The Mother of All Cold Waves

It starts out as a wisp of white cloud against the blue backdrop of a clear winter sky. The advancing white line of high cirrus clouds suddenly covers the entire sky. As the storm front approaches, the low storm clouds appear blue against the higher clouds, hence the name. The front’s arrival is announced by a smattering of rain and strong northerly winds. The temperature plunges. Residents of the Plains know it as a blue norther.

It is said that there is nothing separating the Plains from the Arctic but a few barbed wire fences. This is really true. There are no mountain ranges like the Rickies to bottle up the cold air. When it comes south, it does so.

On this date in 1899, the most notable blue norther in American history was racing southward. Weather maps showed huge high pressure in southern Canada moving into Montana and North Dakota. The cold wave would not stop until it got to Central America. The temperature plunged to 61 degrees below zero in Montana on this date. It would go on to become one of the greatest cold waves ever observed in the U.S.

By the next day, temperatures in the Texas Panhandle would be as low as -23ºF at Tulia, tying the state’s all-time record low. Galveston Bay would be covered by a sheet of ice. Temperatures in the 20s would be observed as far south as the Florida Panhandle.

On the 13th, a great blizzard was moving up the East Coast. This storm would dump 25-30 inches of snow on the Washington, D.C. area. It was -2F at Tallahassee, Florida and -16F at Minden, Louisiana.

It would be the mother of all cold waves. Ice was observed in the Gulf of Mexico. That has only happened twice.

Three inches of snow fell in Lake City, Florida. Snow flurries were reported as far south as Fort Myers. Sleigh riding was possible in Montgomery. On the 14th, it was 29F in Miami.

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