What is Chicago’s lowest high temperature ever recorded?

Posted: Jan 29, 2023 / 10:34 PM CST

Updated: Jan 30, 2023 / 12:45 PM CST

Dear Tom,

I know that on January 20, 1985, Chicago set the record for its lowest temperature with a low of minus 27. What is the lowest high temperature ever recorded?
Kevin Gualano

Dear Kevin,

It’s rare for Chicago’s temperature to stay below zero all day, with only 48 occurrences dating back to 1870. The city’s most recent subzero high was December 23, 2022, with a maximum of minus 1. The city’s record lowest daytime high of minus 11 has been recorded twice–once on a frigid Christmas Eve in 1983 and again on Jan. 18, 1994. The city has even experienced two three-day strings of subzero daytime weather. The first was in January 1883 when the high temperature failed to reach zero on Jan. 21 (minus 4), Jan. 22 (minus 4), and Jan. 23 (minus 1). The second happened 100 years later in 1983 during the city’s “frozen Christmas” period from Dec. 23-25 with highs of minus 6, minus 11, and minus 5, respectively.