Downloaded 09/28/21 07:44 AM UTC Bulletin American Meteorological Society 617

1 Prominent November Coldwaves in the N thC, .r^.-TfT North CentraIllinoil Regionas Statl eClimat Wateer SurveyCenter, North Central United States Since 1901 Champaign, IL 61820

Abstract Weather Review, and 3) past copies of 11 regional newspapers were investigated to identify days when the difference be- The frequency and intensity of early winter (November) coldwaves tween the maximum temperature of one day and the min- were investigated for the north central United States. Twenty-two such storms occurred from 1901 to 1985, and were most frequent in imum temperature of the following day was greater than the 1950s and early 1960s, and again from the mid 1970s to the 22°C, and when the minimum temperature fell to 0°C or present. below. November coldwaves are most often the result of Colorado cy- The above process identified 22 November events satisfy- clones moving to the east northeast. On average, temperature de- ing the above criteria during the 85 years since 1901. Their clines of 22°C or more within 24 hours, falling to at least 0°C, impacted about 40 percent of the 12-state region. The storms were most magnitude and frequency are shown in Fig. 1. Fifteen of the often accompanied by strong winds, wind chill, heavy snow to the above storms impacted at least 30 percent of the 12-state re- west, and thunderstorms to the east, i.e., the trappings of a severe gion. All the coldwaves listed in Table 1 impacted some area winter storm. Many of these storms inflicted severe damage on land of the region and were noted by 1) temperature changes of at and on the Great Lakes, sometimes taking lives of those not antici- least 22°C in 24 hours, 2) strong winds (often in excess of 25 pating such a severe "winter" storm in November. mps), 3) moderate to heavy snow (25 cm or more), and 4) severe thunderstorms or tornadoes. Interestingly, the coldwaves that exhibited either the greatest temperature change 1. Introduction or the largest area of impact were not accompanied by the strongest winds, most severe weather, or most damage. The Strong coldwaves accompanied by strong winds are common dates presented in this paper represent the first day of the during winter, in the north central United States, but unex- coldwave event in the region. pected during spring and fall. By definition, a coldwave in- Only the most destructive coldwaves or those that im- cludes two criteria: 1) the rate of temperature decline, and 2) pacted the greatest area are discussed here. The first of the the minimum to which the temperature declines (Huschke, storms after 1901 is that of 13 November 1909. Temperature 1959). In this paper, November coldwaves in the north cen- declines of 20°C to 28°C were general in Missouri. Record or tral region defined by temperature declines of 22°C (40°F) near-record snowfall occurred in the north central region, within 24 hours, falling to 0°C, and accompanied by strong save for North Dakota and southern Minnesota (Chappel, winds (i.e., events with high chill rates), are reviewed. 1909). Strong winds foundered one freighter in Lake Michi- Evidence exists for coldwaves prior to 1901, however, rec- gan off Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and damaged or sank 15 ords are incomplete in both space and time, thereby limiting ships in Lake Superior. conclusions from that time. For example, Ludlum (1966) re- The coldwave of 11 November 1911, was one of the most ports a 22°C temperature fall from 21-22 December 1796 severe coldwaves investigated. The 11th began with relatively near Camden South Carolina. Similarly, Lewis and Clark high temperatures for the season, generally above 23°C in noted a 23°C temperature fall from 1600 local time, 11 No- Wisconsin and Minnesota, and a temperature of 24.4°C in vember 1804 to sunrise of the following day at Fort Mandan, Kansas City, Missouri at 1045. Temperatures fell by more North Dakota (Ludlum, 1966). Ludlum (1968) reported a than 33°C in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri, with temperature of 4.4°C in the morning of 19 December 1836 at the maximum change noted being 40.6°C at Columbia, Mis- Augusta, Illinois, falling to -17.8°C by 1400 local time (de- souri. During the morning and afternoon, a strong cold front cline of 22.2°C), when Fort Dearborn (near Chicago) was still 3.9°C. In this instance the winds were sufficiently strong to ground two ships in the Sandusky, Ohio harbor.

