Columbus - Coldest Decades

The coldest decades on record are ranked here for Columbus, Ohio. The lists include decades when Columbus had the lowest average temperatures, the fewest hot days and the most cold days. These extremes are for temperatures observed at John Glenn Columbus International Airport and cover seven decades, from the 1950s to the 2010s.

That is when Columbus had weather measurements that are consistent and complete enough to compare decades. Each decade comprises a standard 10-year range. For instance, the 1990s includes measurements from Jan 1, 1990 to Dec 31, 1999. Links to the data behind these lists are in the References section on this page.

Coolest High Temperatures

Average daily maximum temperature at Columbus
High °F Decade High °C
Lowest 60.9 1970s 16.1
Runner-up 61.1 1960s 16.2

Coldest Low Temperatures

Average daily minimum temperature at Columbus
Low °F Decade Low °C
Lowest 40.9 1960s 5.0
Runner-up 42.0 1970s 5.6

Fewest Warm Days

Total days per year on average when Columbus had temperatures of at least 70 °F (21 °C)
Days Decade
Lowest 156 1970s
Runner-up 157 1990s, 1980s, 1960s

Fewest Hot Days

Total days per year on average when Columbus had temperatures of at least 90 °F (32 °C)
Days Decade
Lowest 11 1970s
Runner-up 16 2000s, 1980s

Most Freezing Days

Total days per year on average when Columbus had temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower
Days Decade
Highest 125 1960s
Runner-up 120 1950s

Most Cold Days

Total days per year on average when Columbus had temperatures of 0 °F (-18 °C) or lower
Days Decade
Highest 7 1970s
Runner-up 5 1980s, 1960s
References

Current Results. 2020. Columbus OH Temperature Averages by Decade

Jay Lawrimore, Ron Ray, Scott Applequist, Bryant Korzeniewski, Matthew Menne. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

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