Built 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026)

Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021

Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021: 240 records at 185 stations, peak on 15 December 2021. Closed.

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

Key Facts

  • Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 set or tied 240 station records at 185 stations.
  • It ran from 9 December 2021 to 20 December 2021 (12 days) and its peak day was 15 December 2021.
  • Status: closed.
  • Mina set a daily record low maximum temperature of -6.1 C (21.0 F) on 19 December 2021.
  • The busiest day was 15 December 2021 with 58 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 122 years.

Footprint

9 to 20 December 2021
Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 is outlined, with 14 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 is outlined, with 14 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
MinaRecord low maximum temperature-6.1 C (21.0 F)2021-12-19
TonopahRecord low minimum temperature-18.9 C (-2.0 F)2021-12-18
Mancos 1SWRecord low maximum temperature-3.3 C (26.1 F)2021-12-11
DeseretRecord low maximum temperature-8.3 C (17.1 F)2021-12-18
Mesa Verde NpRecord low maximum temperature-6.7 C (19.9 F)2021-12-11
San Diego Intl APRecord low minimum temperature3.3 C (37.9 F)2021-12-16
Shasta DamRecord low maximum temperature3.3 C (37.9 F)2021-12-20
Gibbs Rch - Jarbidge 24SERecord low maximum temperature-6.1 C (21.0 F)2021-12-16
Paso RoblesRecord low maximum temperature8.3 C (46.9 F)2021-12-15
Camarillo APRecord low minimum temperature0.6 C (33.1 F)2021-12-12
Tonopah APRecord low maximum temperature-3.8 C (25.2 F)2021-12-15
DeltaRecord low maximum temperature-7.8 C (18.0 F)2021-12-18
AlpineRecord low minimum temperature-0.6 C (30.9 F)2021-12-16
Jiggs 2NERecord low minimum temperature-30.0 C (-22.0 F)2021-12-18

Records per Day

Peak day 58
Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 Records set or tied each day from 9 December 2021 to 20 December 2021. The most in one day was 58 on 15 December 2021. 0 15 30 45 60 12-0912-1112-1312-1512-1712-19
Records set or tied each day from 9 December 2021 to 20 December 2021. The most in one day was 58 on 15 December 2021.
Records per day during Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021
DateRecords
2021-12-0919
2021-12-1030
2021-12-1133
2021-12-1213
2021-12-1310
2021-12-1424
2021-12-1558
2021-12-1616
2021-12-175
2021-12-1816
2021-12-1911
2021-12-205

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 ranked by margin
Mina, 12-195.0 C (9.0 F)
Tonopah, 12-184.5 C (8.1 F)
Jiggs 2NE, 12-184.4 C (7.9 F)
Mesa Verde Np, 12-112.3 C (4.1 F)
Shasta Dam, 12-202.3 C (4.1 F)
Tonopah, 12-192.2 C (4.0 F)
Tonopah, 12-172.2 C (4.0 F)
Gibbs Rch - Jarbidge 24SE, 12-162.2 C (4.0 F)
San Diego Intl AP, 12-161.7 C (3.1 F)
Mancos 1SW, 12-111.1 C (2.0 F)
Deseret, 12-181.1 C (2.0 F)
San Diego Intl AP, 12-181.1 C (2.0 F)
Camarillo AP, 12-121.1 C (2.0 F)
Tonopah AP, 12-151.0 C (1.8 F)
Tonopah, 12-150.6 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

