Records set or tied each day from 19 January 2021 to 3 February 2021. The most in one day was 301 on 26 January 2021.

Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021
Date	Records
2021-01-19	22
2021-01-20	2
2021-01-21	1
2021-01-22	1
2021-01-23	18
2021-01-24	43
2021-01-25	171
2021-01-26	301
2021-01-27	129
2021-01-28	21
2021-01-29	4
2021-01-30	2
2021-02-01	1
2021-02-02	1
2021-02-03	4

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021 ranked by margin
Tombstone, 01-27	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Tumacacori Nm, 01-27	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Prescott, 01-27	3.9 C (7.0 F)
Paradise, 01-27	3.9 C (7.0 F)
Saint Johns, 01-27	3.9 C (7.0 F)
Willcox, 01-27	3.3 C (5.9 F)
Paradise, 01-27	2.7 C (4.9 F)
Julian Cdf, 01-23	2.3 C (4.1 F)
Paradise, 01-26	2.2 C (4.0 F)
Calaveras Big Trees, 01-25	1.7 C (3.1 F)
Santa Ana Fire STN, 01-23	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Ojai, 01-26	1.1 C (2.0 F)
Prescott, 01-26	0.6 C (1.1 F)
Springerville, 01-27	0.6 C (1.1 F)
Auburn, 01-28	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, 19 January to 3 February 2021
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
5.0	122
3.9	119
3.9	90
2.3	125
2.7	95
3.9	88
3.3	89
1.1	101
2.2	89
0.6	119
0.6	106
0.6	105
0.5	105
0.5	125
0.6	117
0.5	105
5.0	72
1.7	88
1.1	89
0.5	89
3.3	72
0.5	84
6.2	58
0.5	59
2.2	72
1.7	72
1.7	77
1.7	76
2.3	72
2.1	73
3.8	59
0.5	72
0.6	72
1.7	72
0.6	72
0.6	72
1.2	73
1.1	72
1.7	72
2.8	55
1.7	73
1.7	72
3.3	59
7.8	32
0.5	64
0.5	72
0.6	64
1.7	58
2.2	55
0.6	72
1.1	73
3.9	42
2.8	59
0.6	58
9.5	11
0.6	64
3.9	42
0.6	55
2.8	56
7.8	27
1.1	59
5.6	27
1.6	42
3.4	42
3.9	25
2.2	58
3.3	42
3.3	27
1.1	48
0.6	57
0.6	59
1.6	49
0.5	49
3.9	25
3.9	42
3.3	42
2.8	42
2.8	42
2.8	42
1.1	42
0.6	59
6.7	26
6.3	27
1.7	49
1.1	46
1.1	42
0.6	42
2.2	42
6.1	27
1.2	28
4.4	31
1.7	42
2.2	42
1.6	49
2.2	42
2.2	42
1.1	49
4.4	30
0.1	30
6.1	25
2.8	42
1.5	42
2.2	42
2.2	42
2.2	42
0.6	48
3.3	42
1.1	42
6.1	17
3.9	30
5.2	27
1.7	42
0.4	50
1.7	42
5.5	17
0.6	48
5.0	13
2.8	31
2.8	31
0.5	42
2.2	22
3.3	12
1.1	42
5.6	5
2.2	45
0.6	42
0.6	21
4.2	33
1.6	40
2.2	20
0.5	18
0.5	42
1.7	40
3.9	20
0.6	42
0.6	49
1.7	22
1.1	42
3.4	25
0.5	45
1.6	42
4.4	17
5.0	22
5.5	12
3.8	27
2.5	30
3.2	34
3.6	27
4.7	26
4.4	25
2.2	32
0.5	42
0.5	42
1.1	42
0.5	42
2.2	25
3.9	12
4.4	22
3.3	20
1.1	42
0.5	41
0.6	46
1.1	42
4.5	26
1.1	12
2.2	30
2.8	25
2.3	30
3.3	25
1.7	30
3.4	25
4.3	25
4.4	22
4.4	17
0.6	42
2.7	20
2.2	12
3.4	10
1.7	17
1.1	42
0.6	42
2.2	32
2.8	31
3.8	12
2.3	31
2.2	32
3.3	27
3.3	31
2.9	27
3.1	27
2.8	32
1.6	20
2.8	27
2.2	25
2.2	25
2.4	27
2.2	25
4.4	19
2.8	20
3.3	22

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021 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, 19 January to 3 February 2021 (this event)	721 records

Every Record Set

20 of 721

Every record set or tied during Cold outbreak in United States, 19 January to 3 February 2021, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2021-01-23	Julian Cdf	Record low maximum temperature	3.3 C (37.9 F)	2.3 C (4.1 F)	125	45 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-23	Santa Ana Fire STN	Record low maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	101	42 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-25	Calaveras Big Trees	Record low maximum temperature	-2.8 C (27.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	88	38 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-26	Paradise	Record low minimum temperature	-15.0 C (5.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	89	41 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-26	Prescott	Record low maximum temperature	1.1 C (34.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	119	41 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-26	Ojai	Record low maximum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	89	38 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-26	Auburn	Record low maximum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	89	37 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Tombstone	Record low maximum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	122	50 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Prescott	Record low maximum temperature	-2.2 C (28.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	119	47 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Paradise	Record low maximum temperature	1.1 C (34.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	90	45 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Paradise	Record low minimum temperature	-14.4 C (6.1 F)	2.7 C (4.9 F)	95	44 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Saint Johns	Record low maximum temperature	-3.3 C (26.1 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	88	43 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Willcox	Record low maximum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	89	43 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Springerville	Record low minimum temperature	-17.8 C (0.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	106	41 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Auburn	Record low maximum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	105	41 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Julian Cdf	Record low minimum temperature	-6.1 C (21.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	125	41 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Wallace	Record low minimum temperature	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	105	40 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-27	Tumacacori Nm	Record low maximum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	72	38 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-28	Auburn	Record low maximum temperature	4.4 C (39.9 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	105	41 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-28	Wallace	Record low minimum temperature	-20.6 C (-5.1 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	117	41 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 721 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

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 2026-10-12. 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
5.0	122
3.9	119
3.9	90
2.3	125
2.7	95
3.9	88
3.3	89
1.1	101
2.2	89
0.6	119
0.6	106
0.6	105
0.5	105
0.5	125
0.6	117
0.5	105
5.0	72
1.7	88
1.1	89
0.5	89
3.3	72
0.5	84
6.2	58
0.5	59
2.2	72
1.7	72
1.7	77
1.7	76
2.3	72
2.1	73
3.8	59
0.5	72
0.6	72
1.7	72
0.6	72
0.6	72
1.2	73
1.1	72
1.7	72
2.8	55
1.7	73
1.7	72
3.3	59
7.8	32
0.5	64
0.5	72
0.6	64
1.7	58
2.2	55
0.6	72
1.1	73
3.9	42
2.8	59
0.6	58
9.5	11
0.6	64
3.9	42
0.6	55
2.8	56
7.8	27
1.1	59
5.6	27
1.6	42
3.4	42
3.9	25
2.2	58
3.3	42
3.3	27
1.1	48
0.6	57
0.6	59
1.6	49
0.5	49
3.9	25
3.9	42
3.3	42
2.8	42
2.8	42
2.8	42
1.1	42
0.6	59
6.7	26
6.3	27
1.7	49
1.1	46
1.1	42
0.6	42
2.2	42
6.1	27
1.2	28
4.4	31
1.7	42
2.2	42
1.6	49
2.2	42
2.2	42
1.1	49
4.4	30
0.1	30
6.1	25
2.8	42
1.5	42
2.2	42
2.2	42
2.2	42
0.6	48
3.3	42
1.1	42
6.1	17
3.9	30
5.2	27
1.7	42
0.4	50
1.7	42
5.5	17
0.6	48
5.0	13
2.8	31
2.8	31
0.5	42
2.2	22
3.3	12
1.1	42
5.6	5
2.2	45
0.6	42
0.6	21
4.2	33
1.6	40
2.2	20
0.5	18
0.5	42
1.7	40
3.9	20
0.6	42
0.6	49
1.7	22
1.1	42
3.4	25
0.5	45
1.6	42
4.4	17
5.0	22
5.5	12
3.8	27
2.5	30
3.2	34
3.6	27
4.7	26
4.4	25
2.2	32
0.5	42
0.5	42
1.1	42
0.5	42
2.2	25
3.9	12
4.4	22
3.3	20
1.1	42
0.5	41
0.6	46
1.1	42
4.5	26
1.1	12
2.2	30
2.8	25
2.3	30
3.3	25
1.7	30
3.4	25
4.3	25
4.4	22
4.4	17
0.6	42
2.7	20
2.2	12
3.4	10
1.7	17
1.1	42
0.6	42
2.2	32
2.8	31
3.8	12
2.3	31
2.2	32
3.3	27
3.3	31
2.9	27
3.1	27
2.8	32
1.6	20
2.8	27
2.2	25
2.2	25
2.4	27
2.2	25
4.4	19
2.8	20
3.3	22

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
5.0	122
3.9	119
3.9	90
2.3	125
2.7	95
3.9	88
3.3	89
1.1	101
2.2	89
0.6	119
0.6	106
0.6	105
0.5	105
0.5	125
0.6	117
0.5	105
5.0	72
1.7	88
1.1	89
0.5	89
3.3	72
0.5	84
6.2	58
0.5	59
2.2	72
1.7	72
1.7	77
1.7	76
2.3	72
2.1	73
3.8	59
0.5	72
0.6	72
1.7	72
0.6	72
0.6	72
1.2	73
1.1	72
1.7	72
2.8	55
1.7	73
1.7	72
3.3	59
7.8	32
0.5	64
0.5	72
0.6	64
1.7	58
2.2	55
0.6	72
1.1	73
3.9	42
2.8	59
0.6	58
9.5	11
0.6	64
3.9	42
0.6	55
2.8	56
7.8	27
1.1	59
5.6	27
1.6	42
3.4	42
3.9	25
2.2	58
3.3	42
3.3	27
1.1	48
0.6	57
0.6	59
1.6	49
0.5	49
3.9	25
3.9	42
3.3	42
2.8	42
2.8	42
2.8	42
1.1	42
0.6	59
6.7	26
6.3	27
1.7	49
1.1	46
1.1	42
0.6	42
2.2	42
6.1	27
1.2	28
4.4	31
1.7	42
2.2	42
1.6	49
2.2	42
2.2	42
1.1	49
4.4	30
0.1	30
6.1	25
2.8	42
1.5	42
2.2	42
2.2	42
2.2	42
0.6	48
3.3	42
1.1	42
6.1	17
3.9	30
5.2	27
1.7	42
0.4	50
1.7	42
5.5	17
0.6	48
5.0	13
2.8	31
2.8	31
0.5	42
2.2	22
3.3	12
1.1	42
5.6	5
2.2	45
0.6	42
0.6	21
4.2	33
1.6	40
2.2	20
0.5	18
0.5	42
1.7	40
3.9	20
0.6	42
0.6	49
1.7	22
1.1	42
3.4	25
0.5	45
1.6	42
4.4	17
5.0	22
5.5	12
3.8	27
2.5	30
3.2	34
3.6	27
4.7	26
4.4	25
2.2	32
0.5	42
0.5	42
1.1	42
0.5	42
2.2	25
3.9	12
4.4	22
3.3	20
1.1	42
0.5	41
0.6	46
1.1	42
4.5	26
1.1	12
2.2	30
2.8	25
2.3	30
3.3	25
1.7	30
3.4	25
4.3	25
4.4	22
4.4	17
0.6	42
2.7	20
2.2	12
3.4	10
1.7	17
1.1	42
0.6	42
2.2	32
2.8	31
3.8	12
2.3	31
2.2	32
3.3	27
3.3	31
2.9	27
3.1	27
2.8	32
1.6	20
2.8	27
2.2	25
2.2	25
2.4	27
2.2	25
4.4	19
2.8	20
3.3	22