Arctic Blast Warning: These Are the Coldest Cities in the U.S. Right Now

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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Over 200 million Americans are under some kind of winter weather alert as most of the country experiences freezing temperatures, dangerously cold winds and travel disruptions amid a "once-in-a-generation" winter storm that is expected to worsen over the Christmas weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that the storm—which is currently spreading through the Rockies, the south, the Midwest, the Great Lakes and the eastern seaboard—will continue to bring life-threatening wind chills of between minus 20 and minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday.

Chicago, winter storm
Pedestrians navigate a snow-covered sidewalk as temperatures hang in the single-digits on December 22, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago is among the many American cities experiencing colder-than-average temperatures amid a punishing winter storm. Scott Olson/Getty Images

According to data provided by the NWS and Weather Central as of Friday morning, these are the coldest cities in the U.S. right now (all in Fahrenheit):

  • Fairbanks, Alaska minus 27 degrees
  • Gillette, Wyoming minus 23 degrees
  • Bozeman and Helena, Montana minus 16 degrees
  • Fort Collins, Colorado minus 13 degrees
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota between minus 10 and minus 9 degrees
  • Sioux City, Iowa and Sioux Falls, South Dakota minus 9 degrees
  • Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Des Moines, Iowa minus 7 degrees
  • Chicago, Illinois between minus 7 and minus 6 degrees
  • Kansas City, Kansas, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio minus 5 degrees
  • St Louis, Missouri minus 4 degrees
  • Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado minus 3 degrees
  • Nashville, Tennessee minus 1 degree.

While the top two spots are taken by cities which usually record very cold temperatures at this time of the year, all the other cities in the list—stretching across the western and central regions of the country—are experiencing colder-than-average temperatures due to the Arctic blast sweeping the country.

People have been warned against the increased risk of frostbite and hypothermia as temperatures suddenly plunge and have been advised to wear multiple layers if heading outdoors.

"If you must head out, dress in several layers of warm clothing, boots, hats, & mittens. Take frequent warming breaks," NWS Boulder, Colorado, wrote on Twitter.

On Thursday night in Oklahoma, the lowest temperature reported was minus 33 degrees Fahrenheit. "It's cold out there," commented NWS Norman on Twitter.

NWS Missoula, in Montana, reported a temperature of minus 49 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday morning.

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Thomas Kines previously told Newsweek that the lowest temperatures this weekend will be reported "across Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota."

Kines said that these states might experience temperatures in the minus 30s degrees Fahrenheit and even in the minus 40s, "especially in Montana and Wyoming."

NOAA forecasters expect temperatures to reach 40 degrees below average in the northern Rockies and northern Plains between today and Monday December 26, while the central Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Midsouth will likely experience sub-zero to single-digit temperatures.

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About the writer

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

Writers Page

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property ... Read more