The city of Chicago is going through one of the coldest days in its history, and we thought it would be interesting to take a trip back in time to see how NBC 5 covered some of the most frigid weather this city has ever experienced.
Jan. 19, 1985 (-23 degrees)
On this date, the temperature plunged all the way to minus-23 degrees, the fifth-coldest date on record. NBC 5’s George Ciccarone had all the details of how the city dealt with the Arctic blast:
Dec. 24, 1983 (-25 degrees)
It was a Christmas Chill in 1983, as the temperature dropped to an appropriate minus-25 degrees. David Kohler was on the scene as Chicagoans saw their holiday iced over in a big way.
Local
Jan. 16, 1982 (-25 degrees)
On the third-coldest day in Chicago history, roads across the Midwest were blocked by blowing snow and frigid temperatures, and those trying to venture out in the cold often found their cars were simply not up to the task:
The cold also caused plenty of other problems for Chicago residents, and Barbara Shlek was on that story:
Jan. 10, 1982 (-26 degrees)
At minus-26 degrees, this was the second-coldest day in the history of the city, and news events occurred all around the city as the mercury plunged.
Fred Briggs had a recap of the day:
While residents in another Chicago community dealt with a devastating fire:
Deborah Norville also had the story about how 27 people were evacuated from an apartment complex because of a carbon monoxide leak that went unaddressed for several days:
Jan. 20, 1985 (-27 degrees)
The current reigning champion for coldest day in Chicago history, the temperature never got above minus-27 degrees on this frigid date. George Ciccarone has the details:
