Madison - Lowest Temperature for Each Year
Here's where you'll find answers to your questions about the lowest temperatures and coldest days in Madison, Wisconsin. For instance: When was the last time Madison got colder than -20 °F? How cold did Madison get in 2018 or a century ago?
This page gives the lowest temperature for each year in Madison and the date that it happened. A date with a plus sign beside it means the lowest temperature also occurred on at least one other day earlier that year.
These records go back to 1869, with just a few years missing data. The lowest temperature measured during that time was -37 degrees Fahrenheit (-38 Celsius) on January 30, 1951.
Since 1940 the temperature extremes were observed at Dane County Regional Airport. Before then, the weather station was in downtown Madison.
| Min °F | Date | Min °C |
|---|---|---|
| -11 | January 31, 2023 | -24 |
| -18 | January 26, 2022 | -28 |
| -18 | February 09, 2021 | -28 |
| -11 | February 14, 2020 | -24 |
| -26 | January 31, 2019 + | -32 |
| -13 | January 01, 2018 | -25 |
| -9 | December 31, 2017 | -23 |
| -9 | January 18, 2016 | -23 |
| -12 | February 23, 2015 | -24 |
| -18 | January 06, 2014 | -28 |
| -14 | December 30, 2013 | -26 |
| -8 | January 21, 2012 + | -22 |
| -15 | January 23, 2011 | -26 |
| -11 | January 09, 2010 | -24 |
| Min °F | Date | Min °C |
|---|---|---|
| -19 | January 16, 2009 | -28 |
| -15 | February 21, 2008 | -26 |
| -16 | February 05, 2007 | -27 |
| -17 | February 18, 2006 | -27 |
| -10 | January 23, 2005 | -23 |
| -13 | January 30, 2004 | -25 |
| -9 | January 27, 2003 + | -23 |
| -8 | March 04, 2002 | -22 |
| -8 | January 02, 2001 | -22 |
| -21 | December 25, 2000 | -29 |
| -20 | January 05, 1999 | -29 |
| -7 | January 13, 1998 | -22 |
| -11 | January 17, 1997 | -24 |
| -29 | February 03, 1996 | -34 |
| -7 | December 09, 1995 + | -22 |
| -27 | January 20, 1994 + | -33 |
| -10 | February 25, 1993 + | -23 |
| -7 | January 16, 1992 + | -22 |
| -16 | January 30, 1991 | -27 |
| -11 | December 26, 1990 + | -24 |
| -18 | December 21, 1989 | -28 |
| -21 | January 07, 1988 | -29 |
| -12 | January 24, 1987 | -24 |
| -21 | January 08, 1986 | -29 |
| -28 | February 01, 1985 | -33 |
| -19 | January 21, 1984 | -28 |
| -25 | December 19, 1983 | -32 |
| -26 | January 17, 1982 | -32 |
| -10 | February 11, 1981 | -23 |
| -12 | February 04, 1980 | -24 |
| -28 | January 16, 1979 + | -33 |
| -12 | January 30, 1978 | -24 |
| -22 | January 09, 1977 | -30 |
| -20 | February 02, 1976 | -29 |
| -14 | February 09, 1975 | -26 |
| -19 | January 12, 1974 | -28 |
| -16 | February 17, 1973 | -27 |
| -24 | January 15, 1972 | -31 |
| -26 | January 18, 1971 | -32 |
| -21 | January 21, 1970 + | -29 |
| -14 | January 12, 1969 | -26 |
| -18 | January 07, 1968 | -28 |
| -21 | January 18, 1967 | -29 |
| -23 | January 29, 1966 | -31 |
| -25 | January 29, 1965 | -32 |
| -9 | December 17, 1964 | -23 |
| -30 | January 15, 1963 | -34 |
| -29 | March 01, 1962 | -34 |
| -15 | December 15, 1961 | -26 |
| -14 | March 06, 1960 | -26 |