2. Prominent November coldwaves since 1901 In order to identify November coldwaves since 1901, copies of 1) Storm Data since 1959, 2) temperature records from several score of stations in the Midwest since 1901 found in state and district ClimatologicalData summaries and Monthly FIG. 1. Frequency and magnitude of November cold waves in the north central region since 1901. Percent of north central region (area © 1987 American Meteorological Society shown in Fig. 3) indicated by vertical length of event marker. 616 Vol. 68, No. 6, June 1987

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TABLE 1. Dates and prominent features of coldwaves in the North Central United States since 1901. Percent of Region Max Temp Decline & Location/ with Temperature States with Temp Decline of Synoptic Date Decline > 22°C at Least 22°C Situation 13 Nov 09 15 24°C in South Dakota/ cold front South Dakota, Missouri & Iowa 11 Nov 11 80 40.5°C in Missouri/ cold front Entire region except Minnesota & northern Wisconsin 10 Nov 19 30 29°C in Kansas/ New Mexico Low SRN Minnesota, west & south 11 Nov 27 50 31°C in Nebraska/ Alberta Low South Dakota to Illinois to Missouri 14 Nov 32 30 28°C in Kansas/ New Mexico Low Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri 2 Nov 36 40 30°C in Kansas/ Colorado Low Iowa, west & south 11 Nov 40 30 30°C in Kansas/ Colorado Low Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri 7 Nov 45 10 22°C in Missouri & Illinois/ Colorado Low Missouri, Illinois and Indiana 1 Nov 50 45 27°C in Nebraska/ Alberta Low South Dakota to northern Indiana to Missouri 19 Nov 50 70 29°C in South Dakota/ US-Canadian border Minnesota to SW Ohio & west Low 22 Nov 55 30 28°C in Missouri/ cold front Kansas to Ohio and south 14 Nov 56 50 24°C in Nebraska/ Colorado Low South Dakota to Ohio to Kansas 17 Nov 58 20 29°C in Kansas/ New Mexico Low Kansas and Missouri 28 Nov 60 75 27°C in South Dakota/ Colorado Low North Dakota to Ohio and south 2 Nov 61 80 32°C in Nebraska/ Colorado Low Minnesota to Ohio and south 22 Nov 63 20 27°C in North Dakota/ Gulf Coast Low Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa 26 Nov 65 10 25°C in Missouri/ New Mexico Low Illinois, Missouri and Kansas 23 Nov 74 25 26°C in Kansas/ Colorado Low South Dakota to Missouri and southwest 26 Nov 76 50 27°C in Illinois/ Colorado Low North Dakota to Illinois and southwest 20 Nov 77 35 31°C in Kansas/ Colorado Low Iowa, West & south 11 Nov 82 55 32°C in Nebraska/ Colorado Low South Dakota to Illinois and southwest 30 Nov 85 25 32°C in Illinois/ Colorado Low Missouri, Iowa and east

