Buffalo Sees Coldest Temperatures in Decades

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Western New York is in the midst of a brutal cold snap, with temperatures in Buffalo dropping to -9 degrees Fahrenheit at the airport on a recent morning. This marks the coldest the city has seen in nearly 10 years, since reaching -12 degrees on Valentine's Day 2016. However, the record lows in Buffalo's history are even more extreme, with the thermometer plunging to -20 degrees on two occasions in the 1930s and 1960s.

Why it matters

Extreme cold weather can pose serious risks to public safety, infrastructure, and daily life in a city like Buffalo. While residents are accustomed to harsh winters, temperatures this low can be dangerous, especially when factoring in wind chill. Understanding Buffalo's coldest temperatures on record helps provide important context around the current cold snap and its potential impacts.

The details

This morning's -9 degree reading at the Buffalo airport does not even account for the wind chill, which makes the air feel even more frigid. The last time Buffalo saw temperatures this low was on Valentine's Day 2016, when the thermometer dropped to -12 degrees. However, the city's all-time record lows are even more extreme, reaching -20 degrees on February 9, 1934 and February 2, 1961.

• This morning, temperatures in Buffalo dropped to -9 degrees Fahrenheit at the airport.
• The last time Buffalo saw temperatures this low was on Valentine's Day 2016, when the city hit -12 degrees.
• Buffalo's all-time record low temperatures were -20 degrees, reached on February 9, 1934 and February 2, 1961.