Polar Vortex Brought Record Shattering Cold to the Midwest

Only one week into December, and in much of the United States, the winter season is already bringing historic cold. In the first seven days of the month, a blast of Arctic air swept across large swaths of the country, causing unseasonably cold temperatures to states as far East as New England, and as far South as Texas. But no region of the U.S. has been harder hit by frigid temperatures so far this month than the Midwest.

According to weather station data published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the polar vortex pushed temperatures down to historic daily lows during the first week of the month in all 12 Midwestern states – from Kansas to Ohio, and North Dakota to Michigan. 

In parts of Missouri, single digit and zero degree temperatures were enough to break daily records that had stood since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In parts of Wisconsin and the Dakotas, temperatures in the negative teens were as many as 16°F lower than the previous records. The coldest daily record-low in the Lower 48 so far this month, however, was reported in Brimson, Minnesota, where the mercury fell to -27°F on both December 4 and December 5, breaking the decades-old previous daily records. 

While the record-shattering weather system has moved out of the Midwest, frigid temperatures will likely remain. In the coming days, another blast of cold air is expected to move through the region, submerging northern areas in sub-zero temperatures once again. 

Using data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate Crisis 247 identified the coldest historic daily lows reported across the Midwest this month. We reviewed data on daily record lows reported between Dec. 1-7, 2025 for all 12 Midwestern states. For each state, we listed the coldest record-breaking temperature, as well as the weather station where the temperature was reported. If more than one weather station reported the same record-breaking temperature on multiple days in the first week of the month, we listed the weather station where the new daily low was reported most recently. We also listed all dates where records were broken so far this month, as well as the number of times daily records were broken across all weather stations in the state during the first week of December 2025. 

Illinois

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -7°F (Dec. 5, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Stockton 3 NNE, IL (970 ft. above sea level); Lincoln, IL (583 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 5: -5°F in Stockton (reported in 2005), 3°F in Lincoln (reported in 2005)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 35
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 28
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 1, 4, 5, 2025

Indiana

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -7°F (Dec. 5, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Huntington, IN (731 ft. above sea level); Rensselaer WWTP, IN (658 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 5: 3°F in Huntington (reported in 1991); 1°F in Rensselaer (reported in 2005)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 26
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 18
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 1, 4, 5, 6, 2025

Iowa

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -20°F (Dec. 4, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Pocahontas, IA (1,212 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 4: -5°F (reported in 1991)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 81
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 57
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 1, 4, 5, 2025

Kansas

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: 4°F (Dec. 2, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: St Joseph Rosecrans Memorial Airport, MO (807 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 2: 9°F (reported in 1980)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 5
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 5
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 2, 3, 2025

Michigan

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -6°F (Dec. 5, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Ann Arbor University of Michigan (813 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 5: 3°F (reported in 2019)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 14
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 13
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 4, 5, 6, 2025

Minnesota

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -27°F (Dec. 5, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Brimson 2 S, MN (1,486 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 5: -26°F (reported in 1991)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 19
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 16
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 4, 5, 2025

Missouri

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: 0°F (Dec. 4, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Conception, MO (1,108 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 4: 3°F (reported in 1905)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 13
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 10
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 2025

Nebraska

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: 0°F (Dec. 4, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Omaha Eppley Airfield, NE (980 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 4: 1°F (reported in 2005)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 2
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 2
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 3, 4, 2025

North Dakota

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -18°F (Dec. 1, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Medora, ND (2,268 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 1: -12°F (reported in 1985)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 1
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 1
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 1, 2025

Ohio

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -15°F (Dec. 5, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Chardon, OH (1,130 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 5: -3°F (reported in 1976)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 18
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 12
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 2025

South Dakota

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -19°F (Dec. 1, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Kyle 2 E, SD (2,958 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 1: -3°F (reported in 2022)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 10
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 9
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 1, 4, 5, 2025

Wisconsin

• Coldest and most recent daily low reported this month: -17°F (Dec. 4, 2025)
• Weather station(s) reporting coldest daily low: Couderay 7 W, WI (1,300 ft. above sea level)
• Previous daily record at weather station(s) for December 4: -16°F (reported in 1991)
• Total number of new daily lows reported in state this month: 26
• Number of weather stations reporting new daily lows this month: 20
• Date(s) of new record lows so far this month: Dec. 1, 2, 4, 5, 2025