rapidly passed over the north central region (passing Chi- (total decline of 30°C in 4.3 hours). The temperature at Seda- cago about 1200), accompanied by severe thunderstorms, lia, Missouri fell 22.2°C in four hours. Tornadoes were re- strong winds and some tornadoes. Temperatures abruptly ported in Rock County, Wisconsin; Davenport Iowa; and dropped thereafter. Chicago's temperature fell from 23.3°C Springfield Missouri. on the afternoon of the 11th to-10.6°C at 0800 on the 12th. A coldwave passed over the region 8-10 November 1913, Six people were killed in a cyclone (tornado?) in Janesville which supported very strong winds and caused much damage (south central Wisconsin), and six hunters lost their lives on the Great Lakes (Catton, 1985), however is not included near Madison, Wisconsin due to the weather. Seven persons in the present study since 24-h temperature changes failed to were drowned on Lake Michigan, their boat having over- reach coldwave criteria of this paper (—22°C in 24 h or less). turned in the strong winds. The storm of 11 November 1927 was preceded by severe In Kansas City, the temperature fell 8.3°C in 20 minutes, thunderstorms and strong winds (18 mps) in Chicago, where and another 7.2°C in two hours, reaching —5.6°C by 1500 the temperature subsequently dropped 13°C in three hours.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 07:44 AM UTC 618 Vol. 68, No. 6, June 1987 The temperature fell 11.1°C in three hours in Kansas City Pierre, South Dakota, and winds to 22 mps were observed at and further dropped from 19.4°C at 0700 to 5.0°C by 1300. Rockford, and Chicago, Illinois. Temperatures fell by 31°C in Valentine, Nebraska; 30°C in Cold waves on 28 November 1960 and on 2 November 1961 Dodge City, Kansas; and 21°C in Columbus, Ohio within 24 impacted large sections of the region, 75 percent and 80 per- hours. cent respectively, but inflicted little damage. The coldwave of 11 November 1940 appears to be the one The storm of 26 November 1965 was caused by a cyclone during which most lives were lost, and perhaps that which in- (central pressure 97 kPa) which moved over northeastern flicted the greatest damage. The Chicago Tribune headlined: Wisconsin. Winds over 27 mps were observed in eastern "Highest winds of the century smash Chicago." The Chicago counties of that state, as well as over North Dakota and Min- Weather Bureau office recorded winds to 29 mps, with gusts nesota. Winds greater than 35 mps were measured at the St. to 45 mps estimated from the damage. Grand Rapids, Michi- Mary's River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and a freighter gan recorded winds to 36 mps. Winds in the upper Midwest was grounded on Lake Michigan. The temperature at Kansas were generally greater than 22 mps. City fell by 18.9°C in 12 hours. Morning temperatures on the 11th were above 20°C from On 20 November 1977, a coldwave moved through the Illinois to Minnesota, attracting waterfowl hunters to the Upper Midwest. Strong winds were common over the area, Mississippi River. Temperatures fell precipitously from noon reaching 25 mps in southern Manitoba. South to south- with the frontal passage, and the northwest winds increased westerly winds to 45 mps were observed at Phelps (north cen- in speed. Ten hunters were marooned on an island in the Mis- tral Wisconsin), and gusts in excess of 27 mps were recorded sissippi River overnight near Dallas City (west central Illi- at the Alexander Field Airport, (central Wisconsin). Snow in nois). At least 13 Minnesota hunters lost their lives from excess of 25 cm fell over the northwestern region and north drowning due to overturned boats, or exposure; six more into Manitoba. died in Wisconsin, three in Illinois, two in Missouri, and one On 30 November 1985 eastern Iowa and Missouri, south- in Iowa. Thirty-one hunters were reported lost from this ern Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio experienced a cold- storm. In all, however, more than 157 people directly or indi- wave, while Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Minnesota had al- rectly lost their lives due to this storm. ready been observing temperatures below — 17.7°C (°F) for The Great Lakes were perilous. The strong winds ahead at least three days. The greatest 24-h temperature declines of, and behind the storm center provided notable swell and fetch to the Great Lakes. The former was moving toward the north, while the latter was increasingly developing, and moving to the southeast, yielding a chaotic surface state. A freighter on Lake Michigan recorded a barometric reading of only 95.9 kPa (28.31 in Hg), and estimated winds to be 31 mps accompanied by 15-m waves. The lowest pressure along the storm's over-land trajectory was 96.8 kPa (28.57 in Hg). Six freighters or car ferries were grounded, and three were lost, with 57 lives. At least $4 million (1941 value) in property was lost directly due to the storm, including livestock and poultry due to exposure, and damage to buildings and communication wires (Knarr, 1941). The storm of 7 November 45 abruptly ended Indian Summer. In Chicago the temperature fell 8°C in 50 minutes, and wind gusts reached 27 mps. The coldwave was also experienced in Detroit, where the temperature fell 17.8°C in 24 hours. Snow to 23 cm fell over Montana, and the Dakotas. Temperatures declined 22°C or more from southwestern Kansas to southwestern Michigan. Late October of 1950 had been warm, with Chicago reaching maximum temperatures of 27°C or more on several days. On 1 November 1950 the temperature sharply declined by 17°C to 20°C over the area. The area with at least a 22°C decline in 24 hours included the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, and east to Indiana. The greatest temperature decline (26.7°C in 24 hours) was observed at Valentine, Nebraska. Interestingly, a second coldwave occurred the same month, on 19 November, 1950. This storm impacted 70 percent of the region. The coldwave of 14 November 1956 was noted in the western and central states of the region. Temperatures declined by 22°C in less than 24 hours at Chicago, Illinois; Indianapo- FIG . 2. Twenty-four hour (or less) temperature declines from 1 to 2 lis, Indiana; Des Moines, Iowa; Valentine, Nebraska; and December 1985 in Illinois. Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 07:44 AM UTC Bulletin American Meteorological Society 619 were noted in Illinois, the greatest being 31.7°C at Kankakee (see Fig. 2). In the Peoria, Illinois area, temperatures fell sufficiently fast, accompanied by strong winds, that more than 200 coots (Fulica americana) were frozen into skim ice on nearby Spring Lake, an oxbow remnant, about 8-km long, 1-km wide, and 3-m deep at its deepest point.

