According to an article in Forbes.com this week, “The greatest cold weather event in the recorded history of the U.S. took place during the first half of February 1899. Sub-zero temperatures were observed in every state in the Contiguous U.S. – including Florida. The coldest temperature on record for many cities and states were reported during that cold outbreak. Records that still stand today in many cases.” In Georgia, the coldest temperature reported in the outbreak was -12 F in Tallapoosa in Haralson County west of Atlanta on February 12; Atlanta got down to -9 F on the same day. Even parts of Florida reached temperatures below zero during that outbreak. What has not been calculated until now is the wind chills from that outbreak. Brian Brettschneider just posted a new map which shows the coldest wind chill produced during that brutal cold snap. So next time you think it’s too cold, just think how much worse it could be. You can read more about the outbreak and how the map was made here.