Margin against age of the broken record in Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 240 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. 0 38 75 113 150 0.01.53.04.56.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
240 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, 9 to 20 December 2021
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
5.0112
4.596
2.296
1.1122
2.292
1.1112
2.388
0.690
1.772
2.368
1.156
2.256
0.656
0.648
1.152
1.056
0.650
0.650
4.436
0.451
0.632
3.931
1.142
1.620
1.143
2.631
0.536
0.536
2.728
5.610
1.736
0.636
1.136
1.931
1.836
2.332
2.720
2.428
2.331
2.228
3.915
1.732
2.823
1.131
1.631
1.135
1.034
1.632
2.824
2.032
1.827
1.531
2.814
1.66
1.131
0.536
1.131
1.328
0.534
1.528
2.320
2.220
1.628
0.932
0.831
1.134
1.432
4.812
2.724
2.824
0.532
1.128
1.115
0.631
2.816
1.131
0.631
0.532
1.128
0.531
1.027
1.620
0.134
0.134
1.128
0.732
0.632
2.324
1.032
0.234
0.832
0.732
2.320
0.531
1.032
1.427
1.12
3.94
0.627
1.720
1.124
1.124
0.528
1.618
1.720
0.528
1.124
1.124
3.412
1.720
1.324
1.620
0.232
1.224
0.232
0.531
2.420
0.924
0.131
0.431
0.431
0.331
1.714
0.327
3.48
1.120
0.624
1.222
2.218
1.120
0.527
0.127
1.120
0.227
1.123
0.520
1.612
0.524
2.212
0.620
0.620
0.620
0.224
0.520
0.620
0.520
0.522
0.520
0.622
1.120
0.224
0.324
0.324
2.312
0.820
0.720
1.712
1.712
0.616
0.519
1.712
0.220
1.212
1.78
1.114
0.220
0.220
0.520
1.612
0.220
0.420
0.420
0.615
0.120
0.818
0.320
0.420
0.220
1.110
0.58
1.114
1.212
0.616
0.615
0.516
1.712
0.614
1.311
0.714
0.715
0.218
1.312
0.50
0.68
0.68
0.510
0.612
0.612
0.612
0.612

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 compared with similar events
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 6 February to 5 March 202112,118 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 13 October to 5 November 20209,841 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 20188,263 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 3 to 23 January 20247,675 records
Cold outbreak in United States, 15 January to 10 February 20265,568 records
Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021 (this event)240 records

Every Record Set

20 of 240
Every record set or tied during Cold outbreak in United States, 9 to 20 December 2021, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2021-12-11Mancos 1SWRecord low maximum temperature-3.3 C (26.1 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)12242 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-11Mesa Verde NpRecord low maximum temperature-6.7 C (19.9 F)2.3 C (4.1 F)8840 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-12Camarillo APRecord low minimum temperature0.6 C (33.1 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)5224 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-15TonopahRecord low minimum temperature-12.8 C (9.0 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)9038 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-15Paso RoblesRecord low maximum temperature8.3 C (46.9 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)4825 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-15Tonopah APRecord low maximum temperature-3.8 C (25.2 F)1.0 C (1.8 F)5624 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-16San Diego Intl APRecord low minimum temperature3.3 C (37.9 F)1.7 C (3.1 F)7235 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-16Gibbs Rch - Jarbidge 24SERecord low maximum temperature-6.1 C (21.0 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)5627 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-16AlpineRecord low minimum temperature-0.6 C (30.9 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)5023 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-17TonopahRecord low minimum temperature-13.9 C (7.0 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)9241 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-18TonopahRecord low minimum temperature-18.9 C (-2.0 F)4.5 C (8.1 F)9648 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-18DeseretRecord low maximum temperature-8.3 C (17.1 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)11241 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-18San Diego Intl APRecord low minimum temperature3.9 C (39.0 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)5628 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-18DeltaRecord low maximum temperature-7.8 C (18.0 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)5024 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-18Jiggs 2NERecord low minimum temperature-30.0 C (-22.0 F)4.4 C (7.9 F)3622 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-18Tonopah APRecord low minimum temperature-18.2 C (-0.8 F)0.4 C (0.7 F)5121 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-19MinaRecord low maximum temperature-6.1 C (21.0 F)5.0 C (9.0 F)11250 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-19TonopahRecord low minimum temperature-17.8 C (0.0 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)9643 of 100 (Notable)
2021-12-19San Diego Intl APRecord low minimum temperature4.4 C (39.9 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)5626 of 100 (Routine)
2021-12-20Shasta DamRecord low maximum temperature3.3 C (37.9 F)2.3 C (4.1 F)6832 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 240 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.