3. Discussion and conclusions Twenty-two November coldwaves with 24-hour temperature declines of at least 22°C, reaching 0°C were identified from 1901 to 1985. November coldwaves were most frequent (Fig. 1) in the 1950s and the early 1960s (9 coldwaves in 16 years), and again from the mid 1970s to the present (5 coldwaves in 13 years). The coldwaves of 1911, 1950, 1960, and 1961 impacted greater than 55 percent of the region. Interestingly, FIG. 3. Mean 24-hour temperature changes in coldwaves asso- four coldwaves occurred on 11 November, those of 1911, ciated with Colorado cyclones. 1927,1940, and 1982. Only in November 1950 did two coldwaves meeting the above criteria occur during one month. significance due to the unexpected occurrence of such winter- Eleven of the coldwaves were associated with cyclones mi- like weather during what is still perceived to be autumn. grating eastward from Colorado (see Table 1), four with cyclones from New Mexico, three with migrating cold fronts, two with Alberta cyclones, one with a cyclone that moved parallel to the United States-Canadian border, and one with Acknowledgments. The author acknowledges the assistance of Mr. a cyclone that moved northward from the Gulf coast. Regard- George Willis, who vividly remembers the coldwave of 11 November less of the source of the associated cyclone, the patterns of 1940 and piqued the author's interest in early winter coldwaves. impact over the area were not greatly, or systematically dif- ferent. Indeed, they were remarkably similar, exhibiting the greatest temperature change in the west central and southwestern parts of the region. Figure 3 shows the distribution References of mean 24-hour temperature changes associated with coldwaves related to Colorado cyclones. All coldwaves exhibited Catton, B., 1985: The ultimate storm. Weatherwise, 38, 248-253. the greatest temperature decline in the western part of the re- Chappel, C. M., 1909: Climatological Service of the Weather Bu- gion, and with only three exceptions, the greatest tempera- reau, District No. 5. p. 3. Huschke, R. E., ed. 1959: "Glossary of Meteorology." Amer. ture change was noted in the southwest. Meteor. Soc., Boston, Mass., pp. 638. Virtually all the coldwaves were associated with strong Knarr, A. J., 1941: The Midwest storm of November 11,1940. Mon. winds, leading to strong wind chill in the cold air. Snow oc- Wea. Rev., 69, 169-178. curred to the west and northwest portions of the region, and Ludlum, D. M., 1966: "Early American Winters, 1604-1840." rain, thunderstorms, and sometimes tornadoes occurred to Amer. Meteor. Soc., Boston, Mass., pp. 285. the east and south. In addition to the wind chill, severe , 1968: "Early American Winters II, 1821 to 1870," Amer. weather and damage, November coldwaves take on added Meteor. Soc., Boston, Mass., pp. 257. •

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