| -28 | February 02, 1959 | -33 |
| -14 | December 10, 1958 | -26 |
| -12 | January 14, 1957 | -24 |
| -11 | December 13, 1956 + | -24 |
| -14 | January 27, 1955 | -26 |
| -14 | January 17, 1954 | -26 |
| -9 | January 06, 1953 | -23 |
| -13 | January 24, 1952 | -25 |
| -37 | January 30, 1951 | -38 |
| -21 | December 27, 1950 | -29 |
| -19 | January 20, 1949 | -28 |
| -17 | February 09, 1948 + | -27 |
| -8 | February 04, 1947 | -22 |
| -9 | January 26, 1946 | -23 |
| -12 | December 18, 1945 | -24 |
| -8 | December 26, 1944 + | -22 |
| -18 | January 20, 1943 | -28 |
| -23 | January 08, 1942 | -31 |
| -10 | February 19, 1941 | -23 |
| -23 | January 18, 1940 | -31 |
| -6 | February 11, 1939 | -21 |
| -10 | January 31, 1938 | -23 |
| -9 | February 10, 1937 | -23 |
| -26 | January 22, 1936 | -32 |
| -22 | January 23, 1935 | -30 |
| -14 | January 29, 1934 | -26 |
| -26 | February 09, 1933 | -32 |
| -12 | December 16, 1932 | -24 |
| -3 | January 21, 1931 | -19 |
| -24 | January 18, 1930 | -31 |
| -21 | February 20, 1929 + | -29 |
| -11 | January 02, 1928 | -24 |
| -15 | January 26, 1927 | -26 |
| -17 | January 28, 1926 | -27 |
| -14 | December 27, 1925 | -26 |
| -25 | January 05, 1924 | -32 |
| -18 | February 03, 1923 | -28 |
| -12 | January 24, 1922 + | -24 |
| -4 | December 25, 1921 + | -20 |
| -14 | February 15, 1920 + | -26 |
| -23 | January 04, 1919 | -31 |
| -20 | February 01, 1918 | -29 |
| -21 | February 02, 1917 | -29 |
| -22 | January 13, 1916 | -30 |
| -23 | January 28, 1915 | -31 |
| -16 | December 26, 1914 | -27 |
| -13 | March 02, 1913 | -25 |
| -25 | January 12, 1912 | -32 |
| -11 | January 04, 1911 + | -24 |
| -18 | January 07, 1910 | -28 |
| -22 | January 06, 1909 | -30 |
| -10 | February 02, 1908 + | -23 |
| -13 | February 03, 1907 | -25 |
| -8 | February 15, 1906 + | -22 |
| – | 1905 | – |
| -26 | January 25, 1904 | -32 |
| -17 | December 13, 1903 | -27 |
| -15 | January 28, 1902 | -26 |
| -17 | December 14, 1901 | -27 |
| -14 | January 31, 1900 | -26 |
| -28 | February 09, 1899 | -33 |
| -12 | December 31, 1898 | -24 |
| -23 | January 25, 1897 | -31 |
| -13 | January 04, 1896 | -25 |
| -21 | February 05, 1895 | -29 |
| -18 | January 25, 1894 | -28 |
| -21 | February 04, 1893 | -29 |
| -11 | January 15, 1892 | -24 |
| -14 | February 04, 1891 | -26 |
| -12 | March 05, 1890 | -24 |
| -20 | February 23, 1889 | -29 |
| -29 | January 21, 1888 | -34 |
| -29 | January 07, 1887 | -34 |
| -26 | December 27, 1886 | -32 |
| -25 | January 22, 1885 | -32 |
| -27 | January 05, 1884 | -33 |
| – | 1883 | – |
| -13 | December 07, 1882 | -25 |
| -20 | January 14, 1881 | -29 |
| – | 1880 | – |
| -22 | January 02, 1879 | -30 |
| -9 | January 07, 1878 | -23 |
| -16 | January 13, 1877 + | -27 |
| -22 | December 09, 1876 | -30 |
| -25 | January 09, 1875 | -32 |
| -15 | December 29, 1874 | -26 |
| -21 | January 29, 1873 | -29 |
| -28 | December 24, 1872 | -33 |
| -15 | December 05, 1871 | -26 |
| -15 | February 20, 1870 | -26 |
| -8 | March 06, 1869 + | -22 |
Reference
